Every time the England team has one of its periodic failures, the idea of a winter break in the season is revived so that Premier League footballers can recuperate from their gruelling duties and take in some sunshine in Dubai or the Maldives.
Every time the England team has one of its periodic failures, the idea of a winter break in the season is revived so that Premier League footballers can recuperate from their gruelling duties and take in some sunshine in Dubai or the Maldives.
Some might think that players show more commitment and flair for their clubs than their country, but a winter break is used extensively elsewhere. Of the 53 European nations, 37 have a break in their top leagues and 11 more play their season from February or March to November. Only the four home nations and Israel play over Christmas.
The Christmas/New Year period is particularly lucrative for clubs, so any break would be taken in January. Martin Glenn, the FA chief executive, admits that it is not a silver bullet to cure all problems.
The break could be of benefit to Football League and non-league clubs who could attract fans without a game to attend.
It is worth noting that football cannot be played in Iceland for at least six months of the year and the country has invested heavily in indoor training facilities to develop youngsters. The league is semi-professional so the better Iceland players join clubs elsewhere in Europe, although usually not at the highest level. What is clear is the bond that the team feel with each other.