Time to scrap these international breaks?

[Lorenzos Only Goal]

1 hour ago, Markthehorn said:

Not the same ones calling him to be sacked before the Ireland game ?

Probably they ebb and flow with the tides.  It's two games against poor teams, let's see how Greece pans out next month.

[RedM]

9 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Just Knight, O’Leary and Armstrong went away, wasn’t it?

You are probably right, I didn't take too much notice and I guess I assumed Sykes was too. 

[MarcusX]

20 hours ago, The Bard said:

He's won a couple of games we should win and handed out a few debuts. No more or less than what could be expected. 

 

He's the right appointment for 2024.  Not sure about 2025 onwards..

In some regards this is right, however if you watched the games - and I appreciated this more in person Tuesday than I did on the TV saturday - there's some nice differences already.

We completed over 800 passes Tuesday night, surprised that stat is going under the radar because it seems huge to me.

What was particularly pleasing though, was the passing always seemed like it had a purpose. We saw less of the dawdling across the back that we did in the summer with seemingly nowhere to go and no plan. I have a suspicion we went back to Pickford far less than on occasions under Southgate. Each pass had intent, and once it got into a wide position it rarely came back - often opting for a diag switch to the opposite wing instead of 3 passes along the back four.

We also seemed to play 10-20 yards higher. Especially in the second half, the back line were playing on the half way line rather than the middle of their own half. It seemed like we were able to play in tighter spaces with more fluidity rather than needing to go back and drop off to invite the opposition onto us to make space.

Lastly, as many of us said in the summer, Kane isn't finished he's still a class player - he just needs people to move beyond him when he gets the ball. He did the same things Tuesday, dropping off and getting on the ball, but each time he did he had numerous options in front of him.

I was a big Southgate fan for how he turned us around from 2016, and I'm not suddenly saying Carsley's the messiah but the initial signs are encouraging (albeit against weak opposition). These are games he should have won, and Southgate would have won, but the performances were very controlled and dominant. I'd also like to remind people it wasn't all doom and gloom under Southgate, in fact most of it was pretty good and we had some very good performances through the years too.

My main concern though is that he won't come up against "tough" opposition before the FA likely need to make a decision, so we're still going to have that unknown around doing it against the top teams.

[MarcusX]

20 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

Also, if you play internationals whilst the league continues, then those players that go to internationals don't play "extra" games, they just play slightly fewer league games.

If this happened, I think far more players would be unavailable for international games then magically fit a couple days later to play their league game

[ExiledAjax]

24 minutes ago, MarcusX said:

If this happened, I think far more players would be unavailable for international games then magically fit a couple days later to play their league game

Perhaps, some players might prioritise club football over internationals. Others wouldn't. I don't see that as much of a problem really.

Ultimately the scheduling comes down to two things: money and time. How much football is played, who collects the money from it, and who has the power to dictate those two things.

The PFA is already flexing its legal muscles in terms of how much football is played, and weak competitions are ceding calendar space to economically stronger tournaments. I think the new club world cup will reignite those conversations next summer as with it's introduction the European players who play for both a big club team and a big national team* will effectively have one summer off in every 4 year cycle. 

*ie a team that pretty much always qualifies 

[Eddie Hitler]

58 minutes ago, MarcusX said:

If this happened, I think far more players would be unavailable for international games then magically fit a couple days later to play their league game

 

They will develop the very serious condition that Ryan Giggs had: Friendlyitis*.

 

* An obscure and unexplained condition of temporary physical incapacity which occurs every time the national team that you represent plays a friendly match.

[ExiledAjax]

On 12/09/2024 at 09:41, ExiledAjax said:

The PFA is already flexing its legal muscles in terms of how much football is played, and weak competitions are ceding calendar space to economically stronger tournaments. I think the new club world cup will reignite those conversations next summer as with it's introduction the European players who play for both a big club team and a big national team* will effectively have one summer off in every 4 year cycle. 

And Rodri has come out today to say that some players are close to going on strike over playing 60+ games a season. Absolutely fair in my opinion. With the travel, training, preparation and everything else that goes into it it's effectively a 52-week-a-year job.

[Mr Popodopolous]

9 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

And Rodri has come out today to say that some players are close to going on strike over playing 60+ games a season. Absolutely fair in my opinion. With the travel, training, preparation and everything else that goes into it it's effectively a 52-week-a-year job.

To be honest I have little sympathy on one level given the wages.

[ExiledAjax]

5 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

To be honest I have little sympathy on one level given the wages.

