Should eL break for the World Cup?

[willymccann]

Suits me too as I'm off to Canada for two weeks on Saturday. Thought I was going to miss the Derry game, but the nice people at Setanta brought it forward a day for the telly too!

Sure at least you have 2 weeks in Canada to get over Derry beating you in your own back yard

[pineapple stu]

When they decided this, they should have also said that whoever had games which were previously postponed, they would have to have them rearranged during these 2 weeks.

But that would defeat the entire purpose of allowing players a break to take holidays - they now couldn't plan anything as they'd have no guarantee of having the time off.

[Dodge]

When they decided this, they should have also said that whoever had games which were previously postponed, they would have to have them rearranged during these 2 weeks. It would prevent a build up of games and they would still be able to play them at the weekend, meaning no midweek fixtures and still having a half decent crowd attending.

Pretty much every LOI footballer has holidays booked for these 2 weeks. No way could they arrange games

[pineapple stu]

Raises an interesting question though - what's their collective fitness going to be like for the first game back?

[mypost]

Pretty much every LOI footballer has holidays booked for these 2 weeks.

Full-timers only!!

[Dazzy]

For teams in European competition should be in heavy training in these two weeks.

[Schumi]

Full-timers only!!

I'm sure part-timers can arrange their work holidays for that period if they want.

[Buller]

i think there has to be a break during the world cup regardless of weather our international team make it or not, its the biggest sporting event in the world!

[garykelly]

Pretty much every LOI footballer has holidays booked for these 2 weeks. No way could they arrange games

i think our club is letting players on holiday for the first week. they're all back training the 2nd week(might have a friendly/practic game in 2nd week). i'd expect this to be much the same in other clubs ??

[John83]

Not to pick on mypost, but I disagree with every point he made:

Ireland's World Cup involvement ended 8 months ago.

But people will watch the World Cup anyway.

By having the league going on during the WC, it will entice more people, I believe, to come and watch live games on the back of the tournament.

During the tournament? People will be watching a load of football. The last thing they'll want is more.

It harms our sides in Europe with European commitments. It's not good for them fitnesswise, to go into Europe in the near future, having not played for 2 weeks.

This is summer football. It demands that games are played at this time of the year, on EVERY week of it.

Why? Winter football doesn't prohibit a mid-season break?

This will help the pitches recover and will let players who have been ignoring niggling injuries get a fortnight off.

As for it clashing with the later stages, there are less games played at that point.

[NY Hoop]

The break is absolute nonsense. The MLS are not even taking one even though the national side are in the WC.

Do winter league countries take a break? Do they ****? Give the pitches a break is a pathetic excuse. The ONLY reason for a break should be if the national team is in the WC or the EC.

Between May 7 til June 21 we have no gate income.

Re Shels games in Europe mypost is dead right. They will have no games after tomorrow til the European games. Thats not ideal preparation.

KOH

[Schumi]

Do winter league countries take a break? Do they ****?

Plenty have Christmas breaks of a couple of weeks.

[exiled_gufc_fan]

Surely the FAI could have used their pwer and influence to get FIFA to have no games on Friday evenings so there would be no clashes?

After all they have been so successful with the Premiership that the FA & Sky have arranged a few live tv Friday evening games having already taken over Sunday afternoons ten years ago.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Plenty have Christmas breaks of a couple of weeks.

Some countries have winter breaks lasting three months. Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia are all examples of countries which have breaks of that length.

[Jerry The Saint]

Some countries have winter breaks lasting three months. Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia are all examples of countries which have breaks of that length.

Having read through some of the recent attendances I was going to suggest something similar. I've changed my mind on the benefits of taking a break but instead of two weeks we should have a 2-3 month break during summer.

[NY Hoop]

Plenty have Christmas breaks of a couple of weeks.

That would be because of the bad weather e.g. Germany.

Clubs are now idle for nearly 3 weeks for what? Then a rush of games after the break with the season again needlessly stretched out til december.


KOH

[mypost]

instead of two weeks we should have a 2-3 month break during summer.

That is a total non-starter. Summer football is designed primarily to assist our clubs in Europe. So the idea of a summer break of 2-3 months, smack in the middle of the European campaigns, is simply a no-go area.

[Jerry The Saint]

That is a total non-starter. Summer football is designed primarily to assist our clubs in Europe. So the idea of a summer break of 2-3 months, smack in the middle of the European campaigns, is simply a no-go area.

Well it comes back to the old debate, doesn't it? Summer soccer has brought us 1,000 people at a top-of-the-table clash in the home ground of the club with the best European record. We're about to take a break for the World Cup because we can't compete with it. We re-organised our whole season because it was deemed that we couldn't compete with the EPL.

I know they're not the most popular of organisations on this site, but look at how the GAA are responding to the World Cup - they're not just going into hiding, they're stepping up advertising.

"We recognise it's a major attraction. There are going to be a lot of people looking at it, we're all going to be looking at it so we have to push our own games hard during that period"

http://www.unison.ie/sportsdesk/stor...=13&si=1628579

In the spirit of football administration in this country, I say "Let's give it a go/Sure what harm can it do/Isn't it better than doing nothing inanyway?".

[NY Hoop]

Eh the club with the best European record is Rovers. 2-3 month break? Try to bring some sanity into the debate please.......

I wouldnt mind the thousand at last nights game. Midweek games are not known for their attendances.

But why was the break for the 2 weeks when the tournament is starting? Surely the logical thing is break when the tournament gets into the latter, interesting, stage?

If Ireland were in the tournament there should definitely be a break but look at next year. No competing attractions with players and officials sitting idle for 3 weeks and then, again, games needlessly prolonging the season. Look at the weather now this is when the games should be played. By the time november comes there is a good chance of postponements cos of bad weather which will get messy.

There is no justification for a break. Reasons such as players rest and pitches rest are farcical. Players are very well paid and half of the premier are full time pros. Boo hoo for their break they can take one in the winter. The pitches only need a break in the off season.


KOH

[Jerry The Saint]

Eh the club with the best European record is Rovers. 2-3 month break? Try to bring some sanity into the debate please.......

I don't know where you get that, they had a couple of good results in the Intertoto and beat that Maltese team over two legs Anyway Shelbourne's European record is a lot more relevant to the question of whether summer soccer has been worthwhile than any historical results.

And to clarify, my "2-3 month break" would involve starting the league in August and finishing with the Cup final in May - a radical concept I know.