Burnout is a concern says Aston Villa strker Gabriel Agbonlahor
May 7 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail
GABBY Agbonlahor has voiced his concerns about the issue of player burn-out next season.
Villa’s 13-goal striker has already played 45 games this season for his club, as well as two full England internationals against Germany and Spain.
Agbonlahor stands to play for Stuart Pearce’s Under-21s in the European Championship finals in Sweden next month after the coach’s recent comments that he would pick a strong side.
If that wasn’t enough, Villa face a potential 17 extra games in Europe next season on the road to Hamburg in the Europa League.
And at the end of next season Agbonlahor could well end up going to the World Cup in South Africa.
When asked about burn-out by playing for the Under-21s this summer, Agbonlahor said: “That is a major worry but it is out of our hands.
“If we have to go and play there, we have to go and play and then see what time we will get off after the tournament.
“It means some of us will have played virtually 12 months of football with the Euros not ending until the end of June and having started in July for the InterToto Cup.
“Then next season starts a bit earlier because it is World Cup year.
