[Football] Winter Break from 19/20 Season/FA Cup Re-jig

[Kinky Gerbil]

THE fifth round of the FA Cup will be played in midweek to secure a winter break.

It is understood the FA, Premier League and Football League have reached an agreement for an annual two-week break in early February — starting in 2019-20

There will also be no FA Cup fifth-round replays.

According to The Times, the break would be staggered with five Premier League games being played on one weekend and the other five the following weekend.

All Prem teams will have at least 13 days without a game in a bid to help England before Euro 2020 and future World Cups.

The winter break will not apply to clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two.

The semi-finals of the Carabao Cup will remain over two legs. EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey said: “There are no plans to change it.”

 

[Frutos]

All seems sensible to me.

 

[Stat Brother]

All Prem teams will have at least 13 days without a game in a bid to help England before Euro 2020 and future World Cups
”

At which point all Premier League teams will jet off round the globe to play 2 lucrative exhibition matches against other Premier League clubs.

 

[maltaseagull]

All seems sensible to me.

I don't really see how having a break in February will make players fresher for June/July.
They will still play the same number of games in a season and, knowing how money driven football is these days, I would guess that the top clubs will all be off to other parts of the world on lucrative tours.

 

[Tory Boy]

in a bid to help England before Euro 2020 and future World Cups.

How??

Or are the FA saying only English players will rest, the dozens and dozens of players from other countries will still have to work?

TB

 

[Gazwag]

Pathetic lazy money grabbing whingers, another reason not to get hung up about being in the premier league. How many games have been cancelled in February over the past 50 years due to the weather they get enough days off due to the stupid totally unnecessary international breaks already.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Better option is to lower the numbers in the leagues....

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Would have liked to have seen more thought given to the fixture congestion over the Xmas period. Four games in 9 days is ridiculous.

 

[GT49er]

THE fifth round of the FA Cup will be played in midweek to secure a winter break.

It is understood the FA, Premier League and Football League have reached an agreement for an annual two-week break in early February — starting in 2019-20

There will also be no FA Cup fifth-round replays.

According to The Times, the break would be staggered with five Premier League games being played on one weekend and the other five the following weekend.

All Prem teams will have at least 13 days without a game in a bid to help England before Euro 2020 and future World Cups.

When will they ever learn? - if it ain't broke, don't mend it.

Better option is to lower the numbers in the leagues....

Better still, just leave it alone!

 

[Official Old Man]

At which point all Premier League teams will jet off round the globe to play 2 lucrative exhibition matches against other Premier League clubs.

Or steal the odd taxi (allegedly).
Man City have the weekend 16/17 March free after a game on Monday followed by the international break the week after. Warm weather training in Dubai?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

When will they ever learn? - if it ain't broke, don't mend it.


Better still, just leave it alone!

There is enough complaints from the players/managers at all levels to suggest it is broken.

I don't want winter break btw


Ideally yes, but they are not going to

 

[Postman Pat]

The fixtures over the last Xmas and New Year were ludicrous, there were too many games packed in.

With no replays after round 5 now only a matter of time till they are scrapped completely surely? Will open up more mid-weeks for league games.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Good news that Chelsea, United, City et al will be able to get a load more money for going to Qatar to play against Monkey Tennis FC during the season.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

England won't improve their standing in international games, until English players play abroad. Very few do, because the wages are lower.

 

[studio150]

The proposals really just show how focused on money the PL is. Rather than close the league down for two weeks, what they have effectively done is to gain an extra weekend when PL matches will be played due to the staggered split in resting teams.

At least it makes it easier to plan to a winter sun holiday without missing any games

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

At which point all Premier League teams will jet off round the globe to play 2 lucrative exhibition matches against other Premier League clubs.

Surely they will have to ban this.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Pathetic lazy money grabbing whingers, another reason not to get hung up about being in the premier league. How many games have been cancelled in February over the past 50 years due to the weather they get enough days off due to the stupid totally unnecessary international breaks already.

Isn't the idea to protect those players that are playing in those international breaks – i.e. they're not getting days off, they're playing 2 international fixtures in a week?

 

[Gritt23]

At which point all Premier League teams will jet off round the globe to play 2 lucrative exhibition matches against other Premier League clubs.

Exactly. Two things will make this whole "Winter Break" idea a nonsense.

1. As you say, players will not get a break, they will be bundled around the globe for a "winter money making exercise".
2. It will inevitably miss the worse of the winter weather. Have a break in Feb, a big freeze will wipe out games in January, and come March everyone will be moaning about fixture congestion.

 

[Gritt23]

There is enough complaints from the players/managers at all levels to suggest it is broken.

Or put another way; players/managers at all levels scramble for any possible excuse for under performing.