Brasileiro Corinthians Captain Warns Brazilian Players May Strike Next Season

Brasileiro Corinthians captain Paulo Andre, who is leading a new Brazilian players' union, has warned that the '14 season "may not start on schedule if the authorities do not listen to pleas for fewer games and a longer pre-season in 2015," according to Andrew Downie of REUTERS. Andre said that more than 1,000 players who belong to the Common Sense FC union realize that it "will be tough to alter" the '14 calendar because the season is broken up by the World Cup, which will be held in Brazil for the first time since '50. However, they are "only prepared to suffer through next year's arduous schedule" if the Brazilian Football Confederation "plans widespread changes" for '15. If that does not happen, they "will take action." Andre said, "We are looking to discuss this and will do so right to the end but when there's no more chance of negotiations then a strike becomes a plausible option" (REUTERS, 11/20).