International breaks

thebaz

The euros are sort of over - we have played 7 games in the premiership - 2 CL games - and already there has been 2 international breaks - with another coming up - its overkill for me - Personally I lose interest , let the club game get going and then have one international break with the odd mid week break - is it just FIFA playing a game of who is in charge ? Feeds a disinterest for me , rather than appetite for international scene - Overkill

Lovely Bloke

what do you mean "sort of"?

thebaz

Lovely Bloke wrote: »

what do you mean "sort of"?

Sort of

thebaz

Lovely Bloke wrote: »

what do you mean "sort of"?

Sort of too many international breaks , when the club scene has just started - personally prefer international football in the early summer months - it feels the Euros and all the hype are just over - to me

Lovely Bloke

"the euros are sort of over"

what does that mean?

artanevilla

Is there a third place playoff to come in France?

Guy:Incognito

could they not play the internationals in a block over a couple of weeks in the summer?

L'prof

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

could they not play the internationals in a block over a couple of weeks in the summer?

Would this not essentially mean that internationals get no summer break?

Guy:Incognito

L'prof wrote: »

Would this not essentially mean that internationals get no summer break?

the season would be a bit shorter with no international breaks.

I find the overkill goes the other way. I'm sick of the hype about the PL and the group stages of the CL. I don't really care if West Brom are missing a striker in that crucial tie at Stoke, or whether Rostov grab a point in their group. I have far more interest in the fortunes of the national side.

5starpool

Unless they move some games to Nov-Feb when there really aren't any internationals to spread them out more there isn't much way around this I'd imagine. Having games at that time of year though means that loads of eastern Europe is essentially unplayable, so not likely to happen either unless we send everyone out to Qatar to play games, which is probably something FIFA would actually consider.

Clubs would object to having players away from longer, but less frequent stints I'd say. I'm not a fan of international breaks either to be honest, but this is the time of year when it is most annoying.

WesternZulu

I really feel for the poor Liverpool/United/Arsenal/Chelsea fans who bemoan having to watch the less glamorous Irish side instead.

thebaz

Lovely Bloke wrote: »

"the euros are sort of over"

what does that mean?

yawn - look up a dictionary if you don't know what i mean

GavRedKing

WesternZulu wrote: »

I really feel for the poor Liverpool/United/Arsenal/Chelsea fans who bemoan having to watch the less glamorous Irish side instead.

Ya, coz none of those group of fans go and turn up to the Aviva and watch the national side. :rolleyes:

PhlegmyMoses

The only international break I dislike is the last one. Too close to the start of the season and disrupts momentum. Love all the rest.

GLaDOS

Never understood the distain some people have for international football, makes a nice change of scenery from club football.

emo72

Turning against the international set up too. It seems to exist to enrich the likes of Delaney and his cohorts. The FIFA family, the Olympic family, one big happy family that we're all part of? Yeah right. It's a cash cow. And we're to be milked.

thebaz

GLaDOS wrote: »

Never understood the distain some people have for international football, makes a nice change of scenery from club football.

I certainly don't have disdain for the international game - just think there is too much of it which devalues it - club football is the bread & butter and the best play international - just seems too much of it now ,and has been devalued to me - talk about expanding WC is case in point.

keeponhurling

International football doesn't just revolve around money, so it's easier for newer teams to emerge and hence more exciting.
For example in recent times Portugal won their first Euros, and Chile won their first Coppa America, and Zambia are African champions etc.

You can actually be excited about the bright new talent that comes through, as they won't just up and leave to a bigger team for more money.
Players play for pride and not soley for money

Coillte_Bhoy

emo72 wrote: »

Turning against the international set up too. It seems to exist to enrich the likes of Delaney and his cohorts. The FIFA family, the Olympic family, one big happy family that we're all part of? Yeah right. It's a cash cow. And we're to be milked.

Ya and the EPL and CL still epitomise the corinthian spirit thank god :rolleyes:

emo72

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Ya and the EPL and CL still epitomise the corinthian spirit thank god :rolleyes:

Don't think anyone even remotely thinks that haha. But there's a fair few lads in Irish local football that would love to see more money invested in the local football than huge wages in Irish football management.

GLaDOS

emo72 wrote: »

Don't think anyone even remotely thinks that haha. But there's a fair few lads in Irish local football that would love to see more money invested in the local football than huge wages in Irish football management.

As a LOI fan, I absolutely despise the way the FAI run football in this country. I can still support the lads representing our country on the pitch though.

emo72

GLaDOS wrote: »

As a LOI fan, I absolutely despise the way the FAI run football in this country. I can still support the lads representing our country on the pitch though.

