Home Internationals...

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I've just seen this on the BBc website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4253161.stm

What does everyone think? Should we bring back the Home internationals?
The Scottish guy says that competitive fixtures are of more interest than friendlies. Which is true. But how competitive do you think they'll actually be? And will it put those pesky scots in their place...or will our prima donna's end up with egg on their face as they refuse to try against the bargain basement teams of europe? Will it be like the six nations where the other home nations celebrate like they've won the world cup when they get their once decadely win over us?

 

[Yorkie]

There were some classic games. I think this comment is still valid

Fixture congestion, a drop in public interest, fan violence and domination by England were arguments against the competition at the time

There is even talk of moving the FA Cup Final to a midweek game to ease fixture congestion.
The poor dears play too many games and get tired

 

[Brovion]

NO! The last thing we want is three British, 90 MPH, Route One clogging matches with the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish wanting to kick lumps out of us. And the winner is the Champion of Britain. Big deal

They served a purpose in the old days when there wasn't so much proper competitive football but they should stay in the past along with the Maximum wage and the Watney Cup.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

No.

My reason is what is the point?

We are a much better side than any of the othe 3 sides and unless you bring eire in to it there is not much point.
We should be playing the likes of Holland in friendlys as they have good players so that when Sven does play new players you can really see if they are up to it at the highest level.

 

[Icy Gull]

No, it means too much to the other nations to beat England so the football ends up being Div 3 style with lots of rushing around and clogging.

This obsession was brought home to me in Paris on the opening day of the World Cup in France, when the thousands of Scots fans spent the whole day singing anti- England chants when they were about to take part in the opening game of the tournament against .............Brazil Now would an Englishman even have THOUGHT about Scotland if that had been England about to play Brazil

 

[Gazwag]

I use to love the home internationals, I always wanted the subbuteo set but never got it.

At least they would command some passion from the players and give them proper competative matches, unlike the friendly we have now. The could be held every two years (not world cup or euro champs years).

After all its only another four matches.

All this crap about playing to many games - when Liverpool were the best team in the country they played 42 league matches plus all the cups and europe with basically the same team playing every match

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I think that it would be a good opportunity to give all the fringe players a great opportunity to stake their claim for a place in the team / squad. We know all about Owen, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Ferdinand, Campbell etc so we can rest them. But for players on the fringe, or players like Downing and Johnson who are having a good season but aren't going to get much of an opportunity, it'll be a good chance to show what they can do in a competitive game.
We could field a team along the lines of:

Green

a young left back that isn't Cole or Bridge
Gardner
Carragher
Brown

Downing
Cole
Parker
Wright-Phillips

Beattie
Johnson

This would give them all a decent chance to show what they can do in the position that they play in for their club for a whole 90 minutes. As has been said the other nations would love to beat us, so it would give the games a competitive edge. The players should all be hungry to show what they can do, so their should be no lack of effort on our part.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

I think that it would be a good opportunity to give all the fringe players a great opportunity to stake their claim for a place in the team / squad. We know all about Owen, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Ferdinand, Campbell etc so we can rest them. But for players on the fringe, or players like Downing and Johnson who are having a good season but aren't going to get much of an opportunity, it'll be a good chance to show what they can do in a competitive game.
We could field a team along the lines of:

Green

a young left back that isn't Cole or Bridge
Gardner
Carragher
Brown

Downing
Cole
Parker
Wright-Phillips

Beattie
Johnson

This would give them all a decent chance to show what they can do in the position that they play in for their club for a whole 90 minutes. As has been said the other nations would love to beat us, so it would give the games a competitive edge. The players should all be hungry to show what they can do, so their should be no lack of effort on our part.

I think that would work well, and be worth watching (and playing in). For similar reasons, I'd like to see GB enter the Olympics football tournament.

 

[Digweeds Trousers]

f*** that ,............................we'd get slughtered!!

 

[BlueBird]

sorry but Carragher is shit

 

[hutchings (48)]

Have fond memories about the Home Internationals. I have a couple of suggestions.

1. Why not do it every other year when the European Championships or the World Cup finals aren't being held

2. Do away with mid-week, mid season friendlies like the waste of time that was the Holland game this week, and have a pre-season home international tournament. Seven can tinker with his players/formations at the start of the season so he knows his best side for the comepetive games, and because they are Home Internationslas they will have that competetive edge that has been lacking in our friendly performances.

 

[Gazwag]

Seven can tinker with his players/formations at the start of the season

Have we got a new manager then

 

[GUNTER]

Bring 'em back. National pride at stake!

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

sorry but Carragher is shit

No need to apologise.

The more I think about this the more I think it's a good idea. Every other year would be o.k, but i like the idea of using it to test out young / new / fringe players. So maybe if we ever get a winter break, we can play it then? Fergie and co would love that!