Premier League: Winter break under discussion before new TV deal

[Ted Maul]

More disruption to the cup and we'll still be shite at tournaments. Pointless.

[filbertway]

Haha, during MLS pre-season. If not the first season, by the second season I fancy that at least 50% of Premier League teams will be playing in America during that break.

[AjcW]

27 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Haha, during MLS pre-season. If not the first season, by the second season I fancy that at least 50% of Premier League teams will be playing in America during that break.

 So predictable! It's a stretch even calling it a winter break! 

[ARTY_FOX]

Absolutely ridiculous and pointless. Money making scheme. It can **** off

[Dan]

Absolute disgrace and doesn't actually solve anything. Just creates another window for the top clubs to whore themselves out to glory hunters.

[AjcW]

What's even stupider about it all, and having the cheek to call it a winter break, is the fact that any clubs already out of the cup will have taken advantage of a break at this point anyway! (See WBA, Everton as examples) 

[davieG]

I'm guessing it's just to get a toe in without upsetting too many people, give it a year or two then it'll be a proper two week break, then a few more years of moaning about playing too many games in such a sort season reducing the league size will pop up again.

 

Creepy creeping.

[mozartfox]

Bad idea.  FT would go into meltdown with nothing to mean about.  Our lot only turn up for 45 minutes most weeks so bollox to this needing a rest.

[Corky]

Plenty of clubs go for warm weather training anyway, West Brom even managed to fit a trip away between matches on a Monday and Saturday.

 

 

[lcfcsnow]

Don't we have two weeks without any games in March and April anyway? 

[yorkie1999]

3 international friendlies at xmas then.

[Farrington fox]

Nah, a Month break in January is a crap idea. 2 weeks would be ample. Players would still need to train, surely!

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

Shame Mr Wenger will probably be out of a job when all his whining about a winter break finally pays off.

[ealingfox]

Was down with the idea of a break but it should have been in January. This doesn't feel right at all - why do it when the fixtures have gone back to normal? Feels like it's designed to give those in Europe a clear run-up to the knockout stages.... 

[CosbehFox]

On 06/02/2018 at 12:01, Richard said:

Do any other countries have 2 domestic cups? I know Copa del Rey is 2 legged but don’t think that’s so competitive as the FA cup for example. I assumed that was why we need to play more games over the festive period. 

France and Portugal do. 

 

International breaks can’t be changed. There’s an agreement in place which gives the countries priority on players and the clubs have ate away at that year after year.

 

The clubs and national FAs should be lobbying UEFA why the CL first knockout round takes five weeks to complete. Similarly this daft rule that UEFA will fine if your fixtures clash with CL. 

 

There will be no Champions League playoff for any English team from next season. There’s a free midweek what gives space and you just have to sort a single game (EL qualifying round). 

 

You could start the season a week earlier like the Championship, there’s another week. 

[davieG]

14 hours ago, ealingfox said:

Was down with the idea of a break but it should have been in January. This doesn't feel right at all - why do it when the fixtures have gone back to normal? Feels like it's designed to give those in Europe a clear run-up to the knockout stages.... 

Not surprising when one of the main reasons for too many games is the European ones.