Jump to content
TLW
TLW

Klopp: Winter break being compromised by FA Cup replays 

Jürgen Klopp has hit out over plans by the FA Cup to schedule fourth round replays in the week when there is set to be a winter break in February.

Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Brendan Rodgers are just three managers to have all spoken out about the lack of a true break for their players which will only add to the risk of players missing key games at a critical time of the season.

The Premier League announced that there will be a break for all teams between the 1st and 15th of February with that particular round of games split over two weekends.

But with the Intervention of the FA, that break could now be diluted, leading to more burden on squads and the worth of one of the age-old tournaments in World Football put into question once again.

Speaking to ESPN, Klopp was clearly bewildered by the lack of a thought process.

“The problem that we have is the Premier League have decided we have a winter break and the FA decided the re-game [replay] if you have to play, if you draw in the fourth round, you play the re-game in that week.

“It's incredible It's just in the winter break. Right? 

“That's when they set the game.

“Ok, how is that possible? Nobody speaks about these things. I really don't understand that.

“Look at that. They are the games, we can't do more games."

 

klopp_pix.jpg

The FA were told of Klopp’s claims and responded:

“The FA has worked hard to ensure the introduction of a winter break for Premier League clubs this season.

“Clubs will either be given a free weekend on Feb. 8 and 9 or Feb. 15 and 16.

“We will work with the Premier League and the clubs to ensure every team gets its winter break.

You only have to look at the past week to see the ridiculous situation that fixture congestion can lead to, and Klopp has implored authorities to think carefully over the future of the game.

“ It sounds like I don't like what I do, but I do. I love what I do, but I know we have two things that are very necessary.

 

"There are the players and training.

“So you can only use the players when they have enough, when they rest sometimes.

 

"I know people think that if a player plays, trains two hours a day and plays one-and-a-half hours, that cannot be a problem.

“Other people should try it, because we don't only play. We set our limits a little bit higher.

“We try to do more and do it better and do it quicker and do that. That's like Formula One. At a specific speed, you have to use the brake. 

“We would improve this game immediately to the next level if we gave this.

"We try everything -- we give them as much rest as possible, but somebody needs to help us with the schedule and so far that didn't happen.

“The solution I really don't see at the moment. We just have to carry on."

Hopefully a level of common sense can be applied in the near future.


 

User Feedback

Recommended Comments

There are no comments to display.



Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...