Obviously there has been a lot of talk about international football of late, with the Euro's coming up, and squads being announced etc. But does anyone really care about international football? Speaking for myself, I could really care less about it, for me it's club football all the way, and international football doesn't come even close, in terms of intensity, feelings, or entertainment. The only reason I'll be watching the Euro's (actually will miss many of the first group games as I'll be flying off to the U.S. for a nice holiday, that's how much I give a **** about international football) is because it's football, and some football is better than no football, but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter. Does international football really matter these days? I don't think so, it's not like the old days where it did, club football has massively overtaken international football. One reason international football is not that special anymore is because the quality of the games are massively low compared to club football, in club football you witness real international football as you have clubs mixed of several different nationalities, so you get a real blend of play and style, whereas in international football that's limited so you miss out on a lot of the good play you'd see in club football. Plus it's really hard to just jump ship when you are living and breathing your club week in week out, and it's also hard to start supporting a team that are also made up of players from rival teams whom you hate, and have been competing against week in week out. I don't buy this **** that since Terry has an England shirt on now, or Ashley Cole, that we have to love and support them and get right behind them, or if it was France, that we now have to get behinds pricks like Nasri and Gallas and get behind them the whole way. If it was up to me I'd cancel international football except for the World Cup (even though the world cup is becoming a sh!t event as well, the South African world cup was a major flop, and so was the Korea-Japan world cup), only have the World Cup ever 4 years, with the qualifiers, and just a maximum of 2 friendlies and that's it, international football is a massive waste of time.
When the tournaments come around, I can't help but get carried away with the whole feel of it. It comes around every 2 years (if we qualify) and it's a festival of football for about 2/4 weeks and brings people together. Some of my best/worst football memories are from international football.
Yeah, it's 'fun', the nice atmosphere etc, but does it really matter, is that important in comparison to club football.
It does if your country is playing. Like it or lump it, the country you live in/born will be playing and that does matter.
lol, all this country talk is nonsense, football has become a GLOBAL GAME, the whole concept of club football, where you have players of all nationalities competing for top prizes has made this talk of 'country' football null and void.
So it's someone's country, so all of a sudden Arsenal fans need to get behind a **** like Terry?! Club football over country any day of the week, that's where the real glory's at.
Yes. At Arsenal there have been plenty of players who have are a bit dodgy off the pitch, but it does not stop us supporting them or let it affect our support of the club. Also no point just saying 'Arsenal fans' because that will made up many different nationalist. Club football is bigger and we love Arsenal more but that does not mean that we should not care about our own country. When the games come around, I have no doubt the support will grow. That's my view.
Agreed with SJW. Personally, I find the lack of support for England disturbing. Whether it's through some sort of glory-hunter syndrome (England have been rubbish for decades), or an inability to put aside hatred for other team's players, there is no excuse. Maybe this is a symptom that we see more in young fans?
International football doesn't hold me like it did in the past, like you, for me its club football all the way. I think part of the reason for this is the break up of larger states/countries. This has created far more teams that not many people have an interest in watching. Take us back to Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, USSR, etc etc and I think the standard of International football would be much better and far more enjoyable to watch than the dross I see now.
What are you talking about ?? Of course people are passionate about their country playing football, people who don't even like football get involved. I don'#t think your opinion is representative of the vast majority on this.
From that point of view does club football really matter? Their both about the fun (or otherwise), enjoyment (pain) atmosphere, comraderi, with occasions of great human skill and drama. In terms of raw drama, nothing can compare with international football at its most intense and best. Its the only occasion where you will see 100s of millions having a shared experience of joy (or agony). Although I agree club football on the whole has much better matches due to the ability to buy players, blend talents etc. Another pertinent point of comparison in light of a club like Man City winning the league is that international football can be argued is fairer. Spain cant buy Messi to join him with his Barcelona team mates...if this was allowed England would probably have more World Cups than Brazil by now. However, the great attraction of international football, ie patriotism etc, can sometimes become its ugliets feature...eg the antics of racist hooligans...remember France 98..in that regard club football encourages fans to have a more cosmopolitan outlook.
I was eight when I watched England vs Argentina in world cup 1998 and that game will always live with me. From the highs (that Owen goal) to the lows of the shoot out. International football can be tedious with the qualifiers and friendlies, but when those big games come around, I find it hard to believe that people that have England connections will not back their country when push comes to shove. Also, the last Euro's was a great tournament and some of the games were unreal. Hopefully we are in for more of the same.
I kinda think that its the way you may have been brought up - my son, a chelsea supporting 10 yr old (Mothers influence) is far more interested in the England team and names Wilshire and Walcott amongst his favourite players because they play for England - my old man always thought that England winning the world cup was bigger than our Double in 70-71. Me? I admit to looking to see England win but because of any Arsenal players and chuckle if a non-arsenal player has a stinker. We should, logically, support the national team - but when they are not successful, it does become easier to pretend it doesnt matter.
You hit it on the head. We all know how bad England are Internationally and are hard to watch most of the time. But if they ever won the World cup again, you see the amount of people being more interested. But nowadays, i find International football more boring than back in the days of the 80s/early 90s. Maybe the game has got more technical, with less attack and more organised defenses. Maybe players are more interested in domestic football and don't have the same passion. Maybe the majority of players are just burnt out by the time an International tournament comes along. Who knows....
This is also true and the FA does them and the clubs no favours here - in cricket, the test and county boards award contracts to the players and thus attempot to eliminate a big problem in that the counties dont then have to pay them. In addition, the T&C boards can also grant permission for the players to turn out for the counties on occasion. I think the Rugby Union tried/is tryiing something similar. I just get the impression that football clubs and the FA would just not countenance anything like this. It will also be interesting to see if the FA 'academy' produces any better players to follow on.....
I suspect that if England had a decent team that was in contention to win things, your attitude would change. I will be watching and shouting at the screen even though I know there is little chance of success. I just hope that there is not a repeat of South Africa where Rooney etc. expected to play with no commitment no skill and no clue without being criticised. If by chance we did get to the final, the television audience would be 10's of millions, and I for one would never stop telling the Jocks about it. By the way you should look up the definition of Global.
Good debate - some genuine fans on here as always. The difference for me is that when there were few players 'playing abroad' the best teams in England, Italy etc were all far inferior to the national squad. Now I think the best club teams are more than a match for the national teams, which means that the pinnacle of the game is the CL KO stages not the World Cup and certainly not the European Championships. Spurs and Arsenal would have a much better chance in this tournament than England!
The thing is though as SJW19 when the tournaments arrive everyone gets carried away in a wave of patriotism. When you leave the house and see so many with their faces painted and flags of various countries being carried or being draped on cars etc you start to feel it. When the knockout stages come along I defy any football fan to not feel a part of it if their national team is still involved. I'm not Italian and I was walking the streets of Little Italy in Soho with my Italian friends singing "chi non salta è francese" when they won the World Cup !!!
I'm a big fan of international football. It seems the lack of English players in the Arsenal squad during the Wenger era has put alot of AFC fans off watching England. May not be technically as good as say the Champions league but its more exciting, there's more at stake. I dont understand how football fans cannot get excited about a world cup or European championship.
