I see that the EPL, EFL & FA are discussing a winter break from 2020, with the 5th round of the FA Cup being played in midweek & no replays. I would have thought if they just looked outside & saw that it was snowing at the end of February how stupid this idea is. Yes I know that Premiership teams have undersoil heating as do a lot of Championship sides, but what about fans travelling to games, transport problems & also the state of area just outside the grounds (ice, snow etc).
I can see it happening with the Premiership having a couple of weeks off but it shouldn't happen with the EFL. I don't like the idea, but maybe I'm just a dinosaur & should move with the times........
I see that the EPL, EFL & FA are discussing a winter break from 2020, with the 5th round of the FA Cup being played in midweek & no replays. I would have thought if they just looked outside & saw that it was snowing at the end of February how stupid this idea is. Yes I know that Premiership teams have undersoil heating as do a lot of Championship sides, but what about fans travelling to games, transport problems & also the state of area just outside the grounds (ice, snow etc).
I can see it happening with the Premiership having a couple of weeks off but it shouldn't happen with the EFL. I don't like the idea, but maybe I'm just a dinosaur & should move with the times........
I don't think the point of a winter break is just about the inclement weather in the middle of the season, it's also about avoiding player burn out from such a packed schedule by having a short break.
This of course will all be undermined by clubs flying to Dubai/China/Florida to play lucrative friendly matches and then complaining about fatigue and fixture congestion when they get back.
The problem with a winter break is that it might be the wrong time. January is the obvious month to take a break, but this year it is February/early March that is bringing the worst weather. The benefit of a winter break, in my view, is that it gives players a chance to get fit rather than carrying on with niggling injuries.
Great idea, Big 6 Premiership clubs can toddle off to some cash rich state for a couple of lucrative friendlies, whist the others can let their players go for some warm weather training so they can get drunk and steal taxis. Win Win all round.
The problem with a winter break is that it might be the wrong time. January is the obvious month to take a break, but this year it is February/early March that is bringing the worst weather. The benefit of a winter break, in my view, is that it gives players a chance to get fit rather than carrying on with niggling injuries.
Seeing as the proposed "break" will only be for 10 days, 2 weeks max then I can't see that the issue of "resting players" is a valid. Premiership clubs have big resources & regularly rotate players so the odd "niggle" can be managed that way. If the 25 man squad is too few for this then increase that figure to 28 or even 30 (UEFA agreement I know, but may suit many other countries too). If it was truly about "fatigue" then you would have a 4 week break, but that is never(and should never) happen. As usual it will be a fudge as I read that they are talking about 5 matches one weekend and 5 the next, so as to give the Premiership teams a mini-break. what a wanky way to do it.
A winter break will make it even less competitive here in England making it harder for another Leicester to happen.
By not having a winter break it creates a continuous season where teams dont get a few weeks off to recharge their batteries and allow injured players to come back into the side ... Not to mention it'll ruin a teams momentum so instead of going from a 5 / 6 game winning run, they win four games, have a break and are then forced to start all over again.
Not to mention the fact that teams will go abroad and play meaningless friendlies in Asia etc.
If the Winter Break does happen the the latter surely has to come with a heavy fine for clubs that do go off and play friendlies rather than having a break!!
A winter break will make it even less competitive here in England making it harder for another Leicester to happen.
By not having a winter break it creates a continuous season where teams dont get a few weeks off to recharge their batteries and allow injured players to come back into the side ... Not to mention it'll ruin a teams momentum so instead of going from a 5 / 6 game winning run, they win four games, have a break and are then forced to start all over again.
Not to mention the fact that teams will go abroad and play meaningless friendlies in Asia etc.
If the Winter Break does happen the the latter surely has to come with a heavy fine for clubs that do go off and play friendlies rather than having a break!!</</b>blockquote>
I'd go even further. A fine is just a drop in the ocean for Premiership clubs. Any players who play in ANY match ANYWHERE are automatically banned for the next 3 matches. That should do it.
A winter break would mean tours in the winter for the prem clubs, lucrative trips to the USA and far east. Load of gonads they need a break for the above reason, soon as the season is over they will jet off to £££'s.
A winter break would mean tours in the winter for the prem clubs, lucrative trips to the USA and far east. Load of gonads they need a break for the above reason, soon as the season is over they will jet off to £££'s.
Didnt Spurs go off for a post season tour of Asia at the end of last season? - Exact proof that these panpered stars dont need a break.
When a sponsor or other financial stakeholder ponies up the necessary readies then the lazy whores at the PL or FL will roll over and facilitate the required satisfaction. Neither the decision, nor its duration will have anything to do with players or the game itself. As ever we supporters who bankroll most levels of the game will be expected to swallow whatever gets served up. It has always been a shit idea. Predicting which weeks will be worst affected by England's weather is impossible. Having a couple of blank weekends at any point in the season just ensures that the league season will have to be 2 weeks longer or have more midweek fixtures, which achieves precisely the square root of fuck all. If the PL had ever been serious about a less onerous fixture list it would have configured with 18 or even 16 teams. This crap floats back to the surface periodically but needs to be flushed away for good along with that nostalgia tinged crock of shit that is "safe standing". Exactly how retarded are we supposed to be?
I was agreeing with your every word until the last sentence, but we won’t open up that debate here.
If they had been that bothered about fixture congestion for the top teams (cos let’s be honest,those are all they care about), they should have thought about that when the powers that be started fucking with all the Europeans competitions in the 90’s.
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The only thing predictable about our climate is its unpredictability.
I see that the EPL, EFL & FA are discussing a winter break from 2020, with the 5th round of the FA Cup being played in midweek & no replays. I would have thought if they just looked outside & saw that it was snowing at the end of February how stupid this idea is. Yes I know that Premiership teams have undersoil heating as do a lot of Championship sides, but what about fans travelling to games, transport problems & also the state of area just outside the grounds (ice, snow etc).
I can see it happening with the Premiership having a couple of weeks off but it shouldn't happen with the EFL. I don't like the idea, but maybe I'm just a dinosaur & should move with the times........
This of course will all be undermined by clubs flying to Dubai/China/Florida to play lucrative friendly matches and then complaining about fatigue and fixture congestion when they get back.
Win Win all round.
By not having a winter break it creates a continuous season where teams dont get a few weeks off to recharge their batteries and allow injured players to come back into the side ... Not to mention it'll ruin a teams momentum so instead of going from a 5 / 6 game winning run, they win four games, have a break and are then forced to start all over again.
Not to mention the fact that teams will go abroad and play meaningless friendlies in Asia etc.
If the Winter Break does happen the the latter surely has to come with a heavy fine for clubs that do go off and play friendlies rather than having a break!!
Load of gonads they need a break for the above reason, soon as the season is over they will jet off to £££'s.
If they did then tours like that wouldnt happen!!
It has always been a shit idea.
Predicting which weeks will be worst affected by England's weather is impossible. Having a couple of blank weekends at any point in the season just ensures that the league season will have to be 2 weeks longer or have more midweek fixtures, which achieves precisely the square root of fuck all.
If the PL had ever been serious about a less onerous fixture list it would have configured with 18 or even 16 teams.
This crap floats back to the surface periodically but needs to be flushed away for good along with that nostalgia tinged crock of shit that is "safe standing". Exactly how retarded are we supposed to be?
If they had been that bothered about fixture congestion for the top teams (cos let’s be honest,those are all they care about), they should have thought about that when the powers that be started fucking with all the Europeans competitions in the 90’s.