Winter Break

[BeijingClaret]

What’s next playing inside?

[ClaretAndJew]

Heated balls.

[RocketLawnChair]

So that's another excuse scrubbed off for the likes of Klopp and Mourinho when they lose a game they should really be winning. And how having a week off at the end of January will make England a better side in June can be filed in the cabinet labelled utter ********.

The only person it will effect at the big clubs is the one who sorts the passports out because a pound to piece of **** they'll all be ******* off to China or somewhere like that.

[tiger76]

Don't know all the details but one of the criteria for such a break is clubs won't be able to jet off to the sun for money-making friendlies,however clubs can go warm weather training.

[houseboy]

Don't know all the details but one of the criteria for such a break is clubs won't be able to jet off to the sun for money-making friendlies,however clubs can go warm weather training.

Interesting point - why go warm weather training then come back to play in frost and snow?

[NottsClaret]

They're moving the FA Cup 5th round to midweek, so our break will be the same as it was this season I'd guess. Plus the other 10 teams will play when 'our half' is off in Dubai, meaning your Sky fans won't even notice.

[houseboy]

Mid-season breaks are okay and probably necessary in Scandinavia, Iceland and parts of Russia and Eastern Europe but in England? We don't even get winters anymore.

[tiger76]

Interesting point - why go warm weather training then come back to play in frost and snow?

Confuses me as well the Scottish Premier sides have gone aboard for some seasons now during January's winter break,and then come back shocked to find Scotland is still cold in February,no s**t sherlock. Given that most of the bigger clubs now have training complexes with all the facilities indoors it is bizarre they don't make more use of these sites.

[Devils_Advocate]

Don't see the problem with clubs going off to play a few commercial freindlys in places like America during a winter break if we have one.

It is the physical and mental pressures and demands of the Premier League they are getting a break from and anyone who thinks a friendly kick around in the sun comes anywhere close to that hasn't got a clue.

[ClaretTony]

Hardly a break is it? Only going to be one weekend off so no different to the international breaks.

[houseboy]

Don't see the problem with clubs going off to play a few commercial freindlys in places like America during a winter break if we have one.

It is the physical and mental pressures and demands of the Premier League they are getting a break from and anyone who thinks a friendly kick around in the sun comes anywhere close to that hasn't got a clue.

So we have a winter break and the players get a holiday in the sun having a kick-about? Nice work if you can get it - no wonder so many fans feel distanced from the players these days. As for the 'pressure' of playing in the PL they want to try working 35 hours per week and getting 20% per year of what they currently get paid per week. Now THAT is pressure. The poor dears don't know they are born.

[houseboy]

Hardly a break is it? Only going to be one weekend off so no different to the international breaks.

Well yes - I would say so. It's not just the one weekend but potentially any midweek games and training (which I guess will be less vigorous).

[dsr]

I can see the sense of giving the players a few days' holiday just for a rest, assuming they can be trusted not to let their fitness slide too much. Dyche has done that in the past if we've been knocked out of the cup - I remember Andre Gray went to see his girlfriend in the States one year.