Wenger wants FIFA to change rules on international games

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants a change in FIFA rules after counting the cost of a hectic international break during which Freddie Ljungberg and Emmanuel Eboue were injured.

Wenger called for the qualifying stages of major tournaments to be reduced and more time given to players when they return from international duty.

"Something has to be done," Wenger said. "I feel in a pragmatic way the first thing you can do is bring the second game forward by 24 hours.

"The players currently go away for two weeks and do not play for a full week at the beginning.

"When you get them back you then play Saturday-Tuesday and the fourth game in 10 days is the Champions League game - the most competitive game.

"Basically why do they not play international games in the first week on Wednesday and then on Saturday? Then you have a week.

"In the qualifying tournaments you have groups of seven and eight and England has now played four games. They still have eight to play," the Frenchman added.

"I want to reduce the number of countries who play in the qualifying competitions. It looks to me wise to have groups of four to qualify."