5 Jul 2010Aston Villa boss wants winter break

Football Leagues/ Association and Governance | Football Referees, Players, Managers and Media

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has added his support to the growing calls for a two-week winter break to be introduced in the English Premier League.

The English national side's ignominious exit from the FIFA World Cup has sparked renewed debate over the top flight's domestic schedule and England coach Fabio Capello was quick to suggest that tiredness had hampered his team's performance.

"My own view is that there should be a winter break. I think it would be a fantastic thing," O'Neill explained. "We had it for a couple of years in the Scottish Premier League and we all got a benefit from it."

The Irishman pointed out that his Celtic side reached the final of the UEFA Cup - now the UEFA Europa League - after a festive rest period was introduced and claimed it had been of "great benefit" to his team.

Last week, former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson also backed the idea of a winter break.

Written by Mark Thompson

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