Tim’s warning of World Cup effect on Prem
THE World Cup will have a huge influence over the Premier League this season, ex-Everton star Tim Howard has warned.
Domestic football is going to be paused in the middle of a campaign – for the first time – to accommodate the tournament in Qatar.
As a result, matchround 16 will be the final one played – over the weekend of November 12-13 – before players called up by their countries travel to the Middle East.
The World Cup will then run until the final on December 18, with the Premier League set to resume eight days later, on Boxing Day.
And Howard (below) predicts the hectic schedule will have a huge impact on even the fittest stars.
“There’s a World Cup hangover for each player – not just physically but mentally,” he said.
“It’s emotionally draining and normally that happens in the summer.
“You then go away with your family and put your feet up – and then you have got pre-season.
“But even with that four to six weeks,
ALEX WOOD
there’s still a hangover going into September.
“This year you finish the World Cup and there’s eight days to get right back in.”
Howard, 43, racked up 121 caps for the USA – a record for a keeper – and featured in two World Cups for his homeland.
He also spent 13 years in the Premier League with Manchester United and the Toffees.
And the former goalkeeper believes the unusual scheduling of the World Cup this year will widen the gap between the wealthiest – with the bigger squads – and the more cash-strapped Premier League clubs.
“Teams that are naturally going to do better are the ones with more money and bigger squads,” he added.
“They will be able to rotate more, have more substitutions and field players who didn’t go to the World Cup but are still incredibly talented – because they spent a ton of money in the summer.
“It’s the smaller teams, with smaller budgets, who will struggle.”