They should just scrap the LC. I believe England, Scotland and France are the only countries in the world with a LC. Why the need for 2 domestic cup competitions?
Premier League Winter Break
- Thread starter Sassy Colin
- Start date
Yes. That's clearly Scudamore's agenda here. There are good physiological reasons for a winter break, but the real driver is money.
Hopefully it's after the new year games, move about the cup competitions so the gap falls when the FA cup is usually played in Jan. Everything will be fine.
Get rid of the league cup.
Yup... Miami, la, Australia, China, Thailand, Japan, Korea, India, South america etc... They will be racking up the air miles so much the players will need a rest when they return
Thats somehow true. It would be a win-win situation. You would get more time in the season and the importance of the (fa) cup would be higher. I only say this cause of my experience with the german cup, which is for me the most exciting tournament. There is only this one cup, with starting teams till down to amateurs, and from the begining a clear knockout modus, which gets you the most exciting stuff, always with Bundesliga or 2. Bundesliga teams getting knocked out by lower teams, cause they fighting like lions in those games. Also that is only 1 game helps, Spanish cup is boring if you compare it to that.
This, hope it doesn't go.
Portugal also have a League Cup. In fact, it was recently modified and now includes a Final Four.
No way. I want my christmas football.
Could keep games on every weekend whilst still giving all teams 12 days off by dividing them into two groups, like this:
Weekend 22: Group A + Group B
Weekend 23: Group B
Weekend 24: Group A
Weekend 25: Group A + Group B
Or 20 days off by dividing them into three groups.
Obviously you have games only between teams in their own little sub groups before and after their time off, so that no one gets an advantage.
Weekend 22: Group A + Group B
Weekend 23: Group B
Weekend 24: Group A
Weekend 25: Group A + Group B
Or 20 days off by dividing them into three groups.
Obviously you have games only between teams in their own little sub groups before and after their time off, so that no one gets an advantage.
The whole calendar needs to change, move all international qualifiers to June so there is football every June for tv you qualify one June play the next. Have a international friendly straight after Xmas/new years then the FA cup third round then back to EPL keeping the league cup .
In theory it sounds like a good idea, but then you will get clubs playing a money spinning friendly in another part of the world during the break.
Winter break: FA Cup fourth and fifth rounds could move to midweek
FA Cup replays could be scrapped and the fourth and fifth rounds moved to midweek nights to accommodate a winter break in England, says Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey.
Harvey said the move would allow more weekend games and generate income for increased solidarity payments from the Premier League to the Football League.
It will also, he says, fill a £20m gap caused by leagues from the Championship down being cut by up to four clubs.
The idea will be voted on next summer.
FA Cup semi-final replays were abandoned in 1999, with sixth-round replays no longer being played from this season.
Harvey does not envisage any changes to the third round taking place.
He said: "Ultimately, to create space for a winter break, which is a stated objective of the FA, we are having to create some new dates in the calendar.
"We can potentially play two rounds of the FA Cup in midweek and it may well be that replays for four and five may have to go as part of this process."
The proposals have not been ratified by the Football League and are part of its Whole Game Solution.
A Football Association spokesperson confirmed discussions were "ongoing", adding the FA has "not agreed to FA Cup matches taking place midweek".
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37478695
FA Cup replays could be scrapped and the fourth and fifth rounds moved to midweek nights to accommodate a winter break in England, says Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey.
Harvey said the move would allow more weekend games and generate income for increased solidarity payments from the Premier League to the Football League.
It will also, he says, fill a £20m gap caused by leagues from the Championship down being cut by up to four clubs.
The idea will be voted on next summer.
FA Cup semi-final replays were abandoned in 1999, with sixth-round replays no longer being played from this season.
Harvey does not envisage any changes to the third round taking place.
He said: "Ultimately, to create space for a winter break, which is a stated objective of the FA, we are having to create some new dates in the calendar.
"We can potentially play two rounds of the FA Cup in midweek and it may well be that replays for four and five may have to go as part of this process."
The proposals have not been ratified by the Football League and are part of its Whole Game Solution.