I don't see why wages are a factor. All the money in the world can't buy you out of being knackered to the point of delivering a poor performance or risking potentially life changing injury.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 minute ago, ExiledAjax said:

I don't see why wages are a factor. All the money in the world can't buy you out of being knackered to the point of delivering a poor performance or risking potentially life changing injury.

Part of the reason for the high, at times sky high wages is the competitions. The revenue, the exposure surely.

Otoh I do sympathise for the reasons that you state but surely the competitions play a part in the revenue streams which in turn help to play the wages.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Just smacks a bit of a policy or desire in favour of having a cake and eating it.

[ExiledAjax]

13 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Part of the reason for the high, at times sky high wages is the competitions. The revenue, the exposure surely.

Otoh I do sympathise for the reasons that you state but surely the competitions play a part in the revenue streams which in turn help to play the wages.

But the point Rodri makes is that no one asks the players if they want to play another 5 games.

Instead people who don't actually have to get sweaty, don't have to fly 2,000 miles, don't have to risk ******* their ACL, don't have to leave their family at home (again), they set the schedule. And btw, they also earn an entirely astronomical and unnecessary amount of money.

Decades ago, in other industries, we set minimum holiday entitlements and maximum working hours, regardless of wages earned. Of course there are exclusions, carve outs and the like, but in all cases they technically require the agreement of the employee, and they often come with extra money expressly tied to that over-exertion (bonuses, overtime pay etc).

[Mr Popodopolous]

8 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

But the point Rodri makes is that no one asks the players if they want to play another 5 games.

Instead people who don't actually have to get sweaty, don't have to fly 2,000 miles, don't have to risk ******* their ACL, don't have to leave their family at home (again), they set the schedule. And btw, they also earn an entirely astronomical and unnecessary amount of money.

Decades ago, in other industries, we set minimum holiday entitlements and maximum working hours, regardless of wages earned. Of course there are exclusions, carve outs and the like, but in all cases they technically require the agreement of the employee, and they often come with extra money expressly tied to that over-exertion (bonuses, overtime pay etc).

Okay so the players would like a reduced CL, reduced lucrative pre season tours etc?

Yes less Internationals too, albeit the Club game seems a bigger drain hut then Clubs also pay their wages.

Try Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday through late September to mid February  that's a slog and a half. Championship I mean. No VAR, bit more tolerance on physicality etc.

That is when the pitches and weather are at their most testing probably hence why I chose that timeframe.

Edited Tuesday at 15:06 by Mr Popodopolous

[ExiledAjax]

8 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Okay so the players would like a reduced CL, reduced lucrative pre season tours etc?

Rodri said: "I think we're close to that [going on strike] It's the general opinion of the players, and if it keeps this way, we'll have no other option. I really think it's something that worries us. We are the guys who suffer."

Seems like that doesn't it. 

As I say, I think this will come to a head next summer with the new Club World Cup, which is an entirely unnecessary competition, that nobody other than FIFA want, and that is going to create, for some players, a 3rd tournament summer in every 4 year cycle.

8 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Try Saturday-Tuesday, Saruffsy-Tuesday through mid September to mid February  that's a slog and a half. Championship I mean. No VAR, bit more tolerance on physicality etc.

Yes, there are issues in the lower leagues as well. That does not mean there are not issues at the top. Both levels can have their own issues simultaneously, and both can be valid.

Edited Tuesday at 15:11 by ExiledAjax

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 minute ago, ExiledAjax said:

Rodri said: "I think we're close to that. It's the general opinion of the players, and if it keeps this way, we'll have no other option. I really think it's something that worries us. We are the guys who suffer."

Seems like that doesn't it. 

As I say, I think this will come to a head next summer with the new Club World Cup, which is an entirely unnecessary competition, that nobody other than FIFA want, and that is going to create, for some players, a 3rd tournament summer in every 4 year cycle.

Let's hear them speak out about some of their Clubs own lucrative pre season tour(s) e.g. too. Slating FIFA and UEFA and there's plenty to slate them for, is safe and easy. UEFA announced the CL format but have Clubs vigorously objected on grounds of Player Welfare?

Very quietly if so.. FIFA Club World Cup could be  a bridge too far but Clubs clearly are okay with it, 50m (£ or €) just for participation I read?

4 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Yes, there are issues in the lower leagues as well. That does not mean there are not issues at the top. Both levels can have their own issues simultaneously, and both can be valid.

Each to their own, I think that is great. It's a good leveller at times.

That Saturday, Tuesday including the 4 or 5 worst months is a good leveller.  I reckon it helped to drag Leicester who were miles clear back into the scrap e.g. Ipswich too..check the table in early December.

It's that sort of League, when you think you've cracked it you get a bucket of cold water.