Drinks breaks

The latest footballing innovation (fad) is the drinks break. Since football restarted, it seems our fainthearted heroes are unable to run about for the usual 45 minutes in the summer heat so, come 22 and a half minutes, they stop the game and have a guzzle. Did no-one tell them about British summers? Pouring rain, 13 degrees, gasping for a drink. Of what? Is it something performance enhancing? Stimulants? Gin  and tonic?

Obviously the managers take the opportunity for a quick coaching session. Occasionally the drink or the coaching seems to make a difference.

Other sports have drinks breaks. Tennis players are unable to go more than about 5 minutes without a sit down, towelling and glugging. I have known croquet players to have a pint sitting on the grass beside their chair whilst waiting for their turn. No names, no pack drill. It gives the player a sense of freedom. I imagine.

Professional golfers are always under pressure to walk quickly between holes and shots, so they drink on the go. Why can't footballers do that? They have sanitised balls around the edge of the pitch ready for throw-ins so why not drinks bottles too? Then no breaks. Who'd want to be a central midfielder though? You get thirsty and drift towards the side line and your manager bellows "where are you going? Get back in place".

If you have to have drinks breaks, this seems like an ideal opportunity for sponsorship. Everything else is sponsored - shirt fronts, shirt sleeves, boots, sports drinks, courtesy cars. Golfers have sponsored caps, cricketers have sponsored protective equipment (of all kinds). Croquet, not so much. Why not sponsored drinks breaks? "Take a break, have a Proper Job". Better than  Kit Kat.