The winter break

[Simon]

Right on cue this is a discussion topic again, with loads of players, pundits and managers complaining about the effects of the packed winter schedule...so what is everyone's opinion?

The main arguments for a winter break are that it negatively affects England's tournament chances, the quality of football is lower, the chance of injury is higher and (brought up by Rooney today) it's too expensive for fans...but I'm not sure I buy any of them. Even the weakest Prem squads nowadays have minimum 20 first-team players, so the risk of injury shouldn't be particularly high - the managers CHOOSE to risk playing their star players twice in 48 hours, so they don't get the right to use that excuse IMO, they can rest tired players if they are so concerned about injury.

Quality of football maybe lower but if you're bringing up entertainment value, I imagine most fans would agree that simply having loads of football over the festive period is great regardless of any negligible drop in quality. Fans don't seem to like the idea of a winter break so Rooney's justification isn't particularly strong either...so for me it really comes down to "do you prioritise England's World Cup chances or the enjoyment of a busy Christmas schedule?" and for me it's the Christmas schedule every time. Loads of football on while you're at home over the festive period is part of what I love about Christmas, the possibility of bumping England's chances of victory from 1% to 2% doesn't sway me.

Thoughts?

[turdpower]

You don't even need to have a break really, just extend the season 1 or 2 weeks and they don't have to play 3 times in a week.

[MichaelC]

Scotland used to have a winter break. From memory, the weather would be fine (for the UK), then turn hideous as soon as the break was over so games would have to be postponed, causing further fixture pile up near the end of the season.

[Beefy]

Exact as MichaelC said - the weather is too unpredictable. You could stop playing for a month and then snow wipes out the whole of February's games.

I think we should move to being a Summer league. Players would go to the tournaments in mid-season and in full flow and lets be honest you can't beat watching a game on a hit summer's day.

[Bad Collin]

It's fine as it is. Christmas wouldn't be the same without loads of footy.

The games have to be played sometime. The way to reduce strain on players is to reduce the number of games by making the PL smaller (never going to happen) and/or making the League Cup a football league thing.

[Beefy]

No, the way to do it is to use squads better. My mate showed me his Spurs vs Man United programme from Sunday. Man United had 45 players registered to play.

[Andy]

I liked Gary Neville's idea of keeping the traditional festive schedule but having three weeks off in January.

[Bad Collin]

No, the way to do it is to use squads better. My mate showed me his Spurs vs Man United programme from Sunday. Man United had 45 players registered to play.

I'm surprised that's how you feel about this. All that does is reinforce the power of the 'big' sides.

[Beefy]

I don't think so, because of the 25 man squad cap. Most of those 45 players are kids but they should be being played if the likes of Wayne Rooney can't play three games in eight days.

[Beefy]

I liked Gary Neville's idea of keeping the traditional festive schedule but having three weeks off in January.

And then it snows in February and suddenly all clubs have to play 8-10 games a month in March & April.

Just play in the Summer. Football in the freezing cold is shit. Football in the summer is brilliant.

[Bad Collin]

I don't think so, because of the 25 man squad cap. Most of those 45 players are kids but they should be being played if the likes of Wayne Rooney can't play three games in eight days.

The 25 man cap makes no difference. Crystal Palace may have a squad of 25 but their second string is much worse than their first eleven. United/Liverpool/Arsenal etc can afford 25 internationals.

Football is best in autumn, winter and spring which leaves the summer for cricket, it's sporting perfection.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

I think they should play every 3 days all year round. They get paid 100 grand a week. Our fucking boys in Afghanistan don't get 3 weeks off for fucking Christmas do they?

[MMH]

Playing during winter doesnt make England play shit at tournaments. England being shit makes England play shit at tournaments.

[RFF Champ]

England were knackered at the last tournament because they went a 90 minute heavyweight encounter in the middle of the jungle in the first game.

[turdpower]

I think they should play every 3 days all year round. They get paid 100 grand a week. Our fucking boys in Afghanistan don't get 3 weeks off for fucking Christmas do they?

OK Al Murray.