Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has added his voice to the growing chorus of concern over the packed football schedule that clubs are facing globally.

This follows Manchester City’s Rodri expressing worry about player welfare, even suggesting players are nearing a strike if no relief comes from football governing bodies.

This season, with the introduction of a new format in the Champions League, Celtic’s fixture count is set to increase.

Rodgers underscored the potential consequences of the relentless fixture pile-up on the quality of football and player performance. He highlighted the risk of burnout and the impact of fatigue on players’ technical abilities.

The Celtic boss said on Celtic TV: “It’s something that I have mentioned before. You could be looking at a 12 month season – you’re looking at all those [club] games, plus international games. I totally understand where [Rodri] is coming from, but it’s not about [the amount of games], it’s about the quality.

“When you’re tired, the first thing to go is technical ability and what we always want is the best product for supporters. Every footballer loves to pay, they love to train, but they want to be at their best as often as they can be. It’s a natural concern, I totally get it.”

You can see the argument here, and it’s extremely hard to disagree with it.

However, some Premier League clubs don’t help themselves when it comes to this debate. Last season, after the final game, some clubs went on to play some friendlies despite the season finishing.

Celtic will be playing at least two extra games than last season with the new Champions League format, and possibly some extra if they make it through to the knockout phase of the competition.

It is something that needs to be looked at, but, in all honesty, there won’t be much change, if any.