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Given the paucity of form shown by our Hammers this season, you might imagine we would welcome the relief of a long international break.

Yet, despite the gloom of our form and apprehension at looming fixtures against the Toons and Gunners, I am already missing the pull of domestic Premier League football.




Am I then the only one who finds the length of the break for international football over long? Especially with three two-week breaks in little over three months? We have to endure the footballing desert of six weeks supporting just six fixtures.

The length of these international windows overshadows the domestic schedule, and particularly pressurises those clubs with newly expanded European commitments.

The problem is not so much with the first week of the break, but the second. After England play their second fixture on Sunday, there will be no domestic football for most clubs until nearly a week later on the following Saturday.

Breaks are undeniably needed for international football. They allow squad members to receive feedback from their international coaches, and further allows travelling time for far flung global international players.

However, do we really need 13/14 days to support two fixtures? This question needs to be asked when, in the rest of the season, clubs are routinely performing twice a week. It seems to me not beyond the wit of administrators to negotiate more sensible arrangements.

My suggestion is that preceding international games, all domestic fixtures are completed by Saturday, leaving Sunday free for travel to international squads. This would leave Monday and Tuesday free for coaching/preparation.

All first international fixtures should then be played either on the Wednesday or Thursday of that week, with the second fixture taking place on either the Saturday if following Wednesday or Sunday, if following Thursday.




If on Sunday, the game would be played in daytime rather than evening. This would then allow Monday to be used for travel in the afternoon, with squad feedback in the morning. All Sunday would be also available for those with Saturday commitments.

Players would then return to domestic League or FA Cup action commencing on the Wednesday or Thursday following the international weekend.

The League Cup is currently demoted, squeezed in between different clubs' European commitments, with some ties completing one week and others being resolved the week after.

This new scheme would provide an alternative, regular, pre-determined window for the League Cup in Autumn, and FA Cup in Spring. This would enhance focus and interest for both competitions.

This fixture scheme would also relieve pressure elsewhere in the calendar, potentially allowing extra time for the current rolling mid-winter break enjoyed by clubs.

Of course, players with clubs eliminated early in these cup competitions would get extra rest anyway. Successful clubs will face fixture pressure, but no more, over a season, than they already face.

So, there you have it, my remodelled scheme for the international break. What is there not to like?

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