[Football] What changes would you make to the international football schedule?

[drew]

The only thing I think I would change is having a pre qualifying tournament in Europe for the minnows and therefore smaller qualifying groups.

Unfortunately, money talks and the administrators of the game just want more and more.

 

[Littlemo]

For the players health they need to be reduced.

The health argument doesn’t work when there are only about 10 International game in a year, usually two per window that actually quite a small proportion of players play in.

If they cared about the players welfare then it’s the club matches that need reduced, most teams have the 38 PL games and then what ever they have in the two domestic cups, that’s before you start with Europe.

Internationals are not the problem.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Get rid of international football.

 

[JOLovegrove]

For me, the domestic season starts, gets going, then you have to stop for an international break. Rince and repeat twice more over the autumn. Doesn't feel like the season gets going till December.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

But you then get meaningless friendlies all the time.

Only if you arrange them.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

The health argument doesn’t work when there are only about 10 International game in a year, usually two per window that actually quite a small proportion of players play in.

If they cared about the players welfare then it’s the club matches that need reduced, most teams have the 38 PL games and then what ever they have in the two domestic cups, that’s before you start with Europe.

Internationals are not the problem.

It does because of the spread of them and the overloading on the joints.

We have 19 players across the club on international duty, and a significant number from the first team if they were fit. As for reducing fixtures, perhaps, but we’ve already reduced from 42

10 international games is too many.

 

[drew]

Only if you arrange them.

True, but that would be the only time that an international manager can try new players, otherwise it's throwing them in at deep in in competitive matches. I would suggest the real problem is not too much international football but too much club European football, but then we all know money talks. When Liverpool won the European cup in 1978, they played 9 games, Man City played 13 winning it last year. Now those extra 4 games could arguably just be the four less in the league that Man City played but the league games didn't have as much travelling. Also, not sure how the new expanded UCL will affect the number of games to get to the final.

I know there are those that see international football as an intrusion into the domestic game, ie club v country. Personally, I enjoy the international football (although not the current managerial incumbent) and think both can sit side by side as they always have done.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

True, but that would be the only time that an international manager can try new players, otherwise it's throwing them in at deep in in competitive matches. I would suggest the real problem is not too much international football but too much club European football, but then we all know money talks. When Liverpool won the European cup in 1978, they played 9 games, Man City played 13 winning it last year. Now those extra 4 games could arguably just be the four less in the league that Man City played but the league games didn't have as much travelling. Also, not sure how the new expanded UCL will affect the number of games to get to the final.

I know there are those that see international football as an intrusion into the domestic game, ie club v country. Personally, I enjoy the international football (although not the current managerial incumbent) and think both can sit side by side as they always have done.

But then how do you try players for the Nations League? The line has to be drawn somewhere and I suggest scrapping the Nations League. Use the group games for the world cup and euros to try players.

 

[BBassic]

International teams made up of amateurs rather than professionals (like the Olympics used to be) or just separate club and country entirely: if you play international football you can't play club.

Then they could have all the pointless friendlies against tiny countries they like and the packed club schedules could be balanced out a bit better

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I've certainly enjoyed my trips to Marseilles and Ajax ! However, that does not change the contention that domestic football suffers because of the expansion of European football......look what has happened to the League Cup and FA Cup, and the awful impacts of fixture congestion on league games......

Plus, actually, a lot ( most ? ) of European football is not good when compared to the quality of the Prem......

To a point, I don't think Championship/League 1, 2 clubs are in Europe and they play the stiffs in the cup.

You are right, but European football is miles ahead of international football

Compare the 2 Dortmund Newcastle games to the last 2 England games

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Also, not sure how the new expanded UCL will affect the number of games to get to the final.

There are 2 more games in the expanded league stage so every team plays 8 matches rather than 6 as per the current group stage.

If you finish in the top 8 you’ll play in 15 games if you reach the final as those sides get a bye to the last 16.

If one of the teams finishing 9th to 24th reach the final then they’ll have played 17 games due to the additional play off round introduced to get to the last 16.

