'Joke of the year' - Hoeness, Völler criticize international calendar

Germany sporting director Rudi Völler has joined Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness in criticizing the new international match calendar.

European national teams played four Nations League matches in the recent extended window, which replaced separate international dates in September and October. Two matches in November remain.

Germany won just one of the four games under new coach Jürgen Klopp and his boss Völler did not like the format.

"This solution is no good," he told broadcaster Sport1's Doppelpass programme on Sunday. 

"I hope - although it is already decided at the moment - that FIFA or rather UEFA thinks about it again and maybe changes it once more."

Governing bodies thought they were doing clubs and national teams a favour with the changes, but Völler thinks two blocks of three matches across September, October and November is better, or a return to the old format with three separate breaks. 

"Having four games in a row now, that simply has not been good," Völler said.

'Ridiculous competition'

Hoeness also slammed the new calendar.

"I think it is a disaster on UEFA's part to take a break just four weeks after the Bundesliga season begins. We had 18 players away on international duty, so it's perfectly normal for them to lose their rhythm," he told Bild TV after Bayern returned from the break with a 2-2 draw at Augsburg on Saturday.

Hoeness said that the clubs would have to "finally stand up for themselves," because it is them, not the national teams, that pay the players.

"And a ridiculous competition like the Nations League is being introduced here, which is the joke of the year," he said.

Bayern president Herbert Hainer said that Nations League appearances and all the travelling are taking a toll on the players, which "you could probably see" in Augsburg.

"In that respect, I absolutely agree with Uli Hoeness. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that, at the end of the day, what matters is who is at the top in the end, and that will be Bayern," Hainer added.

The Bayern pair also said the expanded World Cup in North America in June and July had impacted the German champions given the short window for holidays before preparations for the Bundesliga season began.  

Bayern stars Harry Kane, Dayot Upamecano and Michael Olise were involved until the final weekend of the World Cup on July 18-19. Bayern's first official match was the German Super Cup on August 22 and they started the Bundesliga on August 28.