A Football Association spokesperson confirmed discussions were "ongoing", adding the FA has "not agreed to FA Cup matches taking place midweek".
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37478695
This would be about fecking time. Those pesky replays should have been scrapped a decade ago.
It would transform English football tactics if it happened. I think there are too many dinosaurs that will vote against it though, still thinking the PL is superior to all else.
It's good for the top clubs, no question there.
I'll be sad for the smaller clubs though, clubs that get home draws against big premier league clubs and have the motivation of earning a big away pay day.
It literally kept Exeter afloat from what I remember.
I'll be sad for the smaller clubs though, clubs that get home draws against big premier league clubs and have the motivation of earning a big away pay day.
It literally kept Exeter afloat from what I remember.
There goes my excuse to leave christmas family lunch early.
Why not just abolish the League Cup? There's no reason to move FA Cup games to midweek and make them more unattractive to go to.
They won't drop the Christmas fixtures, that's 100% sure. Everybody knows how important that set of fixtures is, because that's what truly makes English football special.
They could still get that in the third round. You have to weigh it up - not that many teams of that ilk are going to make it to the fourth and fifth round anyway.
The benefits of such a break would be massive for England (which I don't give a toss about) in international tournaments and for the top clubs in the CL - which is the big thing.
Because it's the lack of a winter break that makes England lose to Iceland, and not shit managers and spineless players?
Very much enjoy the christmas programme so hope not.
As a fan, I would hate a winter break. Two week break for clubs during september, october, march without club football is enough during a season.
I don't care about England so No to winter breaks, no to scrapping FA Cup replays, no to getting rid fo the LC. Thanks.
I don't think the LC makes much difference, most first teamers get rested for it, there's no replays, and most of the games are out of the way by Christmas.
I don't think the LC makes much difference, most first teamers get rested for it, there's no replays, and most of the games are out of the way by Christmas.
I'm surprised that so many fans want a winter break and less football as most on here hate international football and want to see our club instead, yet people would love to be without football for many weeks during january.
I feel your pain
I'm all for a winter break, but the games that surround Xmas and New Years is what helps make that time of the year special for football supporters.
They better not take away the Xmas schedule. It's probably the best period of the English football season. A January break makes sense though I guess for the players. League cup makes sense as a competition for fringe players/reserves to get a run out. If teams are fatiguing their first team players for this competition then it's their own stupid fault. FA cup replays sort of make sense to scrap.
A winter break means that there will be more league games on midweek days after the break. After all, everyone has to play 38 league games.
I really don't know why anyone would want a winter break, the Christmas period is when the league is at its most important and exciting and what benefit do fans gain from a break.
You should know by now that the supporters are the last to be considered in any decisions by the football hierarchy.I feel your pain
I'm all for a winter break, but the games that surround Xmas and New Years is what helps make that time of the year special for football supporters.
While I can see the obvious benefits to a winter break, as a fan I'd miss the festive fixtures a lot. It's great fun watching a United game every few days, especially if they're all competitive Prem games and not boring cup matches.
Hear here heer.
I don't care about England or International football in general, but it certainly would help. What I care about is how it would affect United in future CL campaigns.
This.
The whole winter break being the solution to end England's woes is truly laughable.
It's one excuse after the other as far as the national team go.
First it was too many foreigners, then it was not enough English managers, then it was not enough English players abroad now it's no winter break.
Honestly when will England players be held accountable for their complete failings.
This blame culture makes me embarrassed to support and back the England national team.
Well it wasn't a problem when the PL had three teams in the semi finals three years in a row, and when we reached three CL finals in four seasons.
Ah forgot about this excuse for English clubs.
Like Lurpak said didn't seem to be a problem between 2004 and 2012.
Every top manager in England have been calling for a winter break for years, I'd rather trust their judgement.
Yeah cos they want time off. It's nothing to do with bettering the game or any other nonsensical reasons they give.
They just want time off from work especially during the Christmas/new year period.
Of course, who doesn't want time off? I wouldn't like to work during Christmas either or have to celebrate New Year's Eve in my bed in some hotel because I have to play a match at early afternoon on January 1.