Morning.
The one place to start out this morning is the harm suffered by Martin Odegaard throughout Norway’s 2-1 win over Austria. The captain’s foot acquired caught in a problem, and for those who watch the video, you possibly can see his ankle twist proper beneath him, earlier than snapping again.
Ødegaard off with an nasty harm. Screaming in ache. Does not look good in any respect.
Hate internationals with a ardour 🤬🤬pic.twitter.com/SfRgnRoEAn
— 🇳🇴 kimmoFC (@kimmoFC) September 9, 2024
He clearly knew it was a nasty one, and got here off after some remedy. Proper now, we’ve nothing a lot to go on as a result of it’s nonetheless so quickly after the harm. It might probably take a day or two to get the data we want, nevertheless it didn’t look good in any respect, and if he acquired away with out damaging his ankle ligaments to some extent I might be completely amazed. I’d even be astonished if he have been out there for Sunday’s North London derby, including to Mikel Arteta’s midfield headache.
Norway boss, Stale Solbakken, reasonably blithely mentioned on TV afterwards:
We all know it was an ankle sprain. With luck it could possibly prove OK, if the ligaments aren’t torn, however I’m not likely certain Arteta will name me tonight to reward me.
Since Declan Rice’s crimson card in opposition to Brighton the dialogue has been about how we configure the crew with out him, however the concept that we’ll possible need to go there with out him and Odegaard appears fairly merciless. There’s no Fabio Vieira after his mortgage to Porto was sanctioned, Mikel Merino is injured after his unlucky collision in coaching, and choices are restricted. Step ahead Ethan Nwaneri, I assume – if you take a look at the squad and who might presumably are available and do one thing just like what the captain does, he’s the apparent selection. It’s loads to ask of a 17 yr outdated although, and little doubt the midfield dialogue will proceed all through the week.
I’ve seen a whole lot of discuss how Arsenal ought to by no means have allowed Odegaard to go away with Norway, having taken a heavy kick within the Brighton recreation – and I get that fully. I want we have been a bit extra cynical in that regard, nevertheless it’s essential to acknowledge it is a two-way avenue. Gamers need to play for his or her international locations, and for those who insist they sit video games out after they really feel they’re okay to play, you danger damaging your relationship with them.
For all of the discuss of what different golf equipment do on this regard, Man Metropolis despatched their solely striker away to play two video games for Norway throughout this Interlull. Perhaps they acquired fortunate Erling Haaland didn’t get injured, perhaps we acquired unfortunate Odegaard did, however you possibly can’t simply ignore a participant’s needs. Perhaps we must be extra persuasive, perhaps we will do extra, nevertheless it’s actually not so simple as simply saying no – and I believe it’s additionally essential to notice that the gamers themselves have some duty right here too.
For me, the larger challenge is what the hell we want these internationals for simply three video games into a brand new season, and why are there nonetheless no mechanisms that put some duty on nationwide associations for the welfare of gamers? Golf equipment pay tens of hundreds of thousands of kilos in switch charges for footballers, on prime of huge wages/bonuses and so forth, who’re then in a position to be plucked away by set-ups that are, in some circumstances, little greater than beginner.
The supervisor or head coach doesn’t have to fret about whether or not Martin Odegaard is match for the derby, or our first Champions League recreation away at Atlanta, or our journey the next weekend to Man Metropolis … as soon as he’s match once more for the subsequent set of internationals. It’s superb to me that there isn’t a approach for golf equipment to be correctly compensated when gamers get injured on worldwide obligation. Why isn’t there a check-list which includes gamers, golf equipment and nationwide associations which assesses danger? If a nationwide crew chooses to play somebody who’s carrying a knock, or taking part in by means of the ache to extent, they assume a punitive monetary danger if that participant will get an harm which retains them sidelined for his or her membership.
I do know it’s the kind of factor that might simply be abused, relying as it will on full disclosure from all events always, however when we’ve these conversations about participant welfare, certainly one thing like this must be a part of it. The fact is we’re by no means going to have much less soccer than we do now. Soccer as a cash making machine calls for an increasing number of, from golf equipment and the likes of UEFA and FIFA. If we’re going to criticise the expanded Champions League format and nonsense just like the Membership World Cup and all these pointless internationals as growing the calls for on gamers, then we’ve acknowledge that golf equipment taking part in high-profile ‘friendlies’ in pre-season as cash making workouts are a part of this too. There are parts which are worse than others, however that is one thing everybody who works within the recreation has some duty in direction of.
It’s a dialogue we had on the Arsecast Further yesterday, and the one actual resolution is larger squads. It’s one thing Mikel Arteta has mentioned greater than as soon as, as a result of he is aware of you possibly can’t put the genie again within the bottle now. So, being pragmatic, a bigger squad is all you realistically ask. I believe it’s abundantly clear proper now that the present schedule asks an excessive amount of of the highest gamers within the 25 man squad period. Even with the flexibility to make use of extra subs, even with the enhancements in health/private coaching and so forth, the sport is asking an excessive amount of of them, and the unhappy actuality is that the gamers pay the value.
Golf equipment and followers will really feel like they endure too, which is truthful sufficient, however in the end it’s the man whose ankle sprains, whose ACL ruptures, whose hamstring goes twang, that actually feels it. He’s the one who misses taking part in, he’s the one whose profession can take a left flip from one second on the pitch. Let’s not additionally ignore the truth that we wish high quality soccer on a regular basis, and we’re asking gamers who’re being run into the bottom to carry out at a excessive stage in each single recreation, and that’s not practical both. The general high quality of the sport is one other consideration, if you wish to step again a bit.
So, all we will do that morning is hope that Odegaard’s harm isn’t as critical because it appears, and that the gamers we’ve remaining on worldwide obligation make it by means of their video games protected and sound. After that, how we’ve a critical dialog about all of that is past me, as a result of there are simply too many vested pursuits pulling in reverse instructions.
It has to occur although, it must occur quickly, however I gained’t maintain my breath. Until tomorrow.
