Summer switch unlikely to be solution to calendar

FIFA president Sepp Blatter's suggestion of switching the European soccer season to summer has not been well received but the issue does highlight the problem the game has in cramming all its commitments into 12 months.

In an interview with German magazine Kicker, Sepp Blatter proposed ending the traditional summer break in European club football and moving the season to a February to November schedule, with international qualifiers slotted into a new winter 'close season'.

"The idea is supported by the major European clubs," said Blatter.

But it is not clear which teams he was referring to - certainly none have gone on the record last week as backing his plan which some have interpreted as a way of creating more space for national teams.

While national officials either ignored or shrugged off Blatter's suggestion, Britain's Sun newspaper described the proposal as "madcap" and said "Perhaps someone should finally call a taxi for the FIFA supremo".

Certainly in England there are many who believe that the summer months are a time for cricket, tennis and golf to take centre stage and for footballers to put their feet up by the swimming pool.

Head to the southern parts of the continent and Spanish, Italian and Portuguese players and fans are hardly likely to be welcoming of the idea of watching games in sweltering temperatures while having nothing to do on a grey December weekend.

Summer football already is a reality though in many parts of the continent. Most of the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia already have a longer break in winter than they have in the middle of the year - and that makes perfect sense.

Ireland's domestic league switched to a summer season four years ago and officials are happy with that change.

A spokesman told Reuters: "The move has been very positive. The state of the pitches are better during the summer and the weather for training is better, too."

The European governing body UEFA's position is that it is impossible to impose a uniform season across the continent.

"A one-size fits all approach just won't work to be honest. It's simple, it might work in Norway or Ireland, but it simply won't in Spain or Italy," William Gaillard, UEFA spokesman said.

"In fact, when this suggestion was made, we got a lot of calls from Greece, Italy, Spain and they like to express their views that this would not work."

Blatter's proposal, while unlikely to be accepted by UEFA, could however be a timely re-opening of the debate on how the game could begin to make some order of a chaotic and overcrowded calendar.

Those in England who scoff at the suggestion that the game should be played in summer and moan about too much football might consider why their teams insist on playing in the increasing number of pre-season tournaments in late July and early August - even travelling to the Far East and the United States for televised competitions.

With attendances down to three-figures for some games, Italy's Football Federation might consider whether there really is any need for the Italian Cup to continue - indeed other countries could also reflect on their domestic knockout competitions.

There is a growing consensus that there is too much football being played - the challenge for the game is to find agreement on how best to cut back.