Winter Break

[Whiston Blade]

No doubt to fit in with the arabic/thai/ Chinese etc etc requirements and enable the PL clubs to raise much needed funds.

They’ll not be allowed to do exhibition games overseas but are allowed to have training camps.

 

[Whiston Blade]

As if there aren't enough weekends without matches as it is, due to all the 'international weekends'

“The two-week Mid-Season Player Break will take place in February and would be structured to ensure that Premier League matches would still be played every weekend over that period.”

 

[Addison]

The European Super League can't come soon enough.Everything is now geared so the rich get richer. EPPP has meant many lower league clubs have downgraded or shut their academies.What's the point when you have little chance of a schoolboy footballer reaching a pro contract, and making your club money or benefiting the first team due to EPPP?The FA cup has been intentionally damaged and downgraded. It has been systematically downgraded from the preeminent English competition (along with the World Cup) to an afterthought.The finances from the cups would keep lower league clubs going for years;they have been gradually taken away for reforms that make the rich richer. Soon replays wont exist at all.
I could go on and on: how selling the brand has damaged the national team; how TV power has destroyed many of the traditions e.g. kick off times.How parachute payments are destroying the competitive nature of the EFL.

Scudamore is doing his best to pander to the top 6 giving them a bigger slice of the cake because he fears them going. Let them go. A Premiership without the top 6 will still be an attractive proposition and will mean greater exposure for other teams around the World. Top 6 going to a European Super League would fail as they wouldn't have the massiv in it.

 

[Worksop II]

“The two-week Mid-Season Player Break will take place in February and would be structured to ensure that Premier League matches would still be played every weekend over that period.”

That sounds like they will play one weekend on the road ............... somewhere

 

[Silent Blade]

Fun fact: the FA Cup final has never been played over 2 legs.

Another fun fact: Rounds 1 to 6 of the 1945-46 FA Cup were played over two legs

 

[MoscowBlade]

It'll be a good opportunity for the big boys to fly around the world promoting their brand

..... Or playing in exhibition matches

 

[Whiston Blade]

That sounds like they will play one weekend on the road ............... somewhere

Like I said in my first post in this thread, all teams can go on winter training breaks but cannot play games overseas.

 

[awblade]

“The two-week Mid-Season Player Break will take place in February and would be structured to ensure that Premier League matches would still be played every weekend over that period.”

I hadn't seen that, so some teams play while others rest then?

But I still stand by my post as I don't care about any other team playing other than Blades granted, we aren't in the premier league anyway

 

[grafikhaus]

Another fun fact: Rounds 1 to 6 of the 1945-46 FA Cup were played over two legs

I suppose the idle buggers were 'tired' after fighting the Germans for six years. Kids, eh?

Seriously, though (and most of this has been covered on this thread), I think it's tinkering for tinkerings sake. Last season we had seven 'international breaks' where no PL or second-tier games were played due to 'international commitments'. These could include friendlies...

Earlier this year, I remember at least three weekends (27th Jan. when we had to move the Villa home game to a Tuesday night), Feb. 17th when we moved the QPR game to the following Tuesday and March 24th (no game) where the weather was fine. The re-scheduled games were either played in poor weather and/or many fans could not attend the midweek games, thus affecting attendances and therefore revenue. This 'only applies to the PL' will, inevitably, be extended to the EFL.
Wouldn't it be a better idea to free up fixture congestion would be to scrap the Carabao (EFL) Cup? Already heavily biased toward the 'top' clubs who can play their academy kids in the early rounds, when the fourth round (sixteen teams) was played last season, just five teams from outside the PL made the draw. By the time this was down to eight teams, just one non-PL team remained. The cup was won by...Manchester City.

Anyway, these bright sparks who dream this shit up have kept schtum about the outrageous awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, where temperatures are expected to top 40C. So much for worrying about the players. They'd better start the 'Pre-Qatar Preparation Break' in a couple of months...

 

[WhiteHawk]

The complaint is that they are playing too many games, so a winter break means they're playing the same number of games in a shorter period of time.

They've got more than enough players in their squads to cope so stop whinging and just deal with it. We've managed 60+ games in a season before.

 

[wizadry]

Pampered fuckers!

 

[I should coco]

I

What exactly am I missing?

