England captain Millie Bright has called for talks to address the “crazy” schedule in the women’s game.
Less than six weeks after reaching the World Cup Final, the Lionesses have been back in action for two Nations League fixtures this month. The new WSL season kick-offs on Sunday, and Bright fears that the crammed calendar could result in more injuries and have a negative impact the quality of the women’s game.
Speaking after England were beaten in Holland on Tuesday night — only their third loss in 41 games under Sarina Wiegman — Bright said: “It’s hard, it’s the mentality side. We’re used to having friendlies [at this time of the season]. That’s not me saying we’ve come in with the wrong mentality, we come in to win every single game, we come in to develop and get better, but it is extremely hard to try to recover while trying to get into gear.
“Then, knowing now that we’re heading into a ridiculous season, with very limited time off, is crazy, but that seems to be coming the way of the game.
“Ultimately, we want to give the fans [a show], and we want to play at the best level possible and for the longest amount of time. We want lengthy careers, we want to impress the fans, that’s how we’re going to grow the crowds, which is still on our agenda every single week to keep improving the game.
“But I do worry that the standards may slip if we keep going the way we’re going, and there’s bound to be more injuries along with that.
“As players, it’s really hard at the moment, because nothing’s changing and we just have to get on with it, we have to do the best we can do, prepare in the best way, perform at the highest levels, get as much rest as possible where possible and just be smart in decision making.
“It’s definitely something that needs to [be looked at] and I’d like people to speak to players, so that we can actually say how hard it is.”
