Sven gets four-week break

Sven-Goran Eriksson was today guaranteed his four-week break ahead of the World Cup finals as the Football Association moved next season's FA Cup sixth round to a midweek date.

The FA's main board ended the recent controversy over next season's fixture schedule, while giving Eriksson the extra week's break that he has strongly campaigned for.

They reinstated FA Cup fifth and sixth round replays, which were originally due to be scrapped to free up enough space within the fixture calendar to enable the FA Cup final to be held on May 13.

This was following opposition from the FA's own Challenge Cup committee, while the Premier League stressed they were unable to start the top-flight season a week earlier due to clubs' contractual arrangements.

The FA board therefore had to find a new compromise and moving the quarter-finals to a Wednesday night, which will still be attractive to broadcasters, was the sensible answer at today's meeting.

The FA announced: "Following today's meeting, the FA Board can confirm the England senior team will have four full weeks of preparation time for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, if qualification is achieved.

"The FA Cup Final will be played on May 13, 2006 and there will be replays for every round of the competition, up to and including the sixth Round.

"This is in accordance with the desire of the FA Challenge Cup Committee, the FA Premier League and the Football League. The FA Cup sixth round ties will be played midweek."

In a statement on their website, www.theFA.com , the FA added: "This solution is in the widest possible interests of English football in the World Cup year of 2006."

Eriksson will certainly be delighted, having stressed the importance of enough time to prepare his side ahead of the 2006 World Cup finals - if England qualify.

"It's even more important for the England team than other teams in Germany or Spain or whatever, as we are the only country in Europe not to have a winter break," he declared earlier this week.

"If we have one week's less preparation at the end of the season as well, that says everything.

"It might seem stupid but one week is like gold. It's absolutely vital for the players as I will do absolutely nothing with them that week. That will help them physically and mentally.

"It would not be impossible to win the World Cup without it. We had three weeks before Portugal and Japan, but the fitness levels were never good enough for us.

"In fact, one of the reasons we went out, especially in Japan, was the fitness levels."