International break - why?

[FoxFossil]

Has the awful International break always existed, if not, when did it start and why?

League would be more interesting if 'big six' had to play their second string for a couple of weeks. Will Alves might even get a game.

Thoughts?

[Super_horns]

Well obviously been internationals games for decades but potentially not as many so maybe there was just a week off per period ?

 

And the EFL teams used to play unless they had too many internationals right up till the early 00s.

 

 

[Aus Fox]

1 hour ago, FoxFossil said:

Has the awful International break always existed, if not, when did it start and why?

League would be more interesting if 'big six' had to play their second string for a couple of weeks. Will Alves might even get a game.

Thoughts?

I’ve always thought they should play all the League Cup games on the international breaks, all Saturday 3pm.

The big sides rest players anyway, it’s one way of getting some life back in the competition. None of the big clubs play the big players anyway and it would reduce the fixture congestion.

[Foxmeister]

I'm pretty sure they didn't have international breaks until the early 00's, they were squeezed in midweek.

[Gazza M]

We have these breaks every month in autumn and then wonder why domestic games are rammed in from Christmas onwards. 

[SK3Blue]

30 minutes ago, Foxmeister said:

I'm pretty sure they didn't have international breaks until the early 00's, they were squeezed in midweek.

You are right, pretty sure it was Sven that complained about the schedule when he was England boss and they were introduced 03/04. 

[lcfcsnow]

Just no need for one in September October and November.

[MarriedaLeicesterGirl]

2 hours ago, Aus Fox said:

I’ve always thought they should play all the League Cup games on the international breaks, all Saturday 3pm.

The big sides rest players anyway, it’s one way of getting some life back in the competition. None of the big clubs play the big players anyway and it would reduce the fixture congestion.

They should really just not have international "breaks" in the season, since the major competitions take place in the summer in any event. It is what de facto happens when the African internationals take place - clubs have to play without their best African nationals for a month. Not only would this make the "big clubs" weaker for part of the season, it means more of the players - who are often some of the best paid in the country - would get an opportunity to play, instead of spending their best years sitting on a bench and counting their money. Or even, if they whine, let the "Other 14" play during these weird international breaks, which means they Big 6 would have to squeeze a little bit - again, giving some of their other players a chance to play in that way...

[Sly]

International breaks are the pits.

 

They should just continue playing like rugby and play the youth players. 

[00rawat]

1 hour ago, MarriedaLeicesterGirl said:

They should really just not have international "breaks" in the season, since the major competitions take place in the summer in any event. It is what de facto happens when the African internationals take place - clubs have to play without their best African nationals for a month. Not only would this make the "big clubs" weaker for part of the season, it means more of the players - who are often some of the best paid in the country - would get an opportunity to play, instead of spending their best years sitting on a bench and counting their money. Or even, if they whine, let the "Other 14" play during these weird international breaks, which means they Big 6 would have to squeeze a little bit - again, giving some of their other players a chance to play in that way...

Also like  just have  breaks for qualifications for euro cup and WC ,do away with friendlies and euro nations, like seriously it's literally the same thing as the euros anyway, then you wouldn't all these footballers complaining, simple solution but will  never happen because to many greedy Corporations wanna get filthy rich!!!

[Trav Le Bleu]

7 hours ago, Foxmeister said:

I'm pretty sure they didn't have international breaks until the early 00's, they were squeezed in midweek.

And friendlies were less frequent. Up until the 80s there was the home championships, which I always enjoyed immensely and I think kept the Welsh, Scots and N. Ireland teams a lot more competitive.

 

Two things happened at the end of the 80s. Cheaper international travel and the end of the cold war created several new countries in Europe and therefore more teams to play against.

[Guy]

7 hours ago, MarriedaLeicesterGirl said:

They should really just not have international "breaks" in the season, since the major competitions take place in the summer in any event. It is what de facto happens when the African internationals take place - clubs have to play without their best African nationals for a month. Not only would this make the "big clubs" weaker for part of the season, it means more of the players - who are often some of the best paid in the country - would get an opportunity to play, instead of spending their best years sitting on a bench and counting their money. Or even, if they whine, let the "Other 14" play during these weird international breaks, which means they Big 6 would have to squeeze a little bit - again, giving some of their other players a chance to play in that way...

Trouble is if the international breaks are scrapped a la in the rugby then the Prem Lge may end up wanting absurd season endings like in the Rugby Premiership to decide who out of the top four is going to win the actual league at the end of the season via a play offs lottery -  totally crazy. as much as I hate the international breaks like the next man! 

