Martin Keown and Jim White clashed in a heated exchange over the scheduling of the FIFA Club World Cup.
The tournament has split opinions since world football’s governing body opted to revamp it to accommodate 32 clubs from across the globe.
The Club World Cup reaches its conclusion this weekend
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The Club World Cup reaches its conclusion this weekendCredit: Getty
The Club World Cup enters the semi-final stage this week with Fluminense, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid battling it out for a spot in Sunday’s final.
But not everybody has bought into the tournament staged across the United States with viewing figures not reaching anticipated levels and swathes of empty seats in stadiums.
The extreme summer temperatures has also played its part in disrupting the festivities with matches stopped for stormy weather and excessive heat causing substitutes to watch the game from televisions inside the dressing room.
Former Arsenal invincible Keown has sympathy for the players, many of whom are coming off the back of a long season of club football.
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Should Chelsea contest the final then it would leave them just five weeks to prepare for the new Premier League season.
Likewise, European champions Paris Saint-Germain would also be given little to no rest ahead of their big kick-off having played in every match available to them across the 2024/25 season.
The French giants are due to play Tottenham in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13 – a mere 31 days after Sunday's final.
PSG have already seen attempts to postpone their opening Ligue 1 match of the new season at Nantes rebuffed by French League officials.
Keown believes that whilst the tournament could be an exciting edition to the football calendar, the scheduling needs to be looked at to protect the players and the sport.
“Why couldn’t this have been a pre-season event so they get a rest and use it as training for the next season? The players are fighting for a maximum of four weeks rest and they are not getting that,” he told talkSPORT.
Multiple matches have been affected with the extreme weather conditions
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Multiple matches have been affected with the extreme weather conditionsCredit: Getty
Fluminense stand in the way of Chelsea reaching the final
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Fluminense stand in the way of Chelsea reaching the finalCredit: Getty
However, White was a little less empathetic towards the plight of the players and reeled off two rarities that have occurred over the past week in support of the players.
“How come 10 Juventus players asked to be substituted in their 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid on Tuesday? Temperatures soared between 30 and 34 degrees.” White explained.
“Borussia Dortmund substitutes spent the first half of their game last week watching from the dressing room because it’s too hot.”
Keown replied: “No, but you’re ridiculing the players now. These are grown men asking to come off the pitch."
Asked if he would have been one of the players asking to come off, the Arsenal legend replied: “Not, really no but there were times when you wanted to come off because it was so ridiculously hot. But I didn’t because I tried to tough it out."
White then proposed whether the new crop of players are ‘softer’ than stars of bygone years.
White and Keown were embroiled in a heated discussion
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White and Keown were embroiled in a heated discussion
“No they are not,” said Keown. “They are being asked to play more games. [Federico] Valverde is being asked to play 64 games. I wasn’t asked to play those games so I’ve never been in the same situation.
“So what I’m saying is we have to respect that.”
White hit back at Keown’s suggestion saying: “I would put to you that that’s nonsense and you know why it is.”
Keown responded: “I think it’s a disgrace that you say that.”
To which the presenter reminded the ex-defender: “Were you not they guy when you were playing for Arsenal and you were told no matter what you cannot play for the time being, you told nobody and you played the next game?”
Keown replied: “Yeah, but that’s a different circumstance. We’re talking about these players being flogged basically.
Keown made over 400 appearances for Arsenal and won 10 trophies under a much tighter playing schedule
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Keown made over 400 appearances for Arsenal and won 10 trophies under a much tighter playing scheduleCredit: Getty
“There’s too many games. It’s time for the powers that be to start listening to the players.”
Keown was also drawn on his overall thoughts on the tournament and admitted he hasn’t completely bought into it.
“I’m not a big fan of this competition, I’ve only watched highlights of it,” he added. “But I will watch the semi-finals and final because I need to watch a little bit of football.
“I think as a fan we need breathers as well before we come back to it.
“It feels like football greed all of this where we need to have more and more of the same thing.
“I’m not saying this competition doesn’t work because I like to see elite players. But the players need a rest and also the viewer needs a rest.
“Nobody really wants to watch this and it appears that nobody really wants to play in it. When Man City went out they looked quite relieved to me to be going out. At least now they get a little bit of extra rest.
“It all starts again in a few weeks with the Premier League. We need to find another slot for this competition because I do believe it’s going to carry on, we’re going to see it every four years.”
Meanwhile, Simon Jordan believes the tournament could have proved far more successful if it had been played on another continent.
“It has the potential to be a fabulous tournament but it being staged in America wasn’t the greatest choice.” he said.
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“I think the tournament might have had more resonance if it was on another continent and might have had a bit more buy-in.
“I wouldn’t have put it in America but the commercial reasons behind it are probably significant so they supersede the devaluation of football.”