Mark Hughes says his foreign stars haven’t got used to playing football at Christmas just yet
MARK HUGHES says Stoke’s foreign players think playing football at Christmas is bonkers.
The Potters' foreign legion simply cannot get their heads round a festive fixture list that sees them in action three times in eight days over the holidays.
Hughes has overseas stars such as Xherdan Shaqiri, Bojan, Mame Diouf and Bruno Martins Indi in his ranks — who are all used to a Christmas break.
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Stoke have Boxing Day off before facing Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday. But that did not stop Hughes getting his men in for Christmas Day training.
He smiled: “The foreign players think we’re nuts. They think we’re crazy. It’s ‘why are we doing this? Why are we training Christmas Day?’
“We have to say ‘it’s because that’s what we do. This is what it is, get used to it because it’s not going to change’.
“I think the novelty of it is OK, they think it's different.
“But I can’t say any of them enjoy it, certainly when they are used to having time with their families.”
Hughes accepts that Christmas for players and managers takes some getting used to.
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The former Manchester United and Chelsea striker, 53, added: “I maybe enjoyed the actual game when I was a player.
“But the fact you have to come in while everybody else is enjoying themselves, is more difficult.
“If we ever do have a mid-season break it won’t be over this period, it’ll be some time in January. And I can see the sense in that.
“But I don’t think anybody, really deep down, wants to change the Christmas period because it is unique to this country.”
Stoke will have had a ten-day break by the time they play tomorrow but the downside is they must travel to Liverpool and then Chelsea on New Year’s Eve.
Hughes added: “This year it’s been a bit more manageable than in the past — apart from the opposition we’re facing, it’s quite easy.”
“Last year was a challenge in terms of where the games were and when we had to play — but the year before was even worse.
“We went to Newcastle, got beaten and had two sent off — and then had to go all the way to Tottenham and got beat there as well!”