PFA chief raises fresh concerns over ‘shattered’ players as he admits fans are not getting value for money

PFA chief Maheta Molango has warned against fixture congestion, stating fans deserve to see stars like Cole Palmer performing at their best.

The chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) recalled visiting Chelsea’s training ground after last summer’s Club World Cup, where players were "shattered".

This competition, expanded to 32 teams for the first time, has been a flashpoint for player unions, including the PFA, and domestic leagues, who have challenged Fifa in court over scheduling and insufficient consultation on calendar changes.

Molango believes all competition organisers need a fundamental rethink on what drives fan interest.

"It’s really important that we that we discover the value of scarcity," he stated at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit.

He drew a comparison, adding: "The NFL plays 17 games, they make more than 10 billion. Christmas is nice because it’s not every Tuesday."

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Maheta Molango is concerned about players being ‘shattered’ (Steven Paston/PA) (PA Archive)

While Chelsea are carefully managing Cole Palmer’s workload – he has played just 19 games for the club this season and only once for England under Thomas Tuchel – Molango fears the current demands will prevent fans from seeing players like him at their best.

"If he goes to the World Cup, it will be three consecutive summers without a break," Molango highlighted.

Dismissing wealth arguments, he added: "People say ‘he’s a millionaire’ – yes he is, but it doesn’t give him an extra lung or an extra leg. I want to see Cole Palmer on the pitch because he’s the one who makes me dream."

He further criticised the current situation, stating: "The reality is that the fans pay right now 100 per cent of the ticket, and a lot of time they get 70 per cent, if they are lucky, of the show. Players start regulating themselves, and it’s not good.

“I was at the training camp of Chelsea when they came back (from Club World Cup). They looked shattered. Sometimes we need to be honest with ourselves and see that less is more."

Player fatigue also poses an economic concern for the Premier League. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters acknowledged: "It’s a real problem. The players at the top level play an enormous number of football matches, and we cannot rely on them to keep performing at the level we want them to."

He stressed the importance of domestic competition, adding: "I never want any of our clubs to think that the Premier League isn’t their number one priority because they have too many other matches to distract them."

Fifa has consistently maintained it consulted fully with all stakeholders on the current international calendar, which is in place until 2030.