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December 30, 2010

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Home » Sports » Soccer

Capello for World Cup in winter

ENGLAND manager Fabio Capello has backed calls to play the 2022 World Cup during the winter, fearing that Qatar's heat could force players to spend weeks couped up in hotels if the tournament is held in summer.

Capello said that building air conditioned stadiums for the event would not be enough. "It will not be easy for the players to stay all day in the hotel, you can't run around the hotel," he told reporters in Dubai on Tuesday.

"It's a big problem, not only for the training, you have to spend the time, all the day in the hotel, you can't go around to relax, to do something different.

"When you stay together for long time you need to relax to do something different, not only training or playing," he added. "That's why I think it would be a good idea to play in January or February."

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has said he would not object to a January-February World Cup and UEFA President Michel Platini is also sympathetic to the idea.

However, Barcelona President Sandro Rosell said a January/February tournament would disrupt the Spanish season. "I have to stand up for the Spanish league. The World Cup has to be in June, July," he said. "I don't like to break the Spanish league because it's one of the leagues in Europe that continues in January."



 

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