International Break

[Lady Whistledown]

Have we always had international breaks in football?

Perhaps my memory is playing tricks, or perhaps it's just that, for the majority of my Albion-supporting life, the prospect of losing players to international football was so completely remote that it never affected us, but I really don't remember it happening years ago.

If you go back to the 1980s, say, did they have this many breaks in a season? We're on the second already and it's only October.

 

[AZ Gull]

Have we always had international breaks in football?

Perhaps my memory is playing tricks, or perhaps it's just that, for the majority of my Albion-supporting life, the prospect of losing players to international football was so completely remote that it never affected us, but I really don't remember it happening years ago.

If you go back to the 1980s, say, did they have this many breaks in a season? We're on the second already and it's only October.

Until relatively recently, internationals used to be midweek and there were no domestic breaks for these games. At some point, FIFA (or UEFA) switched to having double-header fixtures, with two games scheduled over the course of a weekend, which meant that the top-tier leagues were not scheduled on these days. But yes, you are right in that this has only directly affected the Albion in recent seasons.

 

[OSRGull]

Next international break isn't till march I think which is a bonus.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

Not even a PTFC match, team we were playing are still in the FA Cup, White'awk are at home though

 

[AZ Gull]

Not even a PTFC match, team we were playing are still in the FA Cup, White'awk are at home though

I see that Charlie Walker made his home debut for Luton last night; came off the bench against Crawley in the JPT and hit the bar with his first touch.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

I see that Charlie Walker made his home debut for Luton last night; came off the bench against Crawley in the JPT and hit the bar with his first touch.

Oh I didn't know that, I saw he made his debut on sat away at Stevenage(?), again off the bench. Fitness was always going to be an issue as previously he'd train as often as the Hikers Rest XI. Love him to make the grade and can't wait for next summers friendly

 

[Magic City]

Most expensive tickets are £55, but they are available for £25, £35 & £45.

£10 off those prices for Students, OAP's and U16.

£20 if you book with a child in the family section, £10 for the child.

I know mate but when you include train, eating, drinking it comes to around £50 even for the £25 tickets

 

[Mackenzie]

Just back from the Wales game.....I really enjoyed it. Bale looked very classy as you'd imagine and Hal Robson-Kanu was decent. Good atmosphere at Cardiff's ground helped by a hopeless referee (where do they find these people!) an exciting open game and only £55 for the five of us. I'd go again.

 

[Surf's Up]

Oh I didn't know that, I saw he made his debut on sat away at Stevenage(?), again off the bench. Fitness was always going to be an issue as previously he'd train as often as the Hikers Rest XI. Love him to make the grade and can't wait for next summers friendly

I think Charlie Walker will make the grade, he's been banging them in for fun for Lutons reserves and just needs to take his first team chance when it comes. He's natural goalscorer and someone who may have been a decent acquisition for us if we weren't so busy answering telephone calls from foreign player's agents!

 

[JOLovegrove]

Next international break isn't till march I think which is a bonus.

Apart from next month...

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Apart from next month...

Next month? Again? Internationals should be scrapped.

 

[matt_32510]

Would be better if they played more games at the end of the season, say a 3 week period after the domestic season finishes and play 3/4 games in that time.

 

[Greavsey]

Would be better if they played more games at the end of the season, say a 3 week period after the domestic season finishes and play 3/4 games in that time.

Got to be this and in future I think we will see this on non World Cup or Euro years. The international breaks are becoming more so irellevant to modern day football.

 

[jimbob5]

Ideas from hell. 1. Summer football [apart from international tournaments], 2. A winter break [we know what will happen. 'Wheel' have the break during 3 or so weeks of mild weather then as we are all getting exited they'll be a big freeze for 2 weeks] 4 Feeder clubs/ B teams in lower leagues [creates uncompetitive scenarios and even more glass ceilings]. 4 Premier League matches e.g. Man U v Liverpool being played in Singapore. 5 Breaks during the season for international matches every few weeks.

 

[halbpro]

Ideas from hell. 1. Summer football [apart from international tournaments], 2. A winter break [we know what will happen. 'Wheel' have the break during 3 or so weeks of mild weather then as we are all getting exited they'll be a big freeze for 2 weeks] 4 Feeder clubs/ B teams in lower leagues [creates uncompetitive scenarios and even more glass ceilings]. 4 Premier League matches e.g. Man U v Liverpool being played in Singapore. 5 Breaks during the season for international matches every few weeks.

Wait so you don't want summer football played and you don't want international breaks? Do you just want more space between international breaks? I imagine the reason international breaks are scheduled now are due to fixture congestion after Christmas. For example there's another one in November and then only two (one in March and one in June) before we get around to next season.

 

[Rogero]

Life is very boring with real football. That's why I came up with a thread ' do you not what day you were born on'
Roll on Saturday my grandson is mascot.

 

[Easy 10]

If the Euro qualifying groups were made up of 4 teams instead of 6, then we wouldn't need so many cuffing International breaks and double-header fixtures all the time to plough through this turgid qualifying process. All the groups are chock-full of pointless, hopeless flotsum like San Marino, Faroe Islands and Gibralter - these nations should have a pre-qualifying round before they even get a SNIFF of going into a group stage. Instead, we have to keep suspending our Leagues 3 times before Chrimbo just to watch yet another enthralling spectacle of a bunch of part-timers getting whupped again by the pros. Still, more TV rights to sell I suppose.

Well done Platini, bravo.

 

[keaton]

When would the pre-qualifiers take place?

 

[Easy 10]

When would the pre-qualifiers take place?

None of them have major leagues, I'm sure they could squeeze in a two-legged pre-qualifer playoff some time in the summer, before the qualifiers start up in September.

 

[JOLovegrove]

Don't like to be the party pooper, but I have enjoyed this break more the. I have others. Don't know if it is because it is spread over the whole extended weekend, but it's nice there is always something to follow, summed up by the rather enjoyable Wales match the other night.