Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has called for a winter break to be introduced in the Premier League.
Teams in the English top flight see games come thick and fast during the festive period, leading to an annual debate about whether players are being burned out.
Having enjoyed a winter break during his playing days with Borussia Dortmund, Lambert is eager for Premier League sides to be given the same kind of respite.
"From a manager's point of view, I guarantee if you went up and down the country and did a survey on it, I'm pretty sure 99% of managers and staff and players would want the break," he told the club's official website.
"I had it in Germany and it was fantastic. You shut down, everyone has a break and came back refreshed and ready for a massive push in the second half of the season. It's brilliant for everybody.
"I just think it would help everybody, the national team, everything. Even when I played it was great. You're asking the players to play two games in three days. You're not going to get the best quality from the game. It's difficult to do that 48 hours after playing a tough game."
Villa are back in Premier League action tomorrow when they host Crystal Palace.
Jack Prescott
