Way too overworked. Katie was playing against Sweden today and in the last minute she hurt her hamstring. Like wtf. She was visibly exhausted and she was great the first 55 mins I suppose but after that she went downhill. Meanwhile, players who need gametime have to sit on the bench. Seriously annoyed me.
Although unfortunately England lost 2-1 to france. Alessia & Leah started and played the full 90, and beth scored the opener and got subbed in the 80th x
Saw that. Hard luck about mearps, even as an Irish gooner it was really sad, hope she'll be OK and the crutches were only cautionary. Another example of overloaded players, she played every minute of uniteds season. Mark skinner will be in the shits if it's anything serious. 🙏
I can't stand Marc! Yep hope it's nothing serious, and hope hannah gets to play again on tues, and that mary doesn't play and it being rested- poor girl has not had a match of this season!Â
They need a better rotation on the squad, they have about 10 keepers who are worldclass available, 3 in the squad and 1 who takes the brunt of it, give kheating a chance.
Perfect example of the problem - Foord should be able to do the same, but can’t, because on top of all the international travel, Jonas overplayed her all season
So I got a lot of flack a couple international breaks ago (maybe conti cup final time?) when Foord picked up an injury and Gustavsson blamed Arsenal/Jonas for overloading her. I said he was as much to blame for playing her in games they didn’t need her, games they didn’t even need to call her up and make her travel ridiculous distances for. People hated it, because one man who’s garnered a good reputation was saying all the right things and seemed caring while another guy was tanking his own relationship with fans despite the fact both managers were needlessly overusing Foord. Jonas was the devil and Tony was an unfortunate casualty in Foord’s club level overuse.
And so it’s happened again. He played her in a friendly, one she hadn’t even trained for. I’m no expert but playing a player in a meaningless game when they hadn’t been fit enough to train even the day prior seems very stupid. She didn’t need to do 80 mins in the all star friendly (I assume the Aussies contractually needed to appear) but equally or even more so she didn’t need to do any minutes in this. I think some managers (Jonker is a great example) take care of the NT team players as if they are club players but some know they have them short term and will just juice them for all they have.
I do think Jonas is to blame. We all know she was overused and overworked at club for months on end. National teams should be able to bring on one of their star players at 60mins and expect she has energy to handle that. These friendlies are super important for our Olympic prep. Not just for the new stars to get experience but for everyone. We have to figure out how our team actually fits together, which means everyone will need to play in them.
Plus Tony did the right thing, he didn’t start her and only played her in the 60th min because we were down and struggling, and when she did get slightly injured he pulled her immediately not because she couldn’t play, but as a precaution. Plus he also takes accountability in the article.
The all stars games was fun. I was there and had fun. However. the olympics are way more important, these matches are super important, and if Caitlin is struggling and injured throughout it. I for one will blame Jonas for that.
Edit: also I want to add that Australia is different to the UK. We don’t have the same opportunities and the same level of national tournaments so the Olympics might me more to us than it does to some European countries.
As I said I too do believe Jonas overused Foord but equally I don’t think you can complain about that and do the same. And maybe we will disagree on the necessity of her playing because while I understand it’s important for Olympic prep, learning to play without these players is important too and doing that in meaningless or easier games is the way. The games I referenced previously were the Uzbekistan AFC qualifiers wherein the aggregate was 13-0. Foord came on in the 3-0 and sure fair enough you wanna secure the win. She doesn’t need to start or even play the 2nd in my opinion because Uzbekistan aren’t gunna match that (and if they do the Tony has bigger issues than missing Foord!) but he starts her and then made big changes at the half. So he can and does want to try weaker lineups but maybe only when it’s a 10-0 lead?..
I dunno I think expecting a key player you cannot afford to have injured and know to be overworked to play in a meaningless game after a gruelling season when she wasn’t fit enough for training one day prior is silly. For me they’re both the problem and yes club more so because she’s here more but it sucks seeing these injuries rack up when they’re preventable.
Edit: seen your edit. No shade to the Olympics, it’s a tournament I enjoy greatly, I do think it’ll need to go U23 sooner or later but that will be a massive shame. My point is just for that Olympic goal sometimes you have to sacrifice a little to make sure your best players can play the big games.
