Navigating the Fixture Congestion Maze: EFL Schedules
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The Balancing Act of Fixture Congestion
It is tough for EFL teams when it comes to fixtures. One look at the fixtures list for an EFL club and you can see how hectic it is from start to finish. Of Course, every team in the EFL is now used to those fixture congestion, it has become more of a routine now.
It’s not a recent thing either, the EFL clubs have been used to excessive fixture congestion for years and hence they are programmed to tackle this issue. The fixture congestion is due to the clubs being in different competitions.
Championship sides have different competitions to worry about and League One and League Two sides have different competitions to worry about, but the schedules of all three divisions are equally jam-packed.
The Championship: A Relentless Calendar
Championship clubs have to play 46 matches as league fixtures every year. In comparison to the Premier League, that is 8 more matches. Also, not every fixture is played on a weekend, there are midweek fixtures as well.
The Championship clubs require a big squad, probably more than 25 players to match the congestion of the fixtures list. While the big clubs in the Championship can afford to have big squads, there are others who have to make do with a relatively compact squad.
On top of the 46 games in the Championship, the Championship clubs also take part in the FA Cup and the League Cup. The League Cup participation starts in August itself, so the congestion begins fairly early into the season.
The minimum number of games a Championship club plays in a season is 48, so one can imagine the workload that falls on the players as well as the management and backroom staff.
There are also play-off games that need to be accounted for in these fixture congestion. These are 3 additional games after the season gets over and it decides the promotion of a team placed between 3rd to 6th.
Crazy amount of fixtures these clubs have to go through every year and hope they don’t encounter an injury crisis because with so many fixtures, clubs are bound to pick up injuries here and there.
Fixture Overload in League One and League Two
The league fixture list is the same for League One and League Two sides as the Championship sides. There are 46 games in the league that the lower league teams start with. That is normal.
What isn’t normal are the additional cup competition games that the League One and Two sides have to face. Like the Championship, League One and Two teams enter the League Cup and FA Cup competitions as well but there is an additional EFL trophy that these sides compete in on top of the two major English domestic trophies.
While the League Cup starts in August, the EFL Trophy also starts at the same time. The League One and Two sides play a minimum of 50 matches every single season! There is a midweek fixture almost every other week for these clubs and with a limited budget, they go into the season with a very cramped squad.
Just like in the Championship, even the League One and Two clubs have to go through play-offs for promotion. So, these clubs easily play 50+ games every season.
Management Challenges
Fixture congestion also poses serious challenges for the management and coaching staff. Managers must continually rotate their squads to keep players fresh, while also maintaining a level of consistency and performance that fans and club owners expect. This juggling act can be stressful and significantly increases the risk of poor results, as a miscalculation could lead to fielding a less-than-optimal team.
The strategic aspect of managing a squad through a congested fixture list is often underrated but is one of the most crucial factors in a successful season. It’s not just about handling player fitness; it’s also about managing morale. Players who find themselves consistently on the bench due to rotation may grow discontent, affecting locker room dynamics and overall team performance.
The Mental and Physical Toll on Players
The mental and physical fatigue induced by fixture congestion is another critical factor to consider. Players are not just physical beings; they also require mental breaks to perform at their best. The packed schedules allow little room for recovery or time to step away, which can lead to burnout or mental fatigue. This is a hidden cost of fixture congestion that is often overlooked but can dramatically influence a player’s performance and, by extension, the success of the team.
Financial Strain and the Mirrored Upside
The financial implications of fixture congestion aren’t just limited to the cost of maintaining a large squad. The physical toll that it takes on players inevitably results in injuries, requiring even more squad depth or forcing clubs to enter the transfer market, both of which are financially draining. For smaller clubs with limited resources, this can be devastating and may even influence their competitive capacity in multiple tournaments.
Moreover, while large squads may handle fixture congestion better, they also require more substantial wage bills, thereby squeezing the financial resources of clubs even further. Not to mention, the travel costs associated with multiple away games in quick succession can also add up, affecting the club’s overall financial health.
However, if an EFL club goes deep into the domestic cup or if they win a promotion to a higher league then the money that comes in with such runs makes it all worth it. While the domestic cup money is not much for a Premier League team, it makes so much difference for an EFL club, especially the ones who are struggling financially.
One good run is all it takes for a club to make these fixture congestion worthwhile.
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