O/T Premier League break....

[Freez]

I see the initial steps have been taken by the Lords of Football that a winter break is being organized, possibly two weeks in February?

What are everyone's thoughts on this?

Personally, its greed.
A two week break so the clubs can disappear to the far east, Florida, or somewhere warm and play a couple of money spinning friendlies by justifying keeping fit anyone??
It will be a break for the league but a chance to "explore new territories", or exploit yet more money from the brand in plain english.

Or am I being cynical?

[bill ding]

As has been said before , its all about the premier league !

[NPL Daze]

This is exactly what does my swede in about "Modern Day Football."

It's becoming a joke.

Winter breaks? VAR Technology? 4th Officials? Pitch spray to stop players encroaching?

Need I go on ??

We managed for donkeys years without all this nonsense so why do we need it now?

Leave the bloody game alone !!!! Modern football is rubbish.

[Christies Child]

To be honest, the Premier League are greedy bustards who don't give fig for the normal fan in the street who continue to support them through going short financially themselves...and all for the love of their chosen club. But does that club in the main care less about that fan.....NO

A mid winter break is OK in principle but the clubs capitalise on it to improve their turnover.

Should the likes of ourselves have a mid winter break....in my opinion what's OK for the Premier then surely it's OK for the rest of us...but that doesn't mean to say that its right.

[NPL Daze]

Should the likes of ourselves have a mid winter break....in my opinion what's OK for the Premier then surely it's OK for the rest of us...but that doesn't mean to say that its right.

It's not right at all.

Get the Orange Balls out and get on with it !!

[marky No.1]

Or am I being cynical?

Probably, you are better at it than even me or Keith


Football, as is life, is beginning to go over the top with cameras and rules. Next thing the fans and players will be claiming against their privacy rights for being filmed.
Pretty much guaranteed that the top teams will go off on a South American or Asian tournament while having a 'rest'

[Little Shrimp]

Don't really get the cynicism.

Winter breaks? VAR Technology? 4th Officials? Pitch spray to stop players encroaching?

Not really sure what the problem is here. Nothing wrong with fourth officials. The pitch spray does nothing to hinder the game and just helps stop players cheating. VAR is early days and struggling for fluency but in the long run I'm sure it will be smoothed out and the virtues of actually getting massive calls right will shine through. To add to that, goal line technology has been a fantastic introduction.

Yes winter breaks may be used to make millions on foreign friendlies but, why does that matter to us? A few more through the gate for smaller clubs on the big Christmas fixtures (Boxing Day, New Years Day etc) surely isn't a bad thing?

The only thing that gripes me is that we really could do with a winter break to save our pitch and many other pitches at this level!

[Posh]

You old cynic

I think one of the reasons missed is the African Nations Cup. As it is played in hot climes in February every two years, several clubs end up losing players, e.g. Liverpool - Salah and Mane; Crystal Palace - Zaha, Schlupp, Sako and Saore. It makes a bit of a mockery of the Premier League if you miss key players for another tournament.

I also think a mid-season break makes sense but I’d like to see the principle extended to kid’s football. Each season we lose up to 50% of games (in Storm Desmond season we didn’t play for 2 1/2 months.

On the main point though, yes they’ll milk it with overseas games.

[Shrimpy]

I think one of the reasons missed is the African Nations Cup. As it is played in hot climes in February every two years, several clubs end up losing players, e.g. Liverpool - Salah and Mane; Crystal Palace - Zaha, Schlupp, Sako and Saore. It makes a bit of a mockery of the Premier League if you miss key players for another tournament.

As of 2019 the African Cup of Nations will be played in the Summer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40670308

[MfcChris]

Yes winter breaks may be used to make millions on foreign friendlies but, why does that matter to us? A few more through the gate for smaller clubs on the big Christmas fixtures (Boxing Day, New Years Day etc) surely isn't a bad thing?

The winter break going to be 2 staggered weekends in February. Our deep winter is not really December.

[NPL Daze]

VAR Technology?

"Comical and embarrassing" :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43234569