Exactly how I feel. FAI=bad. Boys in green=good.

lawred2

thebaz wrote: »

yawn - look up a dictionary if you don't know what i mean

?

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

This disdain for the international breaks seems to filter through from England, always see them moaning about it. I think that's fair enough for them because lot of them are more invested in their club than they are in the national side. A lot of the English don't really care about the national side at all.

Also, England's qualification groups are usually fairly dull processions and they rarely get another big European side in their group due to seeding so a game against Slovenia or Switzerland fails to capture the imagination.

Ireland usually have to scrap for most points we get in a given group and so the interest is always there, rarely is a result a foregone conclusion the way it would have been when we used to regularly hammer your Latvias, Lithuanias etc. I don't know why an Irish soccer fan would moan about the international breaks at all.

Lovely Bloke

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »

lot of them are more invested in their club than they are in the national side.

Imagine!

citytillidie

thebaz wrote: »

Sort of too many international breaks , when the club scene has just started - personally prefer international football in the early summer months - it feels the Euros and all the hype are just over - to me

Not all leagues are played from August to May

Cake Man

I'd be a country over club man, in that I'd rather see Ireland do well (qualify for a WC/Euros) over seeing the club I support doing well (Newcastle). It would just mean more to me.


To be fair, it's all fairly relative. If it's the last few games of a qualifying campaign and there's nothing to play for then yes, I can see how the international break is a bit of a pain in the arse. Probably the same for pointless end of season friendlies against the likes of Oman. However, Ireland have done well enough in the last good few qualification campaigns to ensure we've got to those last few games in with a shout of at least a play-off spot so in that sense, I think the international breaks are definitely looked forward to.

Harry Palmr

The schedule is just annoying - breaks in Sept (one game played), Oct (two games) and November (one game). Just get organised, take two weeks off and play them all :mad:

Mr.Nice Guy

I enjoy the international breaks. The way European club football is going it will soon become a closed shop for the big boys, with the same teams involved, a few newbies to act as whipping boys, and the same number of teams in with a shot to win the Champions League due to the massive wealth at their disposal. It feels to me like international football is becoming the last area of the game with a bit of fairness left.

Arghus

I think maybe the first one of the season comes a bit too early. The momentum of the season has just got going and then -bang- international break. Overall, though, I find it's good to have a bit of international football to break up the omnipresence of the club football. And, anyway, after the next break in November the international scene goes quiet until March.

Ferris_Bueller

sugarman wrote: »

Im the opposite, absolutely love International breaks...

I cant understand the disdain of people who cant put aside supporting a foreign club a head of their national team for one bleeding week. Sad state of afairs.

They already done away with August and February Internationals and pushed the April Internationals into late May so it end of season. What more can they do?

Cant wait until Thursday, finish work and head straight to the Aviva, then an early morning flight out to Moldova for the weekend Friday.

Couldn't agree with this more. Nothing sickens me more than having a look through the "Superthreads" for any of the big PL clubs on here during an international break and seeing posters giving out stink about the international breaks. I cannot understand how grown Irish men can follow United or Liverpool more than Ireland, but that's an argument for another day!

Also agree that the international break in August comes at a bit of a bad time and maybe could be moved to another time over the year.

citytillidie

It is a FIFA world wide calendar, so because those in the UK and Ireland don't like the August breaks just because the premier league has just started FIFA should punish every other country? Other confederations have a longer qualification process then UEFA so need the all the international breaks possible

thebaz

Arghus wrote: »

I think maybe the first one of the season comes a bit too early. The momentum of the season has just got going and then -bang- international break. Overall, though, I find it's good to have a bit of international football to break up the omnipresence of the club football. And, anyway, after the next break in November the international scene goes quiet until March.

agrees with this , the first one sets the tone of bad feeling for me , and I'm not alone , give players a decent club run, then managers will know the best players to pick, rather than based on 2 or 3 games.

limnam

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

I cannot understand how grown Irish men can follow United or Liverpool more than Ireland, but that's an argument for another day!

It's only as baffling as a grown Irish man becoming sickened at how someone on the interwebz chooses to enjoy a sport.

Banjaxed82

As a Spurs fan, who would have attended White Hart Lane a few times a season, my interest has waned considerably the older I've gotten. I'm at a point where (win, lose or draw) I'm not fussed with Spurs.

And in general my overall interest in club football has diminished. On the other hand, my interest in the national team has been on the up and up for the last 10 years. I'll break my bollocks trying to get down to the aviva for a match after work. Maybe it's a patriotic thing?

5starpool

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Couldn't agree with this more. Nothing sickens me more than having a look through the "Superthreads" for any of the big PL clubs on here during an international break and seeing posters giving out stink about the international breaks. I cannot understand how grown Irish men can follow United or Liverpool more than Ireland, but that's an argument for another day!

