Rovers are one of several teams to have had an enforced break over the last few days after snowy conditions led to the postponement of their Carling Cup semi-final first leg against Aston Villa on Tuesday. With the severe weather showing little sign of abating, several fixtures have already been called off from this weekend's football programme, with more expected to follow. Many players will consequently have the opportunity for some additional rest, but Allardyce believes the demands of the modern game are such that the Premier League should follow the lead of its foreign counterparts and introduce a winter hiatus as a matter of course. "It is not the weather I talk about as a reason for having a mid-season break, it is about protecting the players from the stresses and strains of Premier League football," Allardyce told the Lancashire Telegraph. "Players have already played a lot of football and they need a break ahead of the back end of the season. "We are asking so much of our players nowadays they deserve a time where they can take a break and get themselves right again. "It is more to do with the welfare of the players. "We seem to suffer more injuries than most leagues in the world and I think that is because of the demands being put on the players. "That obviously creates massive problems for the Premier League because of the games they have to fit in. "But somewhere along the line, they have to make sure it happens because the injuries players are suffering are greater."
