English football winter break 'agreed in principle' for 2020

Knex*

Reported by Sky Sports today.

Sky Sports News understands the majority of planned changes are agreed in principle - with the first break pencilled in for January and February in 2020.

I think it's about time, really. It'll be missed during the off period, obviously, but the proposed here would still include Christmas football, which still gives the PL a unique appeal.

Interested to see if this goes ahead.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11336411/english-football-winter-break-agreed-in-principle-for-2020

GavRedKing

So does that mean that rounds 3, 4 and the QFs of the FA cup has replays, 5 doesnt?

I do hope its agreed although for the break, its likely only to be a few days off as some teams will play one week and be off the other and vice versa.

Harry Palmr

About time, the amount of oh but it's tradition bullcrap cited as a reason not to change things is laughable - there was always going to still be a full Chrimbo of football and a third round of FA Cup games. It was always about what happens after the first weekend of January, not before.

titan18

I read it as replays were all scrapped and that round 5 was played midweek.

Wouldn't make much sense otherwise as the round 3 replay will mess up any winter break, nevermind what happens if some round 3 games are postponed due to bad weather.

GavRedKing

I think they should scrap FA cup replays, like the league cup, get it done on the night and move on.

While theyre at it, scrap the FA cup semi finals from Wembley too.

Harry Palmr

The League Cup should be done by Christmas - I think it ought to be rebranded as the Autumn Cup - one match per round starting in late August for the Football League and PL sides. The minnows can use it as part of the pre-season

Lukker-

I'm happy. It hurts the product more than it helps. The hurr durr argument always say they get paid enough they should be able to do it. The body can only take so much, the quality of the Premier League falls of a cliff int he final third, it hurts the national team and it hurts the teams competing in Europe, and the overall quality of the games. I'm glad they finally saw sense.

Skylinehead

GavRedKing wrote: »

I think they should scrap FA cup replays, like the league cup, get it done on the night and move on.

While theyre at it, scrap the FA cup semi finals from Wembley too.

FA Cup replays are great for lower league clubs though.

artanevilla

GavRedKing wrote: »

I think they should scrap FA cup replays, like the league cup, get it done on the night and move on.

While theyre at it, scrap the FA cup semi finals from Wembley too.

Replays can be a huge earner for lower league clubs.

Trigger

artanevilla wrote: »

Replays can be a huge earner for lower league clubs.

While they can be a huge earner, it will give them more incentive to play for a win instead of a draw. And will probably make for better viewing

Harry Palmr

Skylinehead wrote: »

FA Cup replays are great for lower league clubs though.

artanevilla wrote: »

Replays can be a huge earner for lower league clubs.

There are ways around this - if the minnow is drawn at home, they can be given a choice - play at home and make the most of the support and "dodgy pitch" or request the game be switched to the bigger sides stadium and take the money. OR all the TV money goes to the smaller side.

Tom Mann Centuria

Yeah, screw ANY sort of tradition. So long as teams who already have all the advantages and finances are happy.

alchemist33

I really can't see this bringing about the improvements they think it will. Lack of a winter break always seemed an easy excuse for England's underperformance at tournaments, ignoring how foreign PL seemed less likely to suffer from the same affliction.

bucketybuck

Harry Palmr wrote: »

There are ways around this - if the minnow is drawn at home, they can be given a choice - play at home and make the most of the support and "dodgy pitch" or request the game be switched to the bigger sides stadium and take the money. OR all the TV money goes to the smaller side.

Define a minnow? Define the smaller side?

Sure, its easy to answer that question when its United drawn against Accrington Stanley but what about all those other teams drawn against each other? Millwall v Barnsley, who is the smaller team and gets to choose? Middlesborough v Sunderland was one of this years 3rd round draws and god help you trying to claim one is smaller than the other there...

The Backwards Man

Couple of good weeks gathering spuds and they would be eager to play every day of the week in January. Getting more like ballet dancing every year.

Harry Palmr

bucketybuck wrote: »

Define a minnow? Define the smaller side?

Sure, its easy to answer that question when its United drawn against Accrington Stanley but what about all those other teams drawn against each other? Millwall v Barnsley, who is the smaller team and gets to choose? Middlesborough v Sunderland was one of this years 3rd round draws and god help you trying to claim one is smaller than the other there...

Yeah well there would clearly need to be a multiplier used based on revenues, after all even in the PL look at Man Utd and Bournemouth, one's stadium capacity is about 15% of the other and that is true across the professional game.

As for those who are much of a muchness, the home side is the home side. No need to make a swap or open the tie to a swap option or move the TV money to one club over the other.

Can't wait til the year when there's a couple of weeks of snow in late February/March.