STUART MCCALL has backed the SPFL’s decision to revamp the League Cup next season – but he has doubts over the introduction of a winter break for our top flight teams.

The Hampden body announced on Monday that the League Cup would be given an overhaul for the new campaign, with a group stage and bonus points earned for winning a penalty shoot-out the headline grabbing developments.

The competition has lost some of its lure in recent years and former Motherwell and Rangers boss McCall hopes the changes make a difference to our game.

He said: “I think they've got to do something and they're bringing something out that's a little bit different.

"We get a two-week summer in Scotland, which is mainly in July, and I think you do get more people coming out on nice evenings.

"It's something they're trying so we'll give it a go and see how it progresses. I certainly think - especially in the League Cup - something had to be done.

"Normally in July you're playing pre-season games and you're looking for games. Here you've actually got five competitive games to go at and get your season up and running."

The other major change for our game that was announced on Monday is that of a winter break for our 12 top teams from the start of next season.

The Premiership will have a two-week shutdown in January 2017 but McCall is less enthused about the prospect of a winter hiatus.

"It's about what you do in those two weeks," he told Sky Sports. "Do you give the players a week off and they go to Dubai and all these lovely places? You've got to keep them fit.

"There are no guarantees on when the bad weather is coming. You could have a two-week break, come back and then it's snowing for two more weeks and you miss games."