'The biggest mouths' – Simon Jordan hits out at Rodri following Man City star's threat over player strike

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Simon Jordan has slammed the idea of a potential player strike following Rodri's criticism of the revamped football calendar.

The Manchester City midfielder suggested top players are close to going on strike due to being overworked amid extensions to several competitions.

The emergence of the UEFA Nations League alongside this season's restructured Champions League format could see some players feature in 75 games across a season.

Some stars will see their summer breaks tampered with due to FIFA's new 32-team Club World Cup to be played in the United States in June and July 2025.

Success on all fronts for Pep Guardiola's men could see Rodri participate in 85 games by the end of FIFA Club World Cup and the Spaniard has called on the authorities to take better care of players and not to just think of money.

Rodri's comments echoed previous concerns from teammate Bernardo Silva.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has also voiced discontent and Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos urged decision makers to think of the players in the current climate.

Whilst an air of disgruntlement is growing across European football, former Crystal Palace owner Jordan has questioned the logistics of a player strike, particularly to the majority of Premier League players that play an adequate amount of games per season.

"How are you going to square that circle when you've got a select group of players that are playing a certain amount," Jordan told talkSPORT.

"You've got the average player in the Premier League playing for 14 clubs that don't have major competitions, that are probably playing 42 games a season.

“How are you going to justify those players going out on strike? If the big noises want to go out on strike, fill your boots."

Jordan continued: "If you want to go against the contracts that you have and if the contracts are in breach of your obligations or their obligations to you, then you go and strike.

"We're talking about the biggest clubs with the biggest resources, that players want to sign for to play in the biggest tournaments, that have got the biggest support systems with the biggest economic returns are the ones with the biggest mouths."

Jordan, who agreed that anything in excess of 75 games a season is too much, proposed that players who no longer wish to commit to the onslaught of fixtures enter into talks with employers over a new conditional deal.

"Sign a contract with your employer that has certain criteria attached to it, you have ultimate control of your destiny," Jordan said.

"If you don't want to play in a certain amount of games then you are within your gift to say to your employer, 'I need to manage myself.'

"[Alan] Shearer decided to manage himself when he was 29 years of age and take himself out of international football. You can do what you want, how you want.”

Alternatively, Jordan has urged players to speak directly with their club and international managers to manage their workload by asking to be omitted from particular competitions.

"If you don't want to play for your country, don’t play," he stated.

"If you don't want to play in League Cup games, go to your manager and say, 'I'm prepared not to be selected for those games'.

"If you don't want to play in the FA Cup, don't do that either. If you don’t want to sign for a Champions League club, don’t sign for one.

"The bottom line is, the reasons why I object to it is there's no interest in coming to the table for pragmatic solutions, there's interest in coming to the table to tell you what they don't want to do.

"If the idea is that we are going to have a reset then basically if we are going to reduce the revenues that come into the game, then you as players must accept the reality of what that means.

"It means that if there is a 20 percent reduction in revenues, you are all going to find yourselves in a 20 percent worse off position.

“I can tell you without a pause that it would be rejected out of hand."