Also agree that the international break in August comes at a bit of a bad time and maybe could be moved to another time over the year.

Nothing sickens you more? Really? I think you should re-examine your priorities in life if this is the case.

Why does it bother you that an Irish person has more interest in watch Liverpool/Man Utd/Arsenal or whoever play than they do in watching Ireland play?

Does it given you a smug sense of satisfaction to look down on those people and proclaim them akin to traitors to their race and nationality?

ArmaniJeanss

5starpool wrote: »

Nothing sickens you more? Really? I think you should re-examine your priorities in life if this is the case.

Why does it bother you that an Irish person has more interest in watch Liverpool/Man Utd/Arsenal or whoever play than they do in watching Ireland play?

Does it given you a smug sense of satisfaction to look down on those people and proclaim them akin to traitors to their race and nationality?

I wouldn't use 'sickening' as its such a pointless debate anyway (coz we know international football and its breaks are here to stay) but there seem a curious lack of appreciation of how international football is what feeds us the top players, especially those from lesser countries.

Like Liverpool fans are angry over ACN17 taking Mane away, yet never stop to think that it's doubtless the few dollars that filter down from CAFs competition to each individual association that keeps Senegalese football going at low levels such that 12 year olds have a marked pitch on a Sunday morning and a league structure to play in. Its also a safe bet to say that Mane would have been inspired by the Senegalese football teams success in two ACNs and a World Cup at the start of the last decade. Without that he may have been lost to the sport. Our next potential Mane is maybe 10 years old now and will be looking at the ACN in January.

The same logic applies to how we get players from just about every country bar the top 20 Western nations whose football structures could probably function without the international money to underpin it.

5starpool

People are often selfish and have things they like more than other things.

I don't mind watching international football, but qualifiers especially are often grim and uninteresting.

Ferris_Bueller

5starpool wrote: »

Nothing sickens you more? Really? I think you should re-examine your priorities in life if this is the case.

Why does it bother you that an Irish person has more interest in watch Liverpool/Man Utd/Arsenal or whoever play than they do in watching Ireland play?

Does it given you a smug sense of satisfaction to look down on those people and proclaim them akin to traitors to their race and nationality?

When it comes to football anyway there is nothing that springs to mind that bothers me more anyway. Not going to bother giving my reasons as hundreds of threads have pages and pages of this debate over the years, I'm not going to change your mind and you aren't going to change mine.

I watch all football by the way, and I would actively follow Liverpool believe it or not, but it is more so as a source of entertainment than anything else. I don't feel any emotional connection when watching their matches, same as if I was to watch United, Barcelona, Bayern or whoever else.

5starpool

That first half of football is also lots of the reason I hate the international break.

emo72

I'm here too. Listen it's just an excuse to get to the pub! But still big hangover from the euros.

batistuta9

5starpool wrote: »

Nothing sickens you more? Really? I think you should re-examine your priorities in life if this is the case.

Why does it bother you that an Irish person has more interest in watch Liverpool/Man Utd/Arsenal or whoever play than they do in watching Ireland play?

Does it given you a smug sense of satisfaction to look down on those people and proclaim them akin to traitors to their race and nationality?

reminiscing on the glory days, accomplished by a bunch of brits :pac:

Andersonisgod

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Couldn't agree with this more. Nothing sickens me more than having a look through the "Superthreads" for any of the big PL clubs on here during an international break and seeing posters giving out stink about the international breaks. I cannot understand how grown Irish men can follow United or Liverpool more than Ireland, but that's an argument for another day!

Also agree that the international break in August comes at a bit of a bad time and maybe could be moved to another time over the year.

I'd be someone who much rathers club over country. Its a combination of not being very patriotic and loving football. I love football so I love Barcelona, while I'd support Ireland I could never get behind them in the same way because of the style of football that this country produces.

eagle eye

The people who really hate international breaks seems to be those, for the most part, who support big clubs I think.

I'm not a huge fan of qualifiers myself but the fact that they lead to World Cups and Euros makes them worth it for me. I'll always watch and support the Irish team because I want to see them at the big tournaments. I always hope that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make it too for the same reason. There is nothing like meeting a near neighbour at a big tournament, always a big occasion in my mind.

If you can only really get behind a team because of the style of football they play then you are not a fan of the team really, you are a fancy football fan imo.

Andersonisgod

eagle eye wrote: »

The people who really hate international breaks seems to be those, for the most part, who support big clubs I think.

I'm not a huge fan of qualifiers myself but the fact that they lead to World Cups and Euros makes them worth it for me. I'll always watch and support the Irish team because I want to see them at the big tournaments. I always hope that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make it too for the same reason. There is nothing like meeting a near neighbour at a big tournament, always a big occasion in my mind.

