Winter break is back on the agenda

The Premier League will come under significant pressure to impose a winter break when the select committee for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport report their findings into football governance later this month.

Fabio Capello complained his squad looked tired after their disappointing 2-2 Wembley draw against Switzerland on Saturday and England midfielder Jack Wilshere today threw himself into the debate by calling it a "crazy year" of football.

The Premier League have previously stated that they have no intention of introducing a mid-season break and they will be under no obligation to undertake the committee's recommendations.

The Premier League's chiefs are anxious to protect their lucrative Christmas coverage meaning that a three-week break would most likely fall after the third-round FA Cup games in the first week of January and Damian Collins, a Conservative MP on the select committee, said today that such a move would be beneficial to the national team.

"There is a case to look at," he told Standard Sport. "The debate was illustrated again against Switzerland this weekend; our players not only looked tired but unmotivated.

"But one of the problems is that, when the FA comes to a consensus, it is pulled apart by different interests. But it is possible, we should take a lesson from how other countries do things."