Guardiola is unhappy with Sky and TNT Sports - but he should look closer to home

07 March 2024 , 13:04

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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is not happy with his side's schedule (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Pep Guardiola is unhappy with the broadcasters for scheduling games at peak viewing times?

Maybe the Manchester City manager should tell his own bosses. Because that's who signed up to the TV deals which give the likes of Sky Sports and TNT Sports control over the schedules.

The Premier League isn't forced into agreeing to the deals on the table from the country's biggest TV companies. All 20 clubs get a vote on whether they should accept them. Clubs can argue it would be pointless if they did vote against because the majority will always say yes.

That’s because the money on offer is so huge, the clubs can’t say no to the broadcasters. So why do managers continually moan about scheduling? They know why it happens. This week it is the turn of Guardiola.

He is annoyed his side had to play Sunday, Wednesday, and Sunday in a big week for the defending champions. His main annoyance appears to be with the Manchester derby taking place on Sunday rather than Saturday which gave his side less recovery time for Wednesday’s Champions League win over FC Copenhagen.

Pep Guardiola went back on his word after blocking last-ditch Barcelona transfer

Poor Pep had to turn to his vastly expensive squad and rotate a few players for a tie that City were in total control of. Boo hoo. Liverpool have to play on Thursday night away from home then fly back to England to get ready to face the Treble chasers in a huge clash in the Premier League title race.

It is what it is. These managers want the big wages they earn, they want the big transfer pots to spend but then they don’t want what comes with it? Maybe they could all get together and agree in the next round of TV deal negotiations to get back more control from the broadcasters?

Guardiola has taken aim at broadcasters (PA)

Oh wait, they won’t? Why is that? Because it would hit them where it hurts. Their own pocket as well as the club’s balance sheet. Guardiola is not the only one who has said it, he won’t be the last but it is tiresome.

They did get TNT Sports to relent recently and move matches to 8pm on a Saturday if a team has played on a Wednesday in Europe and the broadcaster wants their game as their pick for the weekend.

But the clubs are in control so the managers acting like they are being forced into it all is a bit tiresome now. Your bosses signed up to it. Stop blaming the broadcasters who just want as much value for their money as they can get.

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Chris McKenna