UEFA announced on Thursday that they will address concerns from national team managers regarding squad size for the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany. The governing body had previously confirmed a return to the pre-Covid-19 23-player limit, after increasing it to 26 for Euro 2020 and the upcoming World Cup in 2022, prompting coaches to voice their worries.
“We have taken note of comments expressed by some national team coaches on the squad size for Euro 2024,” a UEFA spokesperson stated. “A workshop with the participating teams will be held on 8th April, during which UEFA will listen to the views of the coaches. Any suggestions will then be duly considered and evaluated.”
England manager Gareth Southgate and Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman both discussed the issue during the recent international break. Koeman expressed his disbelief at reverting to a smaller squad size, saying, “It is very strange not to choose from 26 players. It is absurd to return to 23.”
He pointed out the increased likelihood of dealing with injuries in modern football and emphasized the importance of having a larger squad to manage the players’ workload effectively. Southgate also mentioned that he plans to name a longer initial squad, expressing hope for a potential reversal of UEFA’s decision.
“It’s inevitable we’re going to be naming a longer squad, which is what we did before the Euros here in 2021, even though we were working with 26 then,” Southgate explained. “There is one more UEFA meeting where there’s been some discussion among coaches about potentially increasing that limit.”
The deadline for submitting the final squad list to UEFA is set for June 7, just a week before the tournament kicks off on June 14. The Asian Football Confederation recently raised the squad limit from 23 to 26 for the Asian Cup that started in January this year, while the African Cup of Nations also had a squad size of 27.
In light of these developments, UEFA’s willingness to address concerns from national team managers demonstrates a commitment to ensuring a fair and competitive tournament for all participating teams. The workshop scheduled for April 8 will provide a platform for coaches to present their perspectives on the squad size issue.
As the footballing world prepares for Euro 2024, discussions surrounding squad selection and player availability will remain a key topic of interest leading up to the highly anticipated tournament. Stay tuned for further updates on how UEFA plans to address these concerns raised by the national team coaches.
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