Winter Break
Winter Break
The winter break is something that Scottish football has been looking at for sometime. We experienced the first scheduled two week break last season and this was successful enough to be doubled for this campaign. But do we actually need a winter break?
Many pundits are publicly in favour of the shutdown. However, when asked why it is a good idea, they mumble something about the Germans doing it so it must right. This is probably not the most sound basis to make a decision on. Other well known ex-players and journalists say that since football is traditionally a winter sport, we should play through the cold. Again, this isn't the best logic to use; it seems to say that it is irrelevant whether a winter break is good or not. We've never had the vision to use one before, so why start now?
The arguments in favour of a break mainly come from the big two, who have visions of being in Europe after Christmas (ha!). Too many games will tire out their quality players who will not perform as well, therefore cheating the fans. The weather is another major concern as the Scottish climate is not always conducive to free-flowing football. While pitches may be playable, it can be very hard to find a training pitch that is safe. It is unfair to ask players to go from playing indoor fives through the week, to a full battle on an ice rink on Saturday. That appears to be the full extent of the argument for a winter break - no doubt it will have you convinced.
Anyone who is against the winter break will automatically point out that the Scottish winter can strike anytime between November and February. What is the point of having a break for a fortnight before coming back to play in the snow? While some people may not believe it, football used to require strength and stamina - the ability to grind out an away win at some ice box on Boxing day used to sort out the men from the boys in the title race. A winter break would also be impossible to survive financially for many clubs - many non-Premier teams find it hard to pay wages in the summer so another four weeks with no chance of income is not appealing. The smaller clubs whose pitches may require a break mid-season are unable to afford it. The too many games theory is blown out the window by clubs who insist on playing friendlies during their break. Did Rangers really need to play in the Ajax tournament last year just to pay wages? I don't think so. Many clubs like having fixtures over Christmas and New Year - with relatively few alternatives for entertainment, a lot of casual spectators would take in the fixtures on public holidays. It was not unusual for big gates to recorded at many clubs, not just the old firm. The winter break has taken away a crucial bit of extra finance.
Of course the obvious solution seems to be a compromise. A two week break before Christmas would seem to accommodate nearly everyone. The fans would get some extra cash in their pockets to spend on presents and the players would get a rest. The last Saturday's before Christmas usually have lower attendances anyway and the fans could return on the Boxing day bank holiday, giving them a reasonable excuse to get away from the mother-in-law. A problem solved by common sense - why do I not see this happening in Scottish football?
Derek Wilson
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