I just think national players should be able to play for their nationals teams when they need to. The fact that they can’t and Tony has to be so aware of managing her minute now is because Jonah mismanaged them.
Foord played too many minutes in 2023 because of injuries to Hurtig and Mead recovering. But since the start of 2024, she’s played a standard amount for a starter. Only one game a week and usually the first sub. Jonas didn’t even start her in the conti cup final or Man City away. Both big games. Tony subs her into a meaningless game against a team they are literally playing again in a few days which, he knows she wasn’t even 100%. That’s on him, not Jonas or Arsenal.
The Tillies have a very limited time to figure out their squad and how it will work without our key striker. We don’t have the depth England has. These games are super important to figure out how it will all work. Much more important than the Arsenal all stars game that Caitlin just had to play a week before this game and the reason why we have this issue now.
She did play a lot of minutes this season, she like fifth or something for minutes played. Maybe that is the expectation but maybe it shouldn’t be. There’s a lot of talk of rest periods and burn out with international games, which is all true, but also the clubs and managers need to take more responsibility when it comes to managing their players better.
Unfortunately, what you’re hoping for is just not realistic. The top players for top teams will always play more football. If you don’t play enough at club level, you won’t play international football. And if you want her to play even less than she did at Arsenal in 2024, she becomes a bench player. Or she goes to a club lower down the table, maybe one even closer to home. Not sure how much help that will be to her career or the Tillies though.
I honestly have hated this whole international break. I understand that Aussie fans want to see them play but it was pointless for our team to go all the way there to play, pointless to play Caitlin 80 minutes in that game, pointless to play her in a meaningless friendly. Then you’ve got the Europeans playing important qualifiers, and the Spanish league still has yet to finish. And then you’ve got the Olympics next month. It’s just too much. Oh, yeah, and on top of that, they seem to think it’s an excellent idea to do a Club World Cup as well, and you still have some folks who want bi-annual World Cups.
I feel like every time I argue this people immediately come for me with “it’s an important part of the women’s game and needs to stay that way,” but I am firmly of the belief that it’s time for the Olympics to be a U-23 tournament like it is for the men, with the option to bring a small number of over-23 players. Yes, I’m sure some players would certainly be selected (like you know Leah Williamson would be going for a GB selection), but I think they just really, really need a break.
I don’t want key players playing friendlies at home. Matches with importance, yes, but not friendlies.
The Matildas could have fielded people who really need the international experience here.
Agreed- it also would have been a good opportunity for some players who might be on the fence for an Olympics spot to prove themselves. Caitlin was never on the fence, she’s a firm lock, but depending on the severity of this injury she may not be going to the Olympics or may be playing on very reduced minutes. They’re already missing Kerr which was a major blow, Gorry looks to be making good strides but if she makes it back she won’t be match sharp and likely won’t have the serious minutes they need from her yet, and potentially losing Caitlin is massively bad.
There are very good arguments for why the Olympics could be U23 and there are very good arguments for why it should stay the way it is.
My three thoughts on it are that one: the reason the men’s is the way it is is because of the stranglehold that FIFA have and the absolute greed of FIFA as well as the Eurocentric nature of who gets to make decisions in the men’s game and two as I alluded to it is Mostly a European idea that the Olympics should become a youth tournament.
I think the issue of that the issue of national teams not being able to rotate well is more of an issue of the general every break needing to play the best players for qualifiers and I think teams should do better to one: create a deeper pool that they can pull from and two form a schedule where we don’t have these constant qualifiers all the time with players flying all over the continent.
Well last time Foord had a hamstring injury she was out almost 6 weeks, so let’s hope this is minor and more precautionary at best that she came off. Especially with the Olympics so soon. She probably didn’t need to play in this friendly of she already came into camp with a niggle and wasn’t training. But hindsight is always 20/20. She definitely played way too much this year! Her and McCabe both play an insane amount for country and club.
Caitlin would throw her body away for the Tillies. Unfortunately in women's games, the club holds little power over this problem. I will never understand any coach who plays any player for more than 45 mins in a friendly, it's perfect time to try everyone out.
