Fifa hits Eriksson's plans

[Taxigirl]

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/england/3650705.stm





England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's plans for a winter break next season have been scuppered by Fifa.
World football's governing body has also angered Premiership clubs by their decision to organise international matches over Easter next season.

Clubs will lose two lucrative dates from the domestic football calendar over the holiday period.

The loss of two Premiership fixture dates means there is no clear weekend to cater for Eriksson's planned break.


Fifa has confirmed there will be international fixtures on Saturday 26 March and Wednesday 30 March.

These dates have been set aside for England's two home 2006 World Cup qualifiers against Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan.

Eriksson was keen to start a two-year trial into a two-week winter break but this has now been pushed back until the following season.

Senior Football Association figures will do all they can to ensure the winter break is in place for the following season, giving players a short break ahead of the 2006 World Cup finals.

[Salem6]

EASTER!!! Fucking hell, that makes great sense. WANKERS !

[Salem6]

By Mark Bradley
23 April 2004

sport.independent.co.uk/football/news/story.jsp?story=514296

Sven Goran Eriksson's plans for a winter break have been postponed by 12 months due to Fifa's decision to organise internationals over Easter next season.

There will be games on Saturday 26 March and Wednesday 30 March, and the dates have been set aside for England's home 2006 World Cup qualifiers against Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan. Those dates fall around the Easter weekend, meaning no top-flight domestic games can be played as so many players will be involved.

It also means that Eriksson's wish for a two-year trial of a two-week winter break has had to be pushed back as there isno way to fit a clear weekend into the 2004-05 season.

One manager to welcome the Easter international programme was the Bolton Wanderers manager, Sam Allardyce. "It will mean a respite from a hard winter period."

However, he added: "The Premier League chairmen would see the Easter weekend as a big revenue stream, like Christmas, where everyone turns out. I don't think they will be very happy."