Fergie calls for winter break

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes a Premiership winter break would improve England’s chances of international success.

England looked woefully short of ideas and fitness when they needed it most in their World Cup quarter-final against Brazil, with some players having competed on four fronts at club level during the season.

Ferguson proposes a break in January for players to recuperate, and insists he for one would not use the time to play in money-spinning friendly matches.

‘‘England weren’t fresh at the World Cup,’’ he told the Daily Telegraph.

‘‘I didn’t see any energy in any of England’s games. The only team that really improved in the World Cup - and they were poor - were Germany and they have a one-month rest in January. They looked fresher.

‘‘Germany looked a better team than England and I don’t think they are as good as England player-wise.

‘‘I can see a winter break happening in England because there’s only so many times England want to run into a wall at World Cups and European Championships. England get fed up doing that.

‘‘Everyone knows full well it is a tortuous season anyway. Last season they held Premiership games after the FA Cup final which seemed to me the most stupid thing in the world.

‘‘The cup final should always be the last game of the season because then at least 18 teams - bearing in mind it is usually two Premiership teams in the final - will have a week’s extra rest before the World Cup starts.

‘‘I wouldn’t go on tour during the winter break. I would maybe take our players away for a break somewhere warm and do our training there but I wouldn’t play any games.’’

Meanwhile, Phil Neville has scotched rumours he wants to leave Old Trafford.

The versatile England defender has always struggled for a regular first-team place among United’s galaxy of stars, but he has now been assured by Ferguson that he is wanted at the club.

‘‘That is all I wanted to hear,’’ he told the Daily Star.

‘‘I couldn’t be happier at Manchester United. The manager wants me here. He has told me that and that is all I wanted to hear. Any talk that I am unsettled is not accurate.’’