Hibernation and the Bundesliga: Fixed rest periods for the league

One of the greatest injustices of human existence is that hibernation is only intended for enviable creatures like hedgehogs and marmots. It would be a real advantage to be able to sleep through a lot of fog-shrouded dawns, rainy middays and dark, cold evenings from November to, say, the end of March.

At least Mönchengladbach Borussia seems to have recognized this a long time ago and had already put themselves into a kind of hibernation stage at the start of the season, although without first ensuring that the other clubs would also take part. They obviously don't, not even HSV, which is based in the proverbial bad weather and has not lost at home to Gladbach for 13 years.

On the other hand, being awake early on the pitch is not necessarily rewarded anyway, as FC Augsburg painfully proved this weekend. After exactly 39 seconds, Anton Kade had already made it 1-0 against RB Leipzig, but in the end the others won 5-2.

By the way, watching the wide-awake Bundesliga teams win when you're constantly tired is only moderately entertaining if you're not a Bayern fan. Butbutbut Borussia from Dortmund! Despite a sleepy first half, they finally won against Elversberg and are now at the top, at least until BVB does their usual BVB things at some point. Specifically: After a strong start to the season, it tends to rest extensively in the winter. And leaves the championship to Munich.

It is high time that a recognized institution like the DFB took care of the basic problem. And in a kind of model program, it will initially introduce binding hibernation times for the Bundesliga, which even hyperactive clubs like the aforementioned Bayern have to adhere to.

Things are likely to be more difficult with clubs that have gone to sleep early and have to be woken up before they can go back to sleep on time. But there has to be order. And the results will convince even those who don't want to give up football for long: wide-awake players who show breathtaking combinations in beer garden weather, delight the crowds with clever free-kick tricks and commit sensational fouls - who wouldn't prefer all of this to the current dreariness?

And if the football hibernation proves successful, it could be extended to the entire population. Their gratitude would be limitless, and the German Football Association would have a stylish new slogan with “DFB regulates”.