Premier League 'Winter Break'

[summerisle]

Of course there won't be lucrative tours to the Far East.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36895889

Premier League winter break talks ongoing, says Richard Scudamore

A number of top-flight leagues in Europe currently have a winter break
Discussions are ongoing for the introduction of a winter break to English football, says Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore.

New England manager Sam Allardyce said a lack of mid-season break means there is an "enormous demand" on the players.

However, Football Association chief executive Martin Glenn says a winter break is not feasible until the end of the current television deal in 2019.

But Scudamore told Sky Sports there is "a willingness to make it happen".

He added: "Sam is very consistent, he has been calling for a winter break for a long time and we are not against it. We are in discussions but I don't know how close or far we are. I don't want to compromise those discussions.

"Even if the bodies come up with a solution, we will have to road test that with the clubs and fans but there is no timescale on it. If it was easy it would have been done already."

Glenn says although the FA favour a mid-season break similar to the top divisions in Scotland, France, Italy, Spain and Germany, it is not possible until the £5.14bn TV deal ends in three years' time.

"There is a consensus that it would be a good thing to do," he said. "It would help the Premier League and us at international level if we could achieve that.

"We can do our bit about fixture congestion and that's why from the quarter-finals of the FA Cup this season we are not going to have replays."

The Premier League has announced the introduction of Premier League 2, which replaces the current Under-21 league and will incorporate under-23 players, from the 2016-17 season.

Teams will be able to name three over-age outfield players and one over-age goalkeeper for each match.

The league will be split into two divisions, with teams being able to participate in the Premier League Cup, the Premier League International Cupand EFL Trophy.

The draw for the EFL Trophy - which consists of League One and League Two clubs, plus 16 category one academy sides - will be made on Wednesday.

 

[marsh]

Leave it as it is please

 

[ijjysmith]

I'm so 50/50 on this.

It would be good for the players but winter footy is ace.

 

[jaybx1878]

It would be absolutely terrible having no games over Christmas

 

[Huyton Layne]

Kill the Coca Cola cup and I'm all for it.

 

[jaycee]

So they have a winter break to help cope with tournaments that are played in the summer,that means more matches toward the end of the season which means the players are tired and carrying niggling injuries,yeah i can see that being a great help in winning a wirld cup

 

[monty]

Surely this thread above most should have a vote available

 

[summerisle]

Surely this thread above most should have a vote available

It's late, didn't think about voting options late. If our Overlords wish to insert one they'll have no objections from me.

 

[tonyhorne]

Terrible idea.

If the players are overworked then cut down on the international football and return the European club competitions to a knockout format from the off............

 

[anton66]

Give the players a rest by playing meaningless friendlies during the break? Then say the players are tied because they are playing too many games.

 

[KaiserEFC]

No thanks

 

[toffeejack]

I'm so 50/50 on this.

It would be good for the players but winter footy is ace.

who gives a crap about the overpaid mercenaries. Footballers are fitter and healthier than ever, if this wasn't done 20 years ago, i don't really see the vindication for it now. They get such vast sums of money it's hard to really feel that sorry for them.

It's also good for families too. Over the christmas holidays we get a bit bored and tired of our families, but watching a game on boxing day and then again a few days after and then on new years, gives the perfect balance between alone time and family time.

 

[toffeejack]

so how do leagues with a winter break work? do they play more midweek games throughout the summer leading to a much more clustred fixture schedule? I don't believe they start earlier and finish later do they?

Like has been stated, cut down on the european competition and meaningless international friendlies. The champions league is nothing to do with champions, cut down the amount of teams in that and the europa and the competitions won't need to be as long. group stages straight to quarters.

 

[jaycee]

so how do leagues with a winter break work? do they play more midweek games throughout the summer leading to a much more clustred fixture schedule? I don't believe they start earlier and finish later do they?

Like has been stated, cut down on the european competition and meaningless international friendlies. The champions league is nothing to do with champions, cut down the amount of teams in that and the europa and the competitions won't need to be as long. group stages straight to quarters.

Could cut the league to 12 ban all other competitions and England still wouldnt win a trophy the players just arent good enough,be more productive getting rid of the Fa members and start from ground zero introduce proper coaching,stop picking youngsters because they are 6 foot and can run all day

 

[toffeejack]

Could cut the league to 12 ban all other competitions and England still wouldnt win a trophy the players just arent good enough,be more productive getting rid of the Fa members and start from ground zero introduce proper coaching,stop picking youngsters because they are 6 foot and can run all day

i'm welsh, i'm happy with things as they are ... with england not even getting a sniff at competitions ha. The rugby and short format cricket teams have shown how quickly things can go from dreadful to great, but they are operating in sports where there's about 5 good countries in the whole world, football's a bit harder.