James Shield's Sheffield United Column: The danger behind the winter break

I’m talking, of course, about the Premier League’s winter break; a concept ostensibly introduced to stop top-flight footballers suffering burn-out. Even though, despite making sure their squads enjoy pretty much the best of everything, champions such as Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have still yet to explain why fit, young athletes cosseted to within an inch of their lives are in danger of being physically crushed by a schedule which is actually quite relaxed. Well, compared to the ones adhered to by players in the lower reaches of the EFL, where ‘rehab’ often consists of a quick warm down on the pitch and a takeaway pizza during a long coach journey home.

Clearly Dominos or Papa John’s know something the world’s greatest sports scientists don’t. Directors at Anfield and the Etihad could save themselves a few quid, and reduce the workload of their physios, by simply downloading the Just Eat app on all club issue tablets and mobile telephones.

Sheffield United made the best of this unwelcome break in the competition’s fixture calendar by travelling to Dubai. It proved, Wilder admitted earlier today, a worthwhile exercise. But, addressing the media back in South Yorkshire ahead of Saturday’s game against Brighton and Hove Albion, he once again let it be known he’d much rather have stayed put.

“It’s been a little bit stop start, what with the gap and all that. Personally I’d rather have just carried on.”

I suspect the United manager’s wish will be granted in the near future. Part of it at least. Because don’t be surprised if the PL reverses its decision to grant members time off in mid-February and stages a full round of matches instead. Only overseas, not here.

Twelve years ago, the idea of a ‘39th Game’ was first mooted; the proposal being that extra contests would take place sometime in January with cities paying for the right to put them on.

It was dropped, following protests from supporters, politicians and even former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who warned that going ahead would damage what proved England’s ill-fated bid to host the 2018 World Cup. But that doesn’t mean the idea has been forgotten altogether. And if they think there’s a few quid in it for them - and the political opposition can be faced down - expect competition chiefs to raise it again shortly. And, making phoney claims about the threat posed by the expansion of the NFL, NBA and MLB, ignore any dissenting voices among the fans. The framework of the recent hiatus - effectively a two week split - bears remarkable similarities to the original plan put forward, which would have seen teams granted a period of seven days or so to travel, recover from jet-lag and then prepare for kick-off.

Unashamedly traditional when it comes to certain aspects of football, Wilder would probably argue against that again and quite rightly so.

But in the current climate - where the interests of broadcast companies, marketing agencies and PR firms are prioritised above those of folk who follow football because they love it rather than simply trying to make a fast buck - he can look forward to being ignored. After all, the intermission in the calendar was only staggered to suit television rights holders.

Mark my words, someone, somewhere, will be wondering if the PL break provides an opportunity for them to exploit by moving the competition - if only briefly - abroad.