Blatter wants switch to summer football

**Rossi** · 05/12/2006, 9:34 AM

Blatter wants switch to summer football
Tuesday, 05 December 2006 8:57

Sepp Blatter wants Europe to switch to summer football
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has suggested European league seasons run through the summer with a winter break.

The Swiss official wants domestic campaigns to begin in February and end in November and claims he has support from teams for the proposal.

'I have already proposed that clubs play in summer so that the season follows the calendar,' he said.

'You play in the summer during the two warmest months of the year and take a winter break. This would leave enough time for players to recover and there could be blocks of three weeks of national teams' qualifying games in winter.

'This idea is supported by big European clubs.'

I know this is a European issue but it also has ramifications for the el.If all European leagues switch to this format then where does that leave us? Do we switch to winter football!

**Neish** · 05/12/2006, 9:55 AM

He doesn't seem to mention what is going to happen in the years when The World Cup or European Cup are on?

**jebus** · 05/12/2006, 10:04 AM

Its the usual nonsense out of Blatter. He just comes out with random ideas that haven't been thought out in the hope that people will think he's actually trying to better football. As Neish said he says nothing about what would happen to the World Cup, European Cup and the Copa America

Red&White · 05/12/2006, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by Rossi

'This idea is supported by big European clubs.'

Nice to see someone finally giving the EL some credit.

**passerrby** · 05/12/2006, 10:36 AM

ya but still think its proberly unlikely that we will ever see a return to winter football .

**CollegeTillIDie** · 05/12/2006, 9:06 PM

How does Sepp Blatter propose that players are supposed to play at 35-40C in late July in places like Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Spain and the Balkans pray tell?

**Jerry The Saint** · 05/12/2006, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by jebus

Its the usual nonsense out of Blatter. He just comes out with random ideas that haven't been thought out in the hope that people will think he's actually trying to better football. As Neish said he says nothing about what would happen to the World Cup, European Cup and the Copa America

As someone who's been opposed to Summer Soccer from day one, I feel vindicated by Blatter's comments.

**Rossi** · 06/12/2006, 9:58 AM

i guess all the games would have to be played at night

**endabob1** · 06/12/2006, 10:16 AM

Blatter is an idiot of the highest order, this is the man who wanted bigger goals to improve the world cup and women to wear tighter shorts to make more men watch their games.

**Neish** · 06/12/2006, 4:22 PM

Originally Posted by endabob1

Blatter is an idiot of the highest order, this is the man who wanted women to wear tighter shorts to make more men watch their games.

Whats wrong with that? I think its one of his better ideas

**endabob1** · 06/12/2006, 4:36 PM

Originally Posted by Neish

Whats wrong with that? I think its one of his better ideas

If he had suggested greyhound skirts he'd have won me over

**cavan_fan** · 08/12/2006, 11:05 AM

This is bad news for the eL (and by the way it seems to be getting some support from clubs in the big Leagues). It's clear that eL clubs benefit from being in the middle of the season when the early european matches are played, this would negate that.

On international competititons, assuming he doesnt mean having them in winter, (though that would help us as we couldnt complain it was too hot again) then I guess he means stopping club seasons to have the tournament. Given a 4 week world cup and at least 3 weeks before and 1 after for player preparation this is 2 months off every 2 years. Dont see how this works.

By the way loved this quote about Blatter

A German journalist once famously said of Sepp Blatter that the FIFA president, "has 50 new ideas every day and 51 of them are bad."

**shels4ever** · 08/12/2006, 1:05 PM

Won't happen,
Can you see games in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece , Germany etc in July

35 + Degrees with high humidity,

For Ireland, England, Holand , Sweeden its a good idea but for other not a chance will run the game.