If you can only really get behind a team because of the style of football they play then you are not a fan of the team really, you are a fancy football fan imo.

Style, history, what the club represents all mean more to me than the Irish national team. Some of the moments I've experienced watching Barcelona cant be matched by the Irish national team who, aside from my miniscule amount of patriotic pride, I feel no emotional connection to.

Debil

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Style, history, what the club represents all mean more to me than the Irish national team. Some of the moments I've experienced watching Barcelona cant be matched by the Irish national team who, aside from my miniscule amount of patriotic pride, I feel no emotional connection to.

It's kind of funny you don't buy into feeling "patriotic", but chose a club like Barcelona with all its history, and what it means.

eagle eye

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Style, history, what the club represents all mean more to me than the Irish national team. Some of the moments I've experienced watching Barcelona cant be matched by the Irish national team who, aside from my miniscule amount of patriotic pride, I feel no emotional connection to.

Ireland represent the nation, not just an area of a country.

The history of the Irish national football team is one struggling to beat the bigger neighbour, of players moving overseas to better themselves as footballers. It's a story of being bigger than the sum of all the parts.

Barcelona is a club trying to be the biggest club in the world, paying out millions upon millions of Euro to players. For the people of Catalonia there is an element of pride about what they do but the story of Athletic club is much more engrossing for me anyways.

It doesn't compare to the Irish national football team though.

You changed your tune very quickly. You said that the reason you couldn't support the Irish football team was because of the style of football, now you add more stuff in hindsight when I make it clear that what you really are is a fancy football fan and not a fan of any club because your statement made it quite clear that if Barca were to adopt a long ball philosophy you wouldn't be able to support them.

Andersonisgod

eagle eye wrote: »

Ireland represent the nation, not just an area of a country.

The history of the Irish national football team is one struggling to beat the bigger neighbour, of players moving overseas to better themselves as footballers. It's a story of being bigger than the sum of all the parts.

Barcelona is a club trying to be the biggest club in the world, paying out millions upon millions of Euro to players. For the people of Catalonia there is an element of pride about what they do but the story of Athletic club is much more engrossing for me anyways.

It doesn't compare to the Irish national football team though.

You changed your tune very quickly. You said that the reason you couldn't support the Irish football team was because of the style of football, now you add more stuff in hindsight when I make it clear that what you really are is a fancy football fan and not a fan of any club because your statement made it quite clear that if Barca were to adopt a long ball philosophy you wouldn't be able to support them.

Therein lies the beauty of Barcelona, like Ajax its a club loyal to the teachings of Cruyff and Michels, that has produced Guardiola, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets ect. and where so mucy of the shape of the modern game was formed. Winning isnt enough, it must be won the Barça way. History ect. is obviously part of why anyone supports anything.

Maybe it's tough for you to understand but I'm not patriotic. Maybe to you this country means a lot, but to me it doesn't. Add in that feeling with the brand of football the country plays (and has always played) with the overall decline in interest and quality of international football and you have my feelings.

eagle eye

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Therein lies the beauty of Barcelona, like Ajax its a club loyal to the teachings of Cruyff and Michels, that has produced Guardiola, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets ect. and where so mucy of the shape of the modern game was formed. Winning isnt enough, it must be won the Barça way. History ect. is obviously part of why anyone supports anything.

Maybe it's tough for you to understand but I'm not patriotic. Maybe to you this country means a lot, but to me it doesn't. Add in that feeling with the brand of football the country plays (and has always played) with the overall decline in interest and quality of international football and you have my feelings.

I've lived abroad, I support teams in other countries too.

I think when you live abroad you realise just how much national pride you have in you.

I never said you were patriotic, what I said is that it's quite clear that you are a fancy football fan. You don't support a club even though you think you do. What you support is fancy football. That is why you became a Bayern Munich fan when Pep Guardiola was there. I'm sure you are becoming a Manchester City fan now too even though you claim to be a Chelsea fan.

Andersonisgod

eagle eye wrote: »

I've lived abroad, I support teams in other countries too.

I think when you live abroad you realise just how much national pride you have in you.

I never said you were patriotic, what I said is that it's quite clear that you are a fancy football fan. You don't support a club even though you think you do. What you support is fancy football. That is why you became a Bayern Munich fan when Pep Guardiola was there. I'm sure you are becoming a Manchester City fan now too even though you claim to be a Chelsea fan.

I love football. Good football. I believe there's only 1 rigjt way to play and thats the way of Cruyff, of Pep. I'll always support that brand of football and, above all else, I'll always support Barcelona, the club that most proudly represents that school of football.