Winter break?

[dougcollins]

Ok, so we don't play until 15 Feb, but there are 4 PL games this weekend.

I think I'm struggling to understand the concept of the 'Winter break', can anyone enlighten me?

[claretonthecoast1882]

Some teams have this weekend without a game the others the following weekend

[martin_p]

Every team will have had two weeks without a match (apart from those in cup replays this week) by the time we get to games on the weekend of 22nd/23rd Feb.

[Clarets4me]

Apparently, half the Clubs don't play this weekend, and the other half are fixture free on the weekend of the 15th, giving each Club a 12/14 day break but still having games each weekend for their " broadcast partners " to show ....

[dougcollins]

Ah right, it's so they have TV games every weekend despite the break.

[houseboy]

That sounds about right. We mustn't have a break in TV football must we...that would never do. I was actually wondering what it was about anyway. Why are they having a break anyway? Next: the players will be allowed a tea break after 20 minutes and again in the second half to stop them from getting tired the little precious loves.

[ClaretTony]

Ah right, it's so they have TV games every weekend despite the break.

That's exactly what it is. Was supposed to be five this week and five next week but for whatever reason they've gone with four and six and in doing so have broken their own rules. If there is a televised game on a Friday there cannot be one on the Monday but there are on 14th and 17th Feb.

[TVC15]

All the clubs wanted it - this is a bit of a compromise but actually seems to work in that the clubs all get 2 weeks off and the premier league still get to sell their product.
I’d have been happy to have a look at the Championship games as it’s all hotting up now with Leeds and West Brom stuttering but unfortunately all those overseas viewers only want the Premier League.

In terms of the players resting easy to say how much money they earn etc but the physical demands of the game are much more than in previous years - all the stats around fitness etc tell you that. There are a lot of players out injured at the moment for most teams.

[TheFamilyCat]

I presume we're on a warm weather training camp somewhere?

[gandhisflipflop]

I presume we're on a warm weather training camp somewhere?

Isle of Man.