STOP INTERNATIONAL BREAKS NOW

[Sirius]

Why have clubs and genuine supporters allowed the money grabbers to go ahead with the stop start stop start format that is IMO contributing nothing but problems, fitting in fixtures, risking injuries and above all interfering with our entertainment on a regular basis
Some of us are old enough to remember the ‘Home International games’ that were played alongside league games. Saturday afternoons were for us to watch our teams and we didn’t give a monkeys about teams from elsewhere
If someone had suggested some of the times and days thrown up by the crazy fixture lists you would have been told to give your head a wobble
UTB

 

[Swinton Blade]

Why have clubs and genuine supporters allowed the money grabbers to go ahead with the stop start stop start format that is IMO contributing nothing but problems, fitting in fixtures, risking injuries and above all interfering with our entertainment on a regular basis
Some of us are old enough to remember the ‘Home International games’ that were played alongside league games. Saturday afternoons were for us to watch our teams and we didn’t give a monkeys about teams from elsewhere
If someone had suggested some of the times and days thrown up by the crazy fixture lists you would have been told to give your head a wobble
UTB

International football has been around since 1872, you should have come round to the idea by now.

 

[BigBed]

And this year, we really really need it!! It will give us half a chance of getting half the team fit again!

 

[Broomhall Blade]

International football has been around since 1872, you should have come round to the idea by now.

Shutting down the domestic games for two weeks hasn't.

 

[Working Class Hero]

Club football is where the money grabbers are at, international football is a nice break from that. It can be blamed for many things, but not that.

 

[Ralph Blade]

Unfortunately, although I dislike it with a passion, and care only about my club football, it’s a bit of a necessity nowadays. Looking at international squads 40/50 years ago, they would almost be entirely made up from players who played for clubs in that same country. Nowadays, each countries players are largely playing for clubs distributed all over the World. Even low ranking teams in the World Cup have players who are getting their regular football experience and development this way.

Once again, though the main culprit is the lack of foresight, or creative thinking at our domestic level. We have a half-hearted nod to the non-league with Non-League day, just because there is very little else on when the international breaks come round or an increased focus on what’s going on at Home Park or Portman Road by Sky. I can’t help feeling it’s a bit hypocritical

To make the November break something of an event, all it takes is someone to have good initiative at the FA (I know, I know) and move the FA Cup round by one week, just one week to coincide with the international break. I don’t have a degree in marketing, but it seems blindingly obvious that there would be more interest in that than watching England play against Andorra for example as well as giving clubs and that tournament a much needed boost.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

Why have clubs and genuine supporters allowed the money grabbers to go ahead with the stop start stop start format that is IMO contributing nothing but problems, fitting in fixtures, risking injuries and above all interfering with our entertainment on a regular basis
Some of us are old enough to remember the ‘Home International games’ that were played alongside league games. Saturday afternoons were for us to watch our teams and we didn’t give a monkeys about teams from elsewhere
If someone had suggested some of the times and days thrown up by the crazy fixture lists you would have been told to give your head a wobble
UTB

But those league games played alongside International games (as you remember them) were played with weakened club sides, as players disappeared to their International sides.

Are you really suggesting we go back to that...

 

[jt64]

Why have clubs and genuine supporters allowed the money grabbers to go ahead with the stop start stop start format that is IMO contributing nothing but problems, fitting in fixtures, risking injuries and above all interfering with our entertainment on a regular basis

This is of course to enable us to play more club fixtures, where injuries don't exist and where money isn't the driving factor for everything

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

As I've said many times before, international football is becoming a "purer" form of football. Because it's much much more about the kicking of the ball. All the shit surrounding club football now - transfer windows, selling the club, new owners, who's the ref this week, transfer budget, wage budget, get him on a new contract, his agent is agitating, administration, phoenix club, last pay day, you'll never win owt with kids, all that shit - it's not about the kicking of the ball.

It's Monopoly, it's Risk, it's Cluedo.

Supporting an international team means you don't have all that shit.

(and Sheffield United will never play England, so I have no conflict of interest)

 

[Panini]

I know the point isn't entirely about qualifying games, but the tournaments that millions/billions of people were engrossed by can't happen without qualifying matches. At least under the current set up.

This upcoming World Cup is a farce for so many reasons I can't be bothered to list them again. Playing it mid-season is something even fans who aren't arsed about the other issues should be put off by.

It's become so saturated with 2 or even 3 international games taking place in a fortnight that would otherwise only contain 1 domestic round of fixtures. Dare I say it...there's Too Much Football.

As much as I've enjoyed it, there's no room for the Nations League fixtures. Euro and World Cup qualifiers could run a similar format to the Nations League (which is very good) and form part of the tournament itself. Those games could be played in their current calendar slots, and the slots currently set aside for Nations League, with a double header immediately following the domestic season.

The top 8 then go through to a 'final tournament' played in the summer, as normal.

 

[Sirius]

But those league games played alongside International games (as you remember them) were played with weakened club sides, as players disappeared to their International sides.

Are you really suggesting we go back to that...

Indeed I am. Players who come back from the International breaks either injured or out of form weaken sides also
The breaks disrupt momentum and split teams that are unable to bond and thus
League form may suffer on their return
On a slightly different point. Why would you have a season ticket when there is no guarantee games will take place as per the fixture list
Kick off times are randomly changed and games are moved to some ridiculous times preventing seeing the game

You must see more games than most supporters and I thank you for keeping us up to date with live action

 

[Sirius]

International football has been around since 1872, you should have come round to the idea by now.

Sheffield United are my team. Players are coming back from International duty injured or out of form. I have been to several Internationals but draw the line at stopping United’s good run of form or stopping the season

 

[Sirius]

And this year, we really really need it!! It will give us half a chance of getting half the team fit again!

And the other half. Injured when not representing the Blades

 

[Swinton Blade]

Sheffield United are my team. Players are coming back from International duty injured or out of form. I have been to several Internationals but draw the line at stopping United’s good run of form or stopping the season

How many of our players are going to the World Cup?

Davies might not get in Welsh squad, RND may miss through injury and Ndiaye won't be a starter for Senegal if he's selected.

 

[BigBed]

And the other half. Injured when not representing the Blades

Hardly half, the thought of, Egan, Baldock, Ndiaye and Davies is not nice, but, we desperately need Anel, Berge, RND and Steven's fit, along with JLT, Clarke and Mcburnie, hopefully the break gives us chance to get them back in.

 

[ATL Recs]

Shutting down the domestic games for two weeks hasn't.

Ahh covid no crowd did us and now international breaks
did us when really we weren’t that good ( not bad but not that good ) before the break