As part of his monthly blog series for the SPFL website, former Hibs, Partick Thistle and Airdrieonians player David Farrell gives his view on player fatigue. Is it OK for players to feel tired?
Last week, everyone had their say on whether Raheem Sterling should be fatigued at this time of the season, so for what it's worth, I’ll give you mine (and it might be not quite be what you expected).
From my point of view, there are two aspects to this - whether the player was indeed tired and why the matter was aired publicly in the first place. But I know one thing, there is a perception that players should NEVER be tired.
Sterling is 19 and, in football terms, his body and mind have not yet fully formed. He's young, fit and athletic but does NOT have the same physical and mental, strength and power of a seasoned pro. I've seen many an 19-year-old flying during the first three days of pre-season, only to be found wanting in the second week while the older professionals cruise past them. "It's only 90 minutes a week" is the predictable viewpoint. Really? Before he went on International duty, Sterling had played six games in 18 days, including a Merseyside derby and two Champions League ties.
How many of you work in an office, have a meeting in London the next day, fly down, do some work in the afternoon, get an interrupted sleep in a strange bed, travel back the next day, get home and the wife says "how are you feeling"? The word “TIRED” usually springs to mind! How many people come back after a weekend away, the flights, the waiting, the transfers and proclaim they need another one? All that's without the 90-minute game, at the top level, which takes an enormous amount of physical exertion and can put a lot of strain on the body.
How many people wake up after a game of fives and can hardly move the next day? Of course, I am well aware that these top players are pampered, well looked after and very, very, fit, but please don't think they don't feel just as you do the next day. The travelling to and from European games, leaving after the match, arriving back at 4am, before getting home and then training again that afternoon. All that takes its toll and, although they are very, very well paid for it, surely there should at least be an understanding that players, on occasion, might just be tired. Sterling should certainly not have had his patriotism questioned or be vilified for it.
But did he say it? Well, his club manager has said he didn't and, while I have no reason to dispute Brendan's word, I’m sure that if the words "I'm tired" weren't actually said, there must have been words to that effect for the situation to be made public. But I’m more interested in the psychology of WHY it was made public.
I think there was an element of self-preservation in there. The role of national team manager is highly pressurised and subject to the most imposing scrutiny. While I have no experience at that level, I believe the same management scenarios are relevant in club football.
You are under pressure; results have been OK but performances indifferent. You've got a tough game coming up; one you know you probably can't afford to lose. It's something that plays out every week in the SPFL. But this time it's different, this time your star player has just told you he's not feeling his best. If you lose, the press will slaughter you, "why did you leave out your best player"? And of course, you fear their reaction when you tell them "he told me he was tired". So, in order to protect your position, you tell them BEFORE the game.
However, while I understand the reasons behind WHY the conversation was made public, I wholly disagree with it. My opinion is that you run the risk of losing the trust of your players as well as exposing the individual concerned to a higher level of public and media scrutiny, which cannot be good for the team or the player in the long run.
Something that has also been forgotten through all this; Sterling actually came on and won the free kick that won the match for England. He had a big impact on the last 20 minutes, so maybe by saying he was "tired", he did his country a huge service and WAS being patriotic after all.
Follow David Farrell on Twitter here - @davidfarrellfaz
For more inside knowledge on the game, visit David's excellent blog site HERE
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