PFA chief proposed radical solution to Premier League captains over fixture fear

02 February 2023 , 20:00

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PFA chief Maheta Molango has been appointed to FIFPro’s global board with the fixture calendar top of the agenda.

The Professional Footballers’ Association is a unique union in that it has unwavering support from multi-millionaire Premier League stars as well as all levels of the game.

PFA chief executive Molango is doing a good job in pushing the organisation forward and player welfare remains the No.1 priority at a time when UEFA is expanding the Champions League and the EFL needs to maintain its long term future.

But what should not be overlooked was a meeting with FIFA last year when the PFA wrote a joint letter to Gianni Infantino expressing concerns about Arsene Wenger’s biennial World Cup plan.

Molango said: “If you want to have the best show then you have to look after the welfare of the players. Too many people in the industry don’t understand the game and are only interested in money.

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“We’ve also signed an agreement between the World League Forum and FIFPro to discuss issues that we have in common with the leagues.

“The domestic calendar has not evolved much, that’s not the problem. The problem is the international calendar. We have to join together with the EFL, Premier League and the FA.

Maheta Molango (R) is the new PFA chief executive (Getty Images)

“We have to be careful when we talk about scrapping replays and so on. That’s the bread and butter for some clubs and there’s no point in removing the fixtures only to replace them with more Champions League games.

“We sent a letter in November from all of the captains of the Premier League, also all of the captains in the WSL and the idea was to make sure that all of the players around the calendar and also the biennial World Cup proposal.

“Infantanto jumped on a plane, together with Arsene Wenger, to Manchester and what was noticeable was who was around the table. Paul Pogba, Cesar Azpilicueta, Steph Houghton, Conor Coady and Ben Mee.

Arsene Wenger proposed the World Cup to take place every other year (Getty Images)

“Some would have been affected by the calendar and some not but they all care. I’d like to think that they listened and will take on board.”

Interestingly, one of the proposals is to actually have a set number of days off for players and for them to be carried over as “lieu days” to ensure players get enough of a rest in the season.

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And the Adidas ball has the latest Connected Ball and Technology for the latest data and insights plus also the tournament will have semi automated offsides which rely on state-of-the-art tech.

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US assistant referee Kathryn Nesbitt created history as part of a sextet of women – three referees, three assistant referees – who were selected for the World Cup in Qatar.

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Kathryn Nesbitt at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar (Markus Gilliar - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)

She will also officiate at the women’s World Cup and hopes that her rise will “open doors" for others in football.

Nesbitt said: “I am very excited for the Women’s World Cup this year. I was able to participate in the 2019 Women’s World Cup, and for me this was some of the most fun I have ever had.

"The football is incredible and I think we will see even better football this time around, new players, new teams, so I’m very excited.

“I think that all the doors are open now and there are opportunities for everybody. It doesn’t matter if you’re female [or] male, or any criteria. Everybody now has the opportunity to participate at any level of football, so I encourage everybody to work their hardest and achieve their dreams.”