As featured on NewsNow: Football news

Premier League lukewarm over winter break proposals

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore does not believe a winter break is practical but insists clubs are open-minded about the idea. Scudamore said: "We are open-minded to it but I don't see where the impetus is going to come from for it.

"Mr Capello might want one but I can't see where the momentum is going to come to reduce our league from 20 to 18 clubs.

"It would be daft to do that when you have a global property of our strength. We have 380 games and you're not going to go down to 306 - why are you going to do that when people like UEFA are increasing the number of dates of their competitions.

"Why would we put our hands up and say we are the ones that are going to play fewer games?

"It's hard to see how practically it's going to happen."

There have been suggestions that scrapping FA Cup replays or changing the dates of the Carling Cup could allow a winter break but Scudamore cannot see that happening.

He added: "There are so many things about English football that people don't want to give up.

"We have just had a strategic review where the clubs fully backed a resurgent Carling Cup.

"It has gone from being a worthless cup 12 years ago to now having a decent position in the football calendar, and the last thing we are going to do is say how about scrapping FA Cup replays to create space."

Meanwhile, Scudamore is anticipating an even more competitive season due to the increase in overseas television rights, which are shared equally among the 20 member clubs.

He added: "As we saw last season it is possible for the teams who get relegated to win some matches against the teams who finish in the top four.

"I think that will continue and every team will be competitive on an individual match basis. Is the table going to completely reverse itself and the promoted teams finish in the top three? Of course not, there's going to be a natural order but I think just like last season there are going to be some surprises along the way.

"It will be even more competitive as our international rights develop - £5million more is worth a lot more to a smaller club than a bigger club.

"If you have £50million turnover then £5million is worth more to you than if you are on £200million turnover."

Video of the day:

About the author

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free