German Winter Break

As I never played in a league with a winter break I'm wondering what you guys do during those 30 days.

I'm particularly wondering as to whether the engine realises this break and players would lose their match fitness if I was to just train without arranging friendlies?

You need friendlies or they'll lose their match fitness. Its longer in some leagues as well. Hungary have about 60 days.

I would normally book a couple of friendlies, maybe even just against the reserves or U19/20s.

Yes, friendlies are essential in any winter break.

Here in Austria we have no league games between mid-December and mid-February and coupled with a transfer window beginning on 1st of January, it feels like the season has been split into two separate semi-seasons. In the end my winter break looks pretty much the same as the pre-season with one big advantage. The time is perfect to look back on the first half of the season, acknowledge the errors I've made and try to do better in the second half. Since I usually receive a larger boost than other AI teams (mostly due to transfer efforts to wipe out squad weaknesses) this allows me to be even more competitive.

Thanks for all your messages. I'll arrange some friendlies then.

@ElDani: I notice that I analyze the first half of the season MUCH longer and more detailed than I have ever done in the previous 10 years buying Football Manager or before Championship Manager Funny what a break can do!

Do real life clubs actually organise friendlies?

I would give them atleast a couple of weeks off, then train, the other two.

Do real life clubs actually organise friendlies?

I would give them atleast a couple of weeks off, then train, the other two.

Does "giving them two weeks off" mean just dragging the training slider to 0? Or can you give them a holiday like in the summer, in some way?

there is a rest all players for a week option. I assume he does this twice.

I use the "Rest all players for a week" twice as well in Germany, then one friendly a week before my first actual game. One of my feeder clubs tends to take this duty upon itself anyway.