Way too overworked. Katie was playing against Sweden today and in the last minute she hurt her hamstring. Like wtf. She was visibly exhausted and she was great the first 55 mins I suppose but after that she went downhill. Meanwhile, players who need gametime have to sit on the bench. Seriously annoyed me.
Although unfortunately England lost 2-1 to france. Alessia & Leah started and played the full 90, and beth scored the opener and got subbed in the 80th x
Saw that. Hard luck about mearps, even as an Irish gooner it was really sad, hope she'll be OK and the crutches were only cautionary. Another example of overloaded players, she played every minute of uniteds season. Mark skinner will be in the shits if it's anything serious. 🙏
I can't stand Marc! Yep hope it's nothing serious, and hope hannah gets to play again on tues, and that mary doesn't play and it being rested- poor girl has not had a match of this season!Â
They need a better rotation on the squad, they have about 10 keepers who are worldclass available, 3 in the squad and 1 who takes the brunt of it, give kheating a chance.
Perfect example of the problem - Foord should be able to do the same, but can’t, because on top of all the international travel, Jonas overplayed her all season
So I got a lot of flack a couple international breaks ago (maybe conti cup final time?) when Foord picked up an injury and Gustavsson blamed Arsenal/Jonas for overloading her. I said he was as much to blame for playing her in games they didn’t need her, games they didn’t even need to call her up and make her travel ridiculous distances for. People hated it, because one man who’s garnered a good reputation was saying all the right things and seemed caring while another guy was tanking his own relationship with fans despite the fact both managers were needlessly overusing Foord. Jonas was the devil and Tony was an unfortunate casualty in Foord’s club level overuse. And so it’s happened again. He played her in a friendly, one she hadn’t even trained for. I’m no expert but playing a player in a meaningless game when they hadn’t been fit enough to train even the day prior seems very stupid. She didn’t need to do 80 mins in the all star friendly (I assume the Aussies contractually needed to appear) but equally or even more so she didn’t need to do any minutes in this. I think some managers (Jonker is a great example) take care of the NT team players as if they are club players but some know they have them short term and will just juice them for all they have.
I do think Jonas is to blame. We all know she was overused and overworked at club for months on end. National teams should be able to bring on one of their star players at 60mins and expect she has energy to handle that. These friendlies are super important for our Olympic prep. Not just for the new stars to get experience but for everyone. We have to figure out how our team actually fits together, which means everyone will need to play in them. Plus Tony did the right thing, he didn’t start her and only played her in the 60th min because we were down and struggling, and when she did get slightly injured he pulled her immediately not because she couldn’t play, but as a precaution. Plus he also takes accountability in the article. The all stars games was fun. I was there and had fun. However. the olympics are way more important, these matches are super important, and if Caitlin is struggling and injured throughout it. I for one will blame Jonas for that. Edit: also I want to add that Australia is different to the UK. We don’t have the same opportunities and the same level of national tournaments so the Olympics might me more to us than it does to some European countries.
As I said I too do believe Jonas overused Foord but equally I don’t think you can complain about that and do the same. And maybe we will disagree on the necessity of her playing because while I understand it’s important for Olympic prep, learning to play without these players is important too and doing that in meaningless or easier games is the way. The games I referenced previously were the Uzbekistan AFC qualifiers wherein the aggregate was 13-0. Foord came on in the 3-0 and sure fair enough you wanna secure the win. She doesn’t need to start or even play the 2nd in my opinion because Uzbekistan aren’t gunna match that (and if they do the Tony has bigger issues than missing Foord!) but he starts her and then made big changes at the half. So he can and does want to try weaker lineups but maybe only when it’s a 10-0 lead?.. I dunno I think expecting a key player you cannot afford to have injured and know to be overworked to play in a meaningless game after a gruelling season when she wasn’t fit enough for training one day prior is silly. For me they’re both the problem and yes club more so because she’s here more but it sucks seeing these injuries rack up when they’re preventable. Edit: seen your edit. No shade to the Olympics, it’s a tournament I enjoy greatly, I do think it’ll need to go U23 sooner or later but that will be a massive shame. My point is just for that Olympic goal sometimes you have to sacrifice a little to make sure your best players can play the big games.
