Who's ****ing idea was it to put an international break so early in the season? Jesus. Anyway I thought it would be good to have a thread to track how our lads are getting on on international break. It can also be used to discuss random SAFC stuff whilst we go through this boring period without a match thread, a transfer window thread, a new head coach thread or a takeover thread Random thought to kick things off - wtf is Chris Rigg doing in the U18s? If you dig out the U19 squad, not one of them in midfield can lace his boots. I'd even argue that he should be in the U20 squad with Jobe. Archie Gray is only a year older than him, but is a hipster's dream so has moved for £40m and is in the U21s. Here's who's on international duty: Dan Ballard and Trai Hume – Northern Ireland Northern Ireland vs Luxembourg Thursday 5th September UEFA Nations League Windsor Park 7.45pm Bulgaria vs Northern Ireland Sunday 8th September UEFA Nations League Hristo Botev Stadium 5pm Alan Browne – Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland vs England Saturday 7th September UEFA Nations League Aviva Stadium 5pm Republic of Ireland vs Greece Tuesday 10th September UEFA Nations League Aviva Stadium 7.45pm Milan Aleksic – Serbia Serbia vs Spain Thursday 5th September UEFA Nations League Red Star Stadium 7.45pm Denmark vs Serbia Sunday 8th September UEFA Nations League Parken 5pm Chris Mepham – Wales Montenegro vs Wales Monday 9th September UEFA Nations League Gradski Stadion Niksic 7.45pm Jobe – England Elite League Turkey U20s vs England U20s Friday 6th September 5pm England U20s vs Romania U20s Tuesday 10th September 7pm Chris Rigg – England Under-18s Portugal U18s vs England U18s Wednesday 4th September 2pm Switzerland U18s vs England U18s Friday 6th September 2pm France U18s vs England U18s Sunday 8th September 5pm Finn Geragusian – Armenia Under-19s Armenia U19s vs Lithuania U19s Saturday 7th September and Monday 9th September Rhys Walsh – Northern Ireland Under-19s Northern Ireland U19s vs Norway U19s Thursday 5th September 6pm Northern Ireland U19s vs Slovakia U19s Sunday 8th September 12pm
Because I'm bored at work I've also pasted the matches our lads are involved in, on a day by day basis below: Wedneday 4th September 2pm - Portugal U18s vs England U18s - Chris Rigg Thursday 5th September 6pm - Northern Ireland U19s vs Norway U19s - Rhys Walsh 7.45pm - Northern Ireland vs Luxembourg - Dan Ballard and Trai Hume 7.45pm - Serbia vs Spain - Milan Aleksic Friday 6th September 2pm - Switzerland U18s vs England U18s - Chris Rigg 5pm - Turkey U20s vs England U20s - Jobe Saturday 7th September 5pm - Republic of Ireland vs England - Alan Browne Armenia U19s vs Lithuania U19s - Finn Geragusian Sunday 8th September 12pm - Northern Ireland U19s vs Slovakia U19s - Rhys Walsh 5pm - Denmark vs Serbia - Milan Aleksic 5pm - France U18s vs England U18s - Chris Rigg 5pm - Bulgaria vs Northern Ireland - Dan Ballard and Trai Hume Monday 9th September 7.45pm - Montenegro vs Wales - Chris Mepham Tuesday 10th September 7pm - England U20s vs Romania U20s - Jobe 7.45pm - Republic of Ireland vs Greece - Alan Browne
Fair bit of travelling for the Lethal Weapon there. Suspect he will get a breather from us for Plymouth. And as for him being in the older age groups. You are right on talent, but it wont do him any harm from a development perspective to play a few games exclusively with peers for me.
The only promising thing with Rigg's schedule is that he finishes by Sunday. 3 games in 5 days is ridiculous though. I'd like to think he'd be rested for one of them.
I have absolutely no interest in international games these days unless it's a tournament (a proper tournament, not the league bollocks). I just see them as annoyance which disrupts the club league. No idea who is in the England squad or even who and when we are playing against
Tuesday being the latest anyone plays is good, thought we may have to rest some of these for Plymouth but I don't think we will now. I believe Mepham is suspended for the first Wales game, think I read that somewhere.
Thanks for posting what looks like a lot of work Southern, but like Daz I've no interest whatsoever in these Mickey mouse internationals and just hope and prayer all our lads come back safe and sound.
Rather than starting a new thread, I thought I'd use this one for hopefully a debate - what player has stood out the most for people in the first 4 games? Like Danny Collins being thrown as to who to give the MOTM for any of the games, for me its also hard to pick out a stand out player. Roberts looks to have got his confidence back although if he could just get the ball into the back of the net at times to cap it all off! Jobe has come back a seemingly different player to last season - strolling about the pitch, making tackles and leaving opposition players in his wake when he gets out of trouble, Mayenda showing us that there's a striker in there, Mundle showing us that there's life after Jack Clarke, Cirkin showing us what we missed last season, Alese was solid at centre half before his injury, Browne has shown us what a good player he is - the list goes on. But if I had to pick out 1 player that's really stood out it has to be Chris Rigg! For a 17 year old to do what he does on a football pitch up against more experienced players than he and actually instructing team mates the way he does beggars belief. That tackle last weekend to set us away for the third goal was something else and a hark back to days when you could actually tackle like that, his overall play shows why clubs were lining up for him before he signed his first professional contract. For a 17 year old he ticks all the boxes and then some!
Thankyou for doing this Southern. Gives me a chance to watch our individuals, not bothered about the actual internationals. If you are very bored, I’ve got a shopping list needs taking care of
Really hope Ballard comes through unscathed It obviously applies for all of the lads going away but he’s just coming back from injury, that always makes me more nervous
To be fair it only took me about 8 minutes. If I have one skill I can shout about its copy and pasting
Good effort Southern A - thanks. Like everyone else I hope they all come back unscathed. The one I will be interested in following is Aleksic in the Serbia games. Not sure how much time he will get on the pitch as its his first call up to the senior squad ( as far as I know ), but even if he gets on for 10-15 minutes it will be good to see how he gets on against top class internationals
I'm with you mate, I've no idea what these things are all about tbh. I'll watch our new lads, if the play, but cringe watching Ballard or Hume going into tackles with players I've never heard of and countries I couldn't find on a map. The best part of this break is that I get time to recover from Portsmouth before I trek down to Plymouth.
I did minimal research in creating this thread and just copied and pasted from the website. I believe you're right though
Will keep a close eye (saying that I'll probably just check this thread) on Aleksic, Rigg, Brown and the N.Irish games. Not arsed about England until we have representatives.
Ronald Koeman has just leapt up the rankings of my admiration ... ... he's effectively ended the national career of a valuable player, Steve Bergwijn, who featured in the recent Euros. Why, because he's sold his soul to the Saudis, so f*ck him. I haven't read the article, too busy, but how on earth can national managers possibly evaluate a player in such a totally fake environment. And why should they be forced to go to Saudi to see how players are doing. Absolutely brilliant from Koeman imo. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx2g3g9zepyo please log in to view this image
