International Breaks

Simple question hopefully the simple can answer. Would you, if you had the power to do so, cancel all International breaks.

They were supposedly introduced to help England compete against the other top international teams. Normally there aren’t any international breaks during the summer for the World Cup Finals or for the European Championship but this time there will be one next summer in December due to Quatar having lots of big brown bags. But in the main we always have qualified for the Finals with a slight hiccup or two in the 1970’s. It’s the Finals we flop at. And they aren’t during the season except for…Yada, yada, yada …I do say flop as we should have won at the Euros but Southgate bottled it with team and tactics.

Anyway, I would. I’m a Newcastle supporter first, a football fan next and an England supporter when we’re in the Finals. I hate the International breaks as they interrupt my intake of watching Newcastle drug.

 

International breaks are boring.
International football is boring.

The only benefit we usually get from the breaks is a chance to rest our players. But if we start to compete more, we'll attract more International players, so then we'll just become more impacted with a higher risk of injuries.

 

Hate International football, hate England, Hate Southgate, Hate FIFA.
Only good thing about the tournaments is its normally a stop gap to fill in for the season starting........and to make things worse I was dumb as **** and booked a fortnight in Florida for end of August/start of September meaning I'll miss at least 1 probably 2 and possibly 3 games, as I have no doubt the twats will stuff midweek games in galore to make up for the ridiculous amount of time this ****-show is going to interfere with the season.

 

No problem with a break for a World Cup Finals but think they need to sort out the qualifying competitions to reduce the number of meaningless games and then maybe play these as another tournament in available Summers. Stop friendlies and just have midweek training get togethers.

This has been a ridiculously long break because of the Palace game being cancelled. Its almost been long enough to allow Nev to catch up with the results in the 2016 Prediction League.

 

I was agreeing with all that you said but then you just had to take it too far at the end.

 

I don't even watch England anymore.
It's a closed shop for players from the big 6 and Southgate doesn't pick players on form.... just on reputation.

 

Someone mentioned a while back that they believed Southgate would be the man to replace Howe eventually - My first reaction was "he's going to struggle by not picking a single player on the team sheet"

 

Sorry but what is it with the hate for England up North? It's so pathetic and sad! Manchester and Liverpool hate it, the North East "don't care"? I bet you did in the Semi's and Final the last few years. But if you reeeeeeeeeeeeally don't care why watch it? Why be so negative about it? I love watching the national team in any sport but especially football, at Box Park or Hyde Park chucking beer over strangers or at a BBQ with mates smashing through the cans. Tears after football went Rome, the belief after 60+ years it might be our time, how can you not get absolutely ****ing up for it!

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Bollock! 9 players in the 24 squad not at "big six" clubs (10 from the south and 14 from up northern clubs... #JustSaying) this one and yeah there will be less when the squads announced for a major tournament but guess what - the best players go to the bigger clubs, ergo, the big clubs have the most selected. It's really that simple. Have you ever used the saying "form is temporary but class is permanent"? HYPOCRISY!!!! Much like a club team you need consistency and to ride out the poor form with a few intergral players. Would Maguire be integral to MY England team - probably not - but he is to Southgate's so he'll be picked if fit and that's fair enough as on his day he is probably on of the 10 best CB's in the country and Southgate has decided he likes him.

Will you all care more in a few years when we have players in the squad because we are paying them bucket loads? Anyone go to Central Park to watch the games in the Euros? Bet you loved it secretly!

 

Spoken like a Surrey based Man U fan

 

Just get bored of the cycle of everybody:

1. Moaning that the national team isn't good enough.
2. Seeing the team do well in (mostly easy) qualifiers and 'friendly internationals'.
3. Everyone hyping up our chances of finally doing something.
4. The team showing some early promise at the finals tournament, further fuelling the hype.
5. The team crashing out was soon as we face a half decent team in knock-out stages.
6. Everyone feeling disappointed/miserable about the team.

Repeat cycle.

 

1. Moaning that the national team isn't good enough. - They haven't been since the 00's, the golden generation failed miserably but at the last two tourney's though they have done us proud.
2. Seeing the team do well in (mostly easy) qualifiers and 'friendly internationals'. - Same for all the big nations though right?
3. Everyone hyping up our chances of finally doing something. - That's the glory of it, the hope, the expectation! It's what footballs all about, believing!
4. The team showing some early promise at the finals tournament, further fuelling the hype. - I'd liken it to finishing 5th under Pard's, so close to CL but fell apart in the last few weeks of the season, still a success!
5. The team crashing out was soon as we face a half decent team in knock-out stages. - Only one team can win it, multiple disappointed nations every time. Brazil haven't won the WC since 2002 and they expect to win every tournament they enter.
6. Everyone feeling disappointed/miserable about the team. - Only the naysayers and the pessimists, for the optimists the next tournament could be the one!