Edited because I can't count.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Have all the relevant (EC and WC) qualifying groups played in one hit over a five/six week period the previous May/June.

Give every nation a weekend window in Oct and March to play two friendlies (so four in total), but it’s optional.

Bearing in mind he always said he’d have to be half dead not to play for England if Sir Bobby Charlton had been subjected to this amount of international games he’d have probably played nearer 150 times for England.

 

[Lenny Rider]

To a point, I don't think Championship/League 1, 2 clubs are in Europe and they play the stiffs in the cup.

You are right, but European football is miles ahead of international football

Compare the 2 Dortmund Newcastle games to the last 2 England games

Kinky don’t know if you are a child of the 60/70 or 80s, but have a think old boy, how many times can you recall England ‘floating your boat’ football wise in that time?

Just sitting here I can recall;

Alan Hudson destroying World Champions West Germany in March 75, and then barely playing for England again.

Beating the Jocks 5-1 in May 75

Beating France 3-1 at Espana 82

Some moments of Italia 90.

Holland at Euro 96

Beating Germany in 2001

Obviously Southgates done a bit since then but we’ve still failed at the optimum moment.

England consistently offer the frustration and disappointment that was food and drink to us Albion fans in the dark days

 

[pasty]

Belgium could out do the French tonight. Azerbaijan down to 10 and Belgium 4-0 up at the moment. Lukaku scored all 4. 37 mins played.

 

[Jeremiah]

List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Looking at the most capped players of all time, with 100 or more international caps, almost ALL of them are from the past 20 years.

Further evidence that they have been adding more and more international fixtures in the last couple of decades.

Wow Ronaldo has averaged 10 International games a season for the last 20 season's ! Love him or loathe him that's some going and a testament to his fitness and injury levels.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Get rid of international football.

Totally agree

 

[Pavilionaire]

The quality of top club football is superior to international football. The best football I have seen in my life is the great Liverpool sides, AC Milan, Real Madrid with Ronalldo, Barcelona with Ronaldinho Occasionally an international side will excite, i.e Brazil 82, France of 1998/ 2000 but - by and large - it is dull, anti- climactic and over-rated, even with tournamentt finals.

I agrèe that the minnows need their own tournament and qualification groups should be no more than 5 nations, with maybe 32 teams - and not 50+ - fighting for 16 places in the Euros finals.

 

[Hometownglory]

Play a qualifying mini tournament in the close season on alternate years to Euros and WC and bin off internationals during the season.

 

[The Fits]

I'd just have the Euros (and other continents competitions) and the WC with a best of the rest WC happening at the same time. Qualifying for the WC done via the regionalised competitions. No mid season games. No friendlies save for a few pre competitions. There's no point. There's too many meaningless games. Too many changes. Raise the stakes. You have once chance to get it right every two years. Pick your fittest and most in form players and go for it.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Kinky don’t know if you are a child of the 60/70 or 80s, but have a think old boy, how many times can you recall England ‘floating your boat’ football wise in that time?

Just sitting here I can recall;

Alan Hudson destroying World Champions West Germany in March 75, and then barely playing for England again.

Beating the Jocks 5-1 in May 75

Beating France 3-1 at Espana 82

Some moments of Italia 90.

Holland at Euro 96

Beating Germany in 2001

Obviously Southgates done a bit since then but we’ve still failed at the optimum moment.

England consistently offer the frustration and disappointment that was food and drink to us Albion fans in the dark days

Maybe now we cruise to the finals with ease (thanks to the success of the PL) but very rarely is there games that are memorable or good in the qualifiers, certainly not the nations league.

Draw with Italy away/Croatia loss at home/Germany away / Greece home are the only 2 games I can remember being on the edge of my seat, the rest just merge into one.

Finals games are a bit different, there are a fair amount of them, however I wouldn't suggest changing them.

Gavi is now out for the season, the amount of football can't continue to increase, I guess you could make an argument for any game not being needed, but I cant think of many more pointless than most of the qualifiers we have to sit through.

Who benefits from Winning 14 - 0