Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson cannot understand why England's soccer chiefs will not sanction a winter break.

Eriksson spent five-and-a-half years as England manager trying to convince club bosses of the medical advantages even a week-long stoppage to the season would bring.

"I really do not understand it," he said.

"In my last job, I spoke to every Premier League manager. They all agreed. I spoke to chairmen and chief executives and all of them agreed as well. But in the end, nothing happens.

"I am not talking about reducing the number of teams in the Premier League. You could not even dream about that.

"And I am not talking about having a break over Christmas or the New Year because I understand that is impossible. There must be football in this country on Boxing Day. It is a tradition.

"But you could easily take a break after the New Year and I don't know why people don't want it."

Yet Eriksson's standpoint is not a personal one. It comes from detailed analysis of injuries and seemingly unquestioned evidence of the negative effects having no winter break can bring.

"The whole of English football would benefit," he said.

"You have to remember, the preparation for an English season starts on July 1. Then, you go right through until the middle or the end of May without having a break.

"I can show statistics which prove the number of injuries from February to the end of the season in the Premier League is far higher than it is in any other country in Europe.

"If you talk to the medical people, they are sure it is because there is no break.

"England, or English teams, compete in the Champions League, UEFA Cup and major tournaments with other countries and teams who have had a break. If they had one as well, they would be less tired."