We've got a great crop of younger players coming through in Rice, Foden, Bellingham, Saka, Smith-Rowe, Mount etc. along with some good quality more experienced players. Since not qualifying for the Euros in 2008 and the FA's shake up of English football youth development there are clear signs of improvement and we are only looking stronger over the next 8-10 years. The losses to Croatia and Italy while hugely disappointing will be valuable learning curves for those named above while there are better and better players coming through the youth squads almost yearly like Charlie Cresswell and Harwood-Bellis, starting CB partnership in 2028 I'd bet - Keane Lewis-Potter, Curtis Jones, Tarique Lamperty, Ben Johnson, Marc Guehi etc.

 

What's the hate for England????????

Historical injuries to key Newcastle players.
The **** that is Michael Owen.
Pointless distraction from PL and the clubs that pay the players wages.
The fact the media darlings always get picked regardless of how crap they are and the fact other players deserve a chance.
The southern media bias of blowing smoke up everyone's arse on how mint England are when the reality is they're mediocre.
The fact that PL games get bummed off for pointless matches.
The fact Southgate is an utterly **** manager who can't get a better club gig than Boro but the press think he's Alf Ramsey re-born.
and last but by no means least..................


























IM SCOTTISH

 

You missed that we are **** too.

 

I agree with those answers, I'm just saying I'm bored of seeing the same cycle of event and have lost interest in international football. When I was younger I loved watching England games - and other internationals we werent even in. I just prefer club football now. More passion.

And to say we have a good crop of youngsters coming through - yes, I agree. And we've been saying that for years and years now. Bottom line is, we are not really a top 8 team in the world. We can hype up the chances, but there are better teams - and as you rightly say, only one can win it.

I've just lost enthusiasm for internationals, sorry.

 

Why is it so sad and pathetic? If I could have steak every Saturday (watching Newcastle play) but someone comes along and says no you have to have corn beef (watching England play) why can't I and others complain? I like corn beef but not as much as steak.

Why do we have to have a "love in" just because it's England? I don't watch women's football. Nothing to do with the fact it's women playing or the quality of the football, it's just because I'm not interested. Same to a certain degree with England. There is too much football on television these days and I'm not going to watch all of it just because it's "football". I have other interests which I find more interesting and enjoyable to do and, therefore, I do them and don't watch the football. Again, same with England. But if I could be watching Newcastle but can't because we have to have International breaks so England can play some third rate non entity of an International football team to supposedly help them with their preparations for the tournaments when it clearly doesn't then I will complain

For me I'm a Newcastle fan first a football fan second and an England fan third.And as far as the beer chucking is concerned I'm not 17 yo anymore.

 

Can't believe I'm agreeing with the mackem land dweller.... but THIS.

I simply have no emotion over England as as team. If they win I'll look over and go 'oh that's nice'.... IF NUFC win I have the voice of Phil Mitchell after gargling Trill the next day cos I got so animated.

 

In all honesty, FIFA and UEFA make out these tournaments are the greatest sporting show on Earth. Are they ****. I've been to Wrestlemania's that put on way bigger and better shows. The Olympics is way bigger.

The World Cup is a canny end of season distraction to look forward to once every 4 years, which gets more enjoyable if your linked with some players or have some players in it. Unless they open the transfer window during this one they can **** off as far as I'm concerned.

The last one I enjoyed was the USA 94 one. They've turned it into a corporate whore event. **** FIFA, **** UEFA. and **** the PL. Those ****s still ain't forgiven.

As for England's chances in it.......I'd rather Russia won it.

 

I just find the North/South divide a bit sad and pathetic in it's entirety tbh with you, maybe because I don't see the negatives people from up north perceive there to be but trust me it's not better in the South, higher prices for everything, no way near as friendly people, much better chance of being stabbed - what's not to love? I love the North being a Southern lad, I love the union - Scotland, Wales, Ireland, England, although I love the rivalry just as much (helps I'm quarter English, Q Irish, Q Welsh so I can pick my sides as it suits).

Also don't get this mentality that you're not interested in watching England play "3rd rate" countries. So you'd not watch Newcastle play Cambridge in the thought that it's lowly Cambridge from League One? Kind of the whole point of a World Cup or Euros that everyone has a chance whether that be the Faroes Islands or Mauritius. Why shouldn't they get a chance? Iceland vs England - that's the point - we aren't guaranteed our place! Are you suggesting we should have a divine right to competitions over other nations? Or be afforded an easier route to the finals because we are in the top 20 nations like some kind of Super League? We have to win against those "3rd rate teams" to qualify or they get the spot and that's the beauty of it - Leicester's title win, Wigans FA Cup win - as a "football" fan how can you not get it, love it and want more of it be it England or a women's team?

Never said you have to love it but if you're really not interested you don't have to watch it much like no one will force you to eat corned beef because your a big independent man who don't need no England football to be happy - but you choose to moan about it. As for the "I don't like it, so it can **** off" attitude of the international breaks - we'd be a sorry race if this was the attitude in the main and yes, no need to clarify, I gathered your not 17 anymore with your "grumpy old man" response, although with the comment about Wrestlemania you almost had me fooled!

Better show my arse mate...

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It was Magdad who mentioned Wrestlemania.
Poor old Trev (Andra Tutto Bene) won't know what you're on about. He still thinks wrestling is about Big Daddy vs Giant Haystacks.