my opinion hasn't changed, international football sucks, and i'd get rid of it except the world cup. and @ gunner, you say club football doesn't compare to international in terms of raw drama? really? so us winning the league at anfield in 89, or the way mancity just won the league doesn't match anything in raw drama compared to international football? give me a break! club football totally outmatches international football in terms of raw drama, the list of examples are endless, but the way the league ended this season is enough to throw that argument into the water!
I enjoy the international tournaments, as a welshman it gives me great joy to see england fail miserably.
You miss the point. International tournaments are more exciting than club tournaments because they happen every 4 years, the anticipation is greater. Qualifiers suck ass but International tournaments rule.
Terry might not be an angel, but this kind of hate...one would think you actually knew him personally. Seriously, theres more to life than hating a sportsmen to this level...its not healthy. Its only football!
The last Euros was one of the most entertaining football tournaments I have ever watched and I think us not being part of it helped that. Pretty much every game Turkey or Croatia played in that tournament was a classic! There was also Russia and Arshavin getting far without anyone noticing and big teams like Portugal failing at the group stages. I agree that the drama and tension in international tournaments can better the tension in club football, sometimes. There is also that nostalgia element, most football fans can remember where they were when Gazza scored that Euro 96 goal against Scotland or when Greece won the whole tournament by parking the bus etc. I would scrap the inane qualifying rounds (make the 'lesser' teams eliminate eachother before the group stages) that drag out the season but I'd never get rid of the Euro's. EDIT: Knock-out football is also quite unpredictable which also adds to the tension.
Totally agree. That's what makes the tournaments exciting. The games come thick and fast and there are dramatic outcomes guaranteed.
I now do realise it'll take a while before a conclusion is drawn but I'm sorry but I'm not getting good vibes from this...Kyle? Didn't even accept my offer . (even had to remove him off my favourite sportsmen on Facebook)? Oops wrong thread sorry!
Is ukraine really like this? http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-not-take-risk-of-going-to-euros-7758217.html
Why so Kyle?. It doesn't give me any pleasure to see Wales fail, by the way if you look on a map you will see London is in ENGLAND
I'm sorry but the Champion's League final does not compare to the Euros final or World Cup final in my eyes. The QF, SF or finals !
Both are bigger in my opinion. Every 4 years gives the major international tournaments that extra special magic that the Champions League final just doesn't have.
Very good debate here. I am a complete football nut - to me, any football is better than the best of any other sport. I can't stand things like RUgby, Cricket, Running-Jumpingt-Skipping-Throwing (Afletics), Olympics, Darts, etc, but I'll watch any football. That said, international football has been poor since the dreadful Italia 90. In contrast, the club game has been brilliant, and the Champions League is a fabulous tournament. The trouble with international tournaments are the group games are too tense and nevrous affairs, and the knock-out games are ultra tense and nervy games. Very rare to see a good flowing game, though the semi between Italy-Germany i 2006 was a fantastic game. If the football on the pitch was of a decent standard, then together with teh spectical of the global event it would be a far more rewarding experience. More often than not we have just t he spectacle of the event. However, Mark Pugac summed it brilliantly when he said during the build-up to the kick-off for SA 2010 that for football fans the WOrld CUp starting is like Christmas Eve for little boys - the excitement and expectation. Despite my views on international football, I will nonetheless be watrching the action avidly, and will cheer the loudest if we win. The other value of international tournies is that, in my experience at least, nothing else comes close to uniting everyone, what the media call common national experiences. 1990 and 1996 when we got to the semis you could sense the excitement everywhere. ITV even in their covberga eof the England Germany game stopped advert breaks from 20 minutes before the kickoff and only had one break at half time. I mention this as to how big a deal such things are in our country. The problem though is teh football itself. Not sure what can be done there. Having said all that, for us Engkand fans, lets admit that there is nothing quite like the roller coaster crash and burn ride that we get by following England.
I like the summer tournaments. It beats having no football, or watching the MLS. Come to think of it, that's the same thing really.
I once worked with Liverpool fan (who has actually written a few books) who remarked in his Scouse accent "I'm such a football nut, I'll even stay up till 3am to watch highlights of matches from the ALgerain Football League Division 3". My sentiments exactly, and the summer tournaments are little bit like going on holiday. It's just the standard of football that is a let down.
