Tim Vickery makes another astute observation

One of the best footballing bloggers out there, Tim Vickery makes an astute observation while looking at the changes in Brazilian football:

According to Moracy Sant'anna, one of Brazil's most respected physical preparation specialists, in the mid-70s it was generally true that players were covering around 5,000 metres per game. By the mid-90s that figure had doubled, and now some are even reaching 12,000.

So the physical intensity of the game is greater than ever before, and with the growth of the Champions League and the crowded modern calendar there is no respite. It is match after match, physical challenge after physical challenge.

This twin dynamic - greater rewards, greater sacrifices - helps explain why we are seeing so much inconsistency at the elite level of the game.