I just think national players should be able to play for their nationals teams when they need to. The fact that they can’t and Tony has to be so aware of managing her minute now is because Jonah mismanaged them.
Foord played too many minutes in 2023 because of injuries to Hurtig and Mead recovering. But since the start of 2024, she’s played a standard amount for a starter. Only one game a week and usually the first sub. Jonas didn’t even start her in the conti cup final or Man City away. Both big games. Tony subs her into a meaningless game against a team they are literally playing again in a few days which, he knows she wasn’t even 100%. That’s on him, not Jonas or Arsenal.
The Tillies have a very limited time to figure out their squad and how it will work without our key striker. We don’t have the depth England has. These games are super important to figure out how it will all work. Much more important than the Arsenal all stars game that Caitlin just had to play a week before this game and the reason why we have this issue now. She did play a lot of minutes this season, she like fifth or something for minutes played. Maybe that is the expectation but maybe it shouldn’t be. There’s a lot of talk of rest periods and burn out with international games, which is all true, but also the clubs and managers need to take more responsibility when it comes to managing their players better.
Unfortunately, what you’re hoping for is just not realistic. The top players for top teams will always play more football. If you don’t play enough at club level, you won’t play international football. And if you want her to play even less than she did at Arsenal in 2024, she becomes a bench player. Or she goes to a club lower down the table, maybe one even closer to home. Not sure how much help that will be to her career or the Tillies though.
I honestly have hated this whole international break. I understand that Aussie fans want to see them play but it was pointless for our team to go all the way there to play, pointless to play Caitlin 80 minutes in that game, pointless to play her in a meaningless friendly. Then you’ve got the Europeans playing important qualifiers, and the Spanish league still has yet to finish. And then you’ve got the Olympics next month. It’s just too much. Oh, yeah, and on top of that, they seem to think it’s an excellent idea to do a Club World Cup as well, and you still have some folks who want bi-annual World Cups. I feel like every time I argue this people immediately come for me with “it’s an important part of the women’s game and needs to stay that way,” but I am firmly of the belief that it’s time for the Olympics to be a U-23 tournament like it is for the men, with the option to bring a small number of over-23 players. Yes, I’m sure some players would certainly be selected (like you know Leah Williamson would be going for a GB selection), but I think they just really, really need a break.
I don’t want key players playing friendlies at home. Matches with importance, yes, but not friendlies. The Matildas could have fielded people who really need the international experience here.
Agreed- it also would have been a good opportunity for some players who might be on the fence for an Olympics spot to prove themselves. Caitlin was never on the fence, she’s a firm lock, but depending on the severity of this injury she may not be going to the Olympics or may be playing on very reduced minutes. They’re already missing Kerr which was a major blow, Gorry looks to be making good strides but if she makes it back she won’t be match sharp and likely won’t have the serious minutes they need from her yet, and potentially losing Caitlin is massively bad.
There are very good arguments for why the Olympics could be U23 and there are very good arguments for why it should stay the way it is. My three thoughts on it are that one: the reason the men’s is the way it is is because of the stranglehold that FIFA have and the absolute greed of FIFA as well as the Eurocentric nature of who gets to make decisions in the men’s game and two as I alluded to it is Mostly a European idea that the Olympics should become a youth tournament. I think the issue of that the issue of national teams not being able to rotate well is more of an issue of the general every break needing to play the best players for qualifiers and I think teams should do better to one: create a deeper pool that they can pull from and two form a schedule where we don’t have these constant qualifiers all the time with players flying all over the continent.
im a bit concerned the tillies are persisting with him as coach tbh
Well last time Foord had a hamstring injury she was out almost 6 weeks, so let’s hope this is minor and more precautionary at best that she came off. Especially with the Olympics so soon. She probably didn’t need to play in this friendly of she already came into camp with a niggle and wasn’t training. But hindsight is always 20/20. She definitely played way too much this year! Her and McCabe both play an insane amount for country and club.
Caitlin would throw her body away for the Tillies. Unfortunately in women's games, the club holds little power over this problem. I will never understand any coach who plays any player for more than 45 mins in a friendly, it's perfect time to try everyone out.