Sam Allardyce calls for winter break

England manager Sam Allardyce has called for the Football Association to introduce a winter break from domestic football to help improve the national team's prospects.

Allardyce said that time off over winter for players in England would be the first thing he would change about the game if he had the choice.

In Spain, domestic fixtures pause for two weeks at the end of December, while French football stops for three weeks and in Germany players have a month to rest.

When asked how he would reshape the game if given the chance, Allardyce told ITV: "That would be a break, there's no doubt about that.

"If it was wrong, then why would everyone else do it?

"Why don't we?"