FA chairman Thompson backs winter break

Football Association chairman Geoff Thompson has given his support to calls for a winter break.

Thompson says he can understand why England head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and club managers such as Arsene Wenger are in favour of a mid-season break, but stresses that the calendar may be too busy to allow it.

He believes a rest for the players could help English clubs in the latter stages of European competition.

Thompson told the Press Association: “I can well understand managers wanting a winter break.

“Other countries in Europe have a break and it would be very interesting to find out statistically if clubs from those countries do better when they come back in to the second phase of the European competitions than clubs like ours. I have a feeling they may do better.

“I can see the advantages of it, but it’s trying to fit it into a very exhaustive calendar.

“It would have to be a collective decision by the FA and the leagues and periodically the question does arise. It’s a question of when do you do it and is the timetable right?

“The clubs don’t like to start too early and we would prefer the FA Cup to be the last match of the season and it’s a question of how late you can take that.

“It’s a very long season, the Premiership is 20 clubs and we have two cup competitions, but the calendar has eased a little bit with UEFA removing the second group stage of the Champions League.”

Meanwhile, the FA have arranged a summit with FIFA, UEFA and the Football League over transfer windows in London on Monday.

League chairman Sir Brian Mawhinney and director of operations Andrew Williamson will use the meeting in Soho Square to press their case for a continued exemption from the system on the grounds that many clubs need to sell players outside the windows in order to survive.

The current two-year trial of transfer windows, brought in as part of the agreement with the European Commission over transfer regulations, is due to end this summer when it is expected to be introduced on a permanent basis.

Thompson added: “For international transfers it has worked very well and to a certain extent at Premier League level for internal transfers.

“The Football League are in a unique position – there is no other comparable league of that size in Europe fitted into that slot within the national league system and they have had a really bad time with the Bosman ruling and then ITV Digital.

“The gap between the Premier League and the Football League gets wider, and they have been able to get exemption from FIFA for transfer windows.

“When FIFA and UEFA are reviewing transfer windows it’s important the Football League have a voice and that’s why I have arranged for Sir Brian Mawhinney and Andrew Williamson to meet FIFA and UEFA personnel here on Monday.”