Howard predicts chaos from Qatar
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, match round 16 will be the final one played – over the weekend of November 12-13 – before players are called up by their countries for the tournament travel to the Middle East.
The Premier League will resume on Boxing Day following the conclusion of the World Cup, with the final taking place on December 18.
Howard says the jam-packed 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’ve got pre-season. But even with that four to six weeks, 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 racked up 121 caps for the USA and featured in two World Cups for his homeland.
The goalkeeper, 43, also spent 13 years in the Premier League with Manchester United and the Toffees.
Howard believes the unusual scheduling of the World Cup this year will widen the gap between the wealthiest and the more cash-strapped top-flight clubs.
“The 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.”