John McGinn wants to hear less whining about the English football schedule as the Aston Villa and Scotland star rapidly racks up minutes.
His Aston Villa side played two games in 72 hours against Crystal Palace and Chelsea over Boxing Day and December 28, part of a run that will see the Villans play four times in 11 days.
Plenty of Premier League managers, like Jurgen Klopp and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, have complained about fixture congestion this term. But McGinn isn’t about to be the next one to vent frustration.
With the Covid-19 pandemic still causing plenty of disruption and delay to everyday life, McGinn is well aware that footballers are in a position of privilege. He’s now tired of the complaints.
He said: “I am sick of hearing coaches and players from other clubs complaining about tiredness and fatigue. I am sure there are a lot of people in the country who would swap places with us at the moment.
“The Villa fans also need to give a lot of credit to the players from overseas. It has now been six, seven or eight months since they have seen their families. It is impeccable dedication, amazing effort and it is just a great place to play at the moment.
“We have a very fit squad of young, hungry players and we are very fortunate to be able to go and do what we love. A lot of people aren’t getting to do that at the moment so we are not taking it for granted.”