Edited 12 October 2024 by Guy

[BKLFox]

I can’t believe there’s another 1 next month as well

11-19th Nov 

Edited 12 October 2024 by BKLFox

[fox_favourite]

International breaks are so poo. 

 

The national league is a waste of time as well. I've never really been bothered by them and when you're on a good run it disrupts it. Players complain of fixture pile up...this is the reason.

[dmayne7]

5 hours ago, fox_favourite said:

International breaks are so poo. 

 

The national league is a waste of time as well. I've never really been bothered by them and when you're on a good run it disrupts it. Players complain of fixture pile up...this is the reason.

Assume you meant Nations league and not the National League (non-league)!

[Free Falling Foxes]

I know the footballing authorities care not one jot on fans feelings, but it would be interesting to find out what fans think about not just the nations league games, but international matches per se.

I think there is a growing ambivalence towards Englands matches amongst the average fan these days. There is no where near the excitment and interest of yesteryear towards a lot of international matches I feel.

[fox_favourite]

1 hour ago, dmayne7 said:

Assume you meant Nations league and not the National League (non-league)!

Auto correct. I would never say bad against non league...innit

[theadmans]

I imagine that a lot of people (including me) don't really know how the Nations League works. To be honest I can't even be bothered to look it up.

 

I don't mind the World Cup or European Championships because they are the traditional qualification for a tournament affairs.

 

I am 57 and until this year have watched every England game for about the last 50 years.

 

On Thursday I was so uninspired by the Nations League I watched a DVD with the wife instead. Tonight Countryfile and Antiques Roadshow are more appealing than England v. Finland!!    

[Stadt]

Nations League was a good idea because it stopped the silly friendlies and introduced a shade more jeopardy.

 

Condensing two into one would be better than this 3 in 3 months shit.

[Bert]

17 hours ago, SK3Blue said:

You are right, pretty sure it was Sven that complained about the schedule when he was England boss and they were introduced 03/04. 

It was certainly before that. Beckham v Greece was on a Saturday, 2001. 
 

The November one used to be primarily playoffs for the World Cup or Euro’s. I remember England playing one against Scotland in the late 90’s. That was Saturday at Hampden then Tuesday at Wembley. 

[Super_horns]

11 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

And friendlies were less frequent. Up until the 80s there was the home championships, which I always enjoyed immensely and I think kept the Welsh, Scots and N. Ireland teams a lot more competitive.

 

Two things happened at the end of the 80s. Cheaper international travel and the end of the cold war created several new countries in Europe and therefore more teams to play against.

Yes we probably used to play one game on a Wednesday and maybe another at the weekend = not spread out over a number of days. 

 

1 hour ago, Bert said:

It was certainly before that. Beckham v Greece was on a Saturday, 2001. 
 

The November one used to be primarily playoffs for the World Cup or Euro’s. I remember England playing one against Scotland in the late 90’s. That was Saturday at Hampden then Tuesday at Wembley. 

It was indeed - as were the 2 Germany games in that qualifying group.

 

I think we notice it more now as basically even most of League one was wiped out too.

[Super_horns]

1 hour ago, Stadt said:

Nations League was a good idea because it stopped the silly friendlies and introduced a shade more jeopardy.

 

Condensing two into one would be better than this 3 in 3 months shit.

It's good for teams that might need another route to get into a major tournament via the play-offs but teams like England don't usually have to worry about that and well we aren't even going to win that any time soon.

 

I mean we managed to get relegated of course!

 

And now might not even get promoted back this time.

[MarriedaLeicesterGirl]

5 hours ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

I know the footballing authorities care not one jot on fans feelings, but it would be interesting to find out what fans think about not just the nations league games, but international matches per se.

I think there is a growing ambivalence towards Englands matches amongst the average fan these days. There is no where near the excitment and interest of yesteryear towards a lot of international matches I feel.

It used to be the best players in the league games earned a right to represent their country. Southgate especially set a "national team" that didn't change. Players who were sitting on the bench every week for their club were still starting for England.

 

The Nations League reinforces this, because the team knows each other better and there is a "trophy" at stake. But a friendly? You can play someone doing well that season, because it is only a friendly.

 

I just don't think people get excited watching players representing their country who aren't the best players in their own club teams.

[whoareyaaa]

nations league has created more fixtures than before it was around, waste of time.

 

should just have qualifiers for euros and World Cup and then if a team wants to organise a friendly they do it at there own cost 

Edited 13 October 2024 by whoareyaaa

[CrispinLA in Texas]

This one's been abit sh*t.... didn't even bother about which international teams played who