The following article was written by James Murphy of Football Fancast. Make sure to check out the latest news, blogs and podcasts at FFC – ed.
More and more managers are succumbing to the idea that a winter break would be a welcome relief from the long, hard slog that most footballing divisions offer up. With the recent spate of fixture cancellations the argument for a winter break has gained momentum and weight.
Furthermore, after a World Cup campaign in which England’s sole victory came against Slovenia and ended with a 4-1 defeat by Germany, Fabio Capello, the England manager said his coaches had been concerned by the squad’s physical condition after an uninterrupted season that for some players included more than 50 club appearances.
This said, the recent deluge of snow that has torn through the fixture list is yet another reminder that a winter break would not only be sensible, but would give players ample time to rejuvenate and attack the Premier League with renewed vigour come January.
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The winter break is the norm in many European leagues, the concept also gets support from England boss Fabio Capello, while there are calls north of the border for its re-introduction in the Scottish Premier League. So why do the relevant governing bodies seem so against the idea?
Due to the severity of the situation some teams will be playing two to three times a week for a prolonged period which will surely result in teams’ squads burning out prior to the season’s end.
One thing that must be said is that if unfortunate weather is the main motivation for a winter break then it becomes a dangerous game. Critics of a winter shutdown point to the lack of accuracy in predicting a poor spell of weather, which would then trigger even more fixture congestion if cancellations followed the break.
A winter break would certainly have its advantages, players could enjoy a deserved break, it would prove beneficial for the national team especially during seasons where international competitions fall, and finally the system would fall in line with other European leagues. However, when weather is the catalyst for such a decision surely it’s not the best of decisions due to our unpredictable climate?
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I don’t think it’s so much a problem of the poor weather conditions and snow in England. You can have snow in November, December, January and February and games can get postponed during that winter period It’s more about the English tradition of having fixtures jammed in and around the Christmas period and having to play a game on Boxing Day. Personally, I really don’t see the point in having so many fixtures during the period and tradition should not be a constraint to having a winter break. All European Leagues have winter breaks and the teams, players and national teams benefit largely from it so why does the Premier League have to be different and how do they benefit from a busy festive period?
a long winter break during roys tenure is a welcome thought..
Central Europe has had a pretty consistent weather pattern, so can plan their breaks for the bad weather. As has been seen recently, we can get bad weather at any time disrupting the fixtures. This year it was December, and maybe more to come, last year it was January. Which do you plan for? Take the break at the wrong time and the fixture pile up count be horrendous.
Some Premier League teams would plan exhibition games anyway if the break was long enough, on the pretence of keeping the players fit, but in reality to make loads of money. And thereby negating any benefits of having a rest as players travel round the world.
The reason i can see a winter break is not wanted by the league is pressure from the television rights holders broadcasting worldwide.
During a holiday season ratings around the globe would be huge.
It always comes down to money.