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Lambert Backs Winter Break - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Paul Lambert says he’s very much in favour of football taking a winter break.

The Blues manager experienced the season coming to a halt at the midway stage during his time with Borussia Dortmund, with whom he spent just over a year and won the Champions League in 1997.

This season's Winterpause in Germany runs from this weekend until fixtures begin again on 18th January.

The FA is introducing a mid-season break to England from the 2019/20 season but it won’t be implemented in the EFL.

"I’ve been asked that question about a million times,” Lambert said when quizzed on the issue. "For me, the winter break’s the best way going forward.

"It’s brilliant because it gets everybody refreshed, everybody at the club, players, even supporters, the media as well.

"It gives everybody a break from it, people can recover and can go and have time with their families. I’m fortunate enough to have experienced it so I know exactly what it’s like.”

But while teams in Germany and elsewhere won’t be in action over Christmas, the Blues have four vital games in 11 days.

Asked how much of a bearing those matches will have on Town’s Championship future, Lambert responded: "As I’ve said before, you should have asked that question in August.

"That’s when your season starts. You season doesn’t start in November, December or October, it starts in August.

"We’ve come in five months behind it but we’re slowly and surely catching up, but I don’t care what anybody says, your season starts when you start pre-season.”

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