How Capable Are The United Kingdom And Football Officials In Coping With Extreme Weather Conditions?

Call me a naive American, but how capable are the United Kingdom and football officials in coping with extreme weather conditions? Most Yank readers of EPL Talk will know that when extreme weather hits the States, the process to clear roads, sidewalks and major interstates immediately begin (and usually with quick results). In what now seems to have been a month long struggle, (in truth, it’s only been 7-10 days)  yet more matches in Old Blighty this weekend have faced the chop. A few Premier League matches have been called off for this weekend already, with the possibility of a couple more set for postponement. Only seven total games will take place in the Championship, League One, League Two and the Conference combined. Do FA and Premier League officials need to implement some sort of winter break in the future to avoid fixture pile up?

Here are the five Premier League matches that have been confirmed postponed as of Friday 1 PM eastern time – Fulham v Portsmouth, Burnley v Stoke City, Bolton v Sunderland, Chelsea v Hull City and Liverpool v Tottenham on Sunday.  The weather-related postponements coupled with the status of Setanta USA up in the air could make football viewing slim this weekend.

So, my English brethren, what’s going on? Don’t take this as a slight, but what gives? Is it snow, ice, a combination of both? Do not pick up truck-owning red necks (I’m from Kentucky, I can say that) attach massive plows on the front of their 4×4’s and plow the roads in the United Kingdom? We’ll glady send some of our finest back woods brothers and sisters over to you, because at the end of the work week, WE WANT OUR FOOTBALL!

Is this one of the worst weather-related football stories to surface in recent years? Are Premier League officials correct in calling off matches when most pitches seem to be in fine playing condition? Whatever the answer, here’s hoping Spring comes sooner rather than later in the U.K. (See below, The U.K. covered in snow)

(Thanks to Tyson for the Picture tip)