The poor little millionaires can only have their Dubai and Vegas breaks in the summer at the moment.

This will give our treasured superstars a chance for more pampering mid season.

It will make everything so much better.
It really will!

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

Martin Glenn at the FA said he knew traditionalists would complain about changes to the FA Cup but said there had been a lot of changes. He cited that the Final used to be played over 2 legs, for example.

Fun fact: the FA Cup final has never been played over 2 legs.

It did have replays though. Sometimes 2 replays. Maybe he meant that.

 

[Revolution]

It did have replays though. Sometimes 2 replays. Maybe he meant that.

No, because he also talked about the Final being replayed, and talked about the scrapping of replays as an improvement.

The Cup Final has never gone to a second replay.

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

No, because he also talked about the Final being replayed, and talked about the scrapping of replays as an improvement.

The Cup Final has never gone to a second replay.

I meant some earlier rounds. That’s what I meant

 

[Revolution]

I meant some earlier rounds. That’s what I meant

Fine. That's not what he meant though.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

It's a great thing in my opinion, something EFL should adopt.

I slate the Premier League for most of their decisions, but they have organised this quite well with their choice of time (not effecting the festive football that we all love) and the fact its not going to completely shut down like Spain etc do so we will still have half of the fixtures one week and the other half the following.

I doubt it will help England win a major trophy though

 

[Revolution]

It's a great thing in my opinion, something EFL should adopt.

I slate the Premier League for most of their decisions, but they have organised this quite well with their choice of time (not effecting the festive football that we all love) and the fact its not going to completely shut down like Spain etc do so we will still have half of the fixtures one week and the other half the following.

I doubt it will help England win a major trophy though

I am unhappy with what they are doing to the Cup, but the actual break itself seems sensible - one weekend, doesn't affect Christmas games, half the teams play each week. A decent plan.

 

[mancunianblade]

No, because he also talked about the Final being replayed, and talked about the scrapping of replays as an improvement.

The Cup Final has never gone to a second replay.

Jumped in on this on the 3rd page so excuse me if im wrong but do you mean the FA Cup final? because the League Cup has, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_Football_League_Cup_Final

 

[Revolution]

Jumped in on this on the 3rd page so excuse me if im wrong but do you mean the FA Cup final? because the League Cup has, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_Football_League_Cup_Final

Yes, the FA Cup Final. I know about the league cup.

 

[snootyfenooty]

Last season when we played Forest it was sub-zero with a blizzard blowing straight into the SS. I've never been so fucking cold and nearly died from hypothermia. The game was shit as a result of the conditions and it took me nearly two hours to get home due to blocked traffic and trams stuck at Townend. Fuck that, never again, especially at my age. Can anyone give me a good reason why a break isn't preferable?

 

[grafikhaus]

Last season when we played Forest it was sub-zero with a blizzard blowing straight into the SS. I've never been so fucking cold and nearly died from hypothermia. The game was shit as a result of the conditions and it took me nearly two hours to get home due to blocked traffic and trams stuck at Townend. Fuck that, never again, especially at my age. Can anyone give me a good reason why a break isn't preferable?

But they're having the break in February and we played Forest on March 17th so you'd still have got snowed on . And that's the problem - when is the winter in this country? I'd say it tends to be worse in March into April.

 

[wizadry]

But they're having the break in February and we played Forest on March 17th so you'd still have got snowed on . And that's the problem - when is the winter in this country? I'd say it tends to be worse in March into April.

January to December, usually!

 

[Hamburg Blade]

Last season when we played Forest it was sub-zero with a blizzard blowing straight into the SS. I've never been so fucking cold and nearly died from hypothermia. The game was shit as a result of the conditions and it took me nearly two hours to get home due to blocked traffic and trams stuck at Townend. Fuck that, never again, especially at my age. Can anyone give me a good reason why a break isn't preferable?

How are you going to ensure that the break coincides with the bad weather?
EDIT: I see I've just duplicated the same comment.

 

[snootyfenooty]

How are you going to ensure that the break coincides with the bad weather?
EDIT: I see I've just duplicated the same comment.

Simple, I'll take my own break.

Seriously, I'd wipe February from the calendar. OK last season was the exception but 9/10 it would work.