Winter break is back on the table
INTRODUCING a two-week winter break every January is one of the options to be discussed by English football’s power brokers, Sportsmail understands. The Premier League and FA will hold fresh talks in the coming weeks to try to ease the burden on clubs fighting for domestic and European silverware, while still protecting the values of the FA Cup. Top-flight clubs would contest the traditional Christmas and New Year league matches, break for a fortnight in early January and then return with a high-profile FA Cup third-round weekend later in the month. Following an outcry from supporters, the FA are opposed to the idea of scrapping FA Cup replays. However, all possibilities will be on the table, including lengthening the domestic season and talking about ways of limiting the extent to which TV companies dictate when games are played.
NEW talks about the possibility of a winter break will take place between the FA and the Premier League. The issue of fixture congestion is back on the agenda after the public reacted with horror to suggestions that changes may have to be made to the FA Cup to free up space on the football calendar. The problem will be highlighted on Sunday when Manchester City field a team packed with Under 21 players for their fifth-round clash at Chelsea.
Sportsmail understands that discussions will soon be held about finding a way to fit a two-week break into the schedule in order to allow players to rechargeg their batteries every January.ry.
The Premier Leaguegue and the FA are awarere that something hass to give for this to happen but both are keen to explore possibilities. One idea is to preserve the traditional Christmas and New Year leaguee matches, break for twowo weeks in early Januaryary and then return with a high-highprofile FA Cup third- round weekend later in the month.
The FA do not want to scrap FA Cup replays while the Football League also have their own flagship competition, the Capital One Cup to consider.
However, all possibilities will be on the table, including lengthening the domestic season and talking about ways of limiting the extent to which TV companies dictate when games are played.
FA Cup weekends have been spread over four days on occasion this season, with a televised game taking place on the Friday and Monday nights.
The amount of money paid by the BBC and BT Sport for the rights to FA Cup games means they must be given licence to maximise viewing figures, but there is a feeling among some of the game’s leading figures that the spread of matches is becoming a little thin.
With the broadcast deals not due to expire for more than two years, there can be no imminent change. However, the FA, Premier League and Football League are committed to dialogue.
Meanwhile, in terms of this weekend, the FA have indicated privately that they will look sympatheticallyy on City’s decision to field a severely understrengthstre team at Stamford Bridge.Br City manager Manuel PellegriniP has said he willw play a mixture of first-team squad men and Under 21 players to protect his stars ahead of a Champions LeagueL game in Kiev on WednesdayWe and the Capitaltal OneO Cup final against LiverpoolLiverp that follows on SSunday.d Itt is understood that as many as seven Under 21 players are being considered for selection.
In normal circumstances, the FA may take a dim view of this, but after locking horns with City 10 days ago over the initial scheduling of the game the governing body realise that Pellegrini finds himself in an invidious position ahead of a week that may go a long way to determining how his final season at the club pans out.
One final twist would emerge if Sunday’s game is drawn. City’s schedule only has one space for a replay between now and the FA Cup quarter-finals on March 12: the midweek immediately prior to that date. However, Chelsea play Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on March 9.