SCOTT PARKER has watched the Premier League put its feet up and declared: Give us a break too.
The Championship machine is relentlessly grinding on while top-flight stars enjoy England’s first-ever winter lay-off.
Scott Parker believes Championship clubs should also get a winter breakCredit: Getty Images
Parker’s promotion- chasing Fulham visit London rivals Millwall tonight as part of a 46-game league season which could extend to May 25 with the play-off final.
Boss Parker said: “In the Championship there are eight more league games in the season, so for sure Championship players as well are under a lot of stress. Especially in this period where we are.
“The Christmas period is a fantastic time for English football, it is something we all love, in terms of Boxing Day, New Year’s Day games.
“That is something we can’t change but maybe something can be done.
“A winter break is definitely needed. Look at the injuries that squads are getting after that period.
“We came out of that period and we had only two fit attacking players, the reason being that the demands on these players game after game after game, their bodies can only take so much and they are vulnerable,
“It can only help. It can only provide you with better entertainment and keeps the freshness of it.
“We’ll see what happens with the powers that be.”
Fulham’s main striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and key winger Anthony Knockaert, 28, have been injured recently.
Mitrovic, 25, missed more than two weeks last month and Fulham missed his goals and powerful presence up front.
Despite this, they have won four of their last five league games to propel the promotion push, most recently 1-0 at Blackburn.
Parker insists his players need to keep a cool head and stick to his principles of composed football instead of rushing headlong for glory every game.
He said: “When you’re trying to adopt a philosophy and what you believe in, you’re doing it because you believe that is the way to get results.
“You see players every day, their characteristics, understand the best way for this team to play and the way I want to play.
“We’ve not spoken about promotion or where we will be at the end of the season — we know what our aims are.
“I don’t want to drown the players with ideas.
“Sometimes we get our noses in front, then there is an edginess about us and it becomes a 50-50 game and we’re not really good at that to be honest.
“At Blackburn, we had no real control in the first half. In the second half, we did get control and were patient.
“The gaps all of a sudden became bigger when we were working the ball, which helps tire teams out.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
