The early September international break

[horsechoker]

Why?

Why does it exist?

It serves little purpose beyond being a major interruption to the beginning of the season after the summer. Moreover, it seems to be a way for players to get injured or jet-lagged thus interrupting their start to the season.

I know I'm not the only who finds it incredibly annoying.

 

[AaronRedDevil]

They should scrap it. So pointless.

 

[OleBoiii]

It's a massive c*ck tease.

"Back to football! Hurray!" *blows majestic trumpet*
"SIKE!"

 

[BusbyMalone]

I absolutely hate it. You start to slowly get into the swing of things in the Premier League, and then bang - a 2-week international break. And then you have one in October and November as well, don't you. It's a joke, but I hate International football anyway. I would seriously bin it if I had my way.

I would probably much rather they dedicate one month to it and get it all out the way then. Just have the whole of October and be done with most of it.

 

[48 hours]

Still don’t see why they can’t hold all the internationals in one month rather than numerous breaks throughout the year.

 

[duffer]

I love it.

 

[Nero]

Why are they still doing 3 games? Have they still not caught up from covid yet?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

My memory is far too addled to know if this is a new thing or was always this way.

Feck international football anyway. Pain in the hole.

 

[duffer]

Still don’t see why they can’t hold all the internationals in one month rather than numerous breaks throughout the year.

The could call it something like "The World Cup" or "The European Championships".

 

[2 man midfield]

I say bin the friendlies and qualifiers and go full knockout for the major tournaments in a open style format. No group stages, just begin with the round of 160 or whatever it would be.

 

[JJ12]

I love it.

You are a liar

 

[horsechoker]

I love it.

I don't care!

 

[Sunny Jim]

I hate international football and September break is just the worst. Also Ocotber one is the pain in the ass.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Isn't it rather necessary this year to get the qualifiers done for the World Cup a year away?

 

[Deery]

Hate international break.

 

[FootballHQ]

Always been one for as long as I can remember, probably worse now they're having to squeeze in 3 matches compared to two due to all the games lost to covid.

Used to be worse over a decade ago, remember everyone playing friendlies three days before the season used to start so at least that got scrapped.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

As they didn't get the pre-season they wanted maybe it will get the players match fit.

 

[mu4c_20le]

Maybe too much football isn't good for you so everyone needs a break

 

[48 hours]

The could call it something like "The World Cup" or "The European Championships".

id go for, ”month of shite qualifiers against minor nations”

 

[Drizzle]

3 games in 6 days. Big injuries to major players almost guaranteed. I hate it. At least Mason is spared from it.

 

[villain]

I hate it, however I have suddenly decided to support Portugal

 

[FootballHQ]

Probably need the men in white coats but I might actually watch Andorra v San Marino (was actually thinking of starting its own match thread on here ) as presume it's the first time both have ever met in competitive international and given both always stick 11 men behind the goal whoever they're playing it surely won't happen here so sort of match I find intriguing to watch to see which one gets a very rare international win.

 

[horsechoker]

Probably need the men in white coats but I might actually watch Andorra v San Marino (was actually thinking of starting its own match thread on here ) as presume it's the first time both have ever met in competitive international and given both always stick 11 men behind the goal whoever they're playing it surely won't happen here so sort of match I find intriguing to watch to see which one gets a very rare international win.

It's like a cup final!

 

[FootballHQ]

It's like a cup final!

Yeah should be five hour build up and team coaches arrival being streamed. Infront of about 500 people....Was wondering how Andorra actually got into pot 5, guess they won a game in nations league to bump up. They've picked up a few decent results at under 21 level in recent years (pretty sure England drew with them a few years ago) so while qualifying for major tournament isn't realistic they should at least start picking up a few draws and odd wins. No such hope for San Marino.

 

[Red Stone]

Probably need the men in white coats but I might actually watch Andorra v San Marino (was actually thinking of starting its own match thread on here ) as presume it's the first time both have ever met in competitive international and given both always stick 11 men behind the goal whoever they're playing it surely won't happen here so sort of match I find intriguing to watch to see which one gets a very rare international win.

0-0 draw incoming.

 

[GhastlyHun]

We'll get to see the first glimpse of post-Löw Germany, so i'm pretty excited for this particular international break

 

[Rozay]

I hate this particular break, but unsurprised to see this thread return to a chorus of ‘I hate international football anyway’ as soon as the international tournament they enjoyed so much has just finished.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

I hate this particular break, but unsurprised to see this thread return to a chorus of ‘I hate international football anyway’ as soon as the international tournament they enjoyed so much has just finished.

People have very short memories.

I really like international football, but I don't like this break, just too early in the season. Add a few fixtures to November or February/March would be better. The PL feels new and alive at this point, whereas by the middle of the second half of the season, a lot of the team have hardly anything to play for. At that point, bring on the international football for a bit of variety.

 

[Kasper]

Every international break sucks but it's by far the worst one. You've got the season started, you have already interesting developments and you have the transfer market closing and bam - 2 week break from all that excitement.

 

[V.O.]

I hate this particular break, but unsurprised to see this thread return to a chorus of ‘I hate international football anyway’ as soon as the international tournament they enjoyed so much has just finished.

Because major international tournaments are great and pretty much all the other international breaks where it's friendlies and qualifiers against the likes of Estonia and Moldova are shite?

 

[Rozay]

Because major international tournaments are great and pretty much all the other international breaks where it's friendlies and qualifiers against the likes of Estonia and Moldova are shite?

Ans should the participants at the ‘great’ international tournaments be drawn from a hat?

 

[V.O.]

Ans should the participants at the ‘great’ international tournaments be drawn from a hat?

Of course not, but it doesn't mean that because somebody enjoyed the Euros that they should automatically love watching tumescent games against teams made up of fecking goat herders either.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Of course not, but it doesn't mean that because somebody enjoyed the Euros that they should automatically love watching tumescent games against teams made up of fecking goat herders either.

The World Cup is much harder to qualify for than the European Championships (therefore more interesting), people equate the two, but one has 24 teams going through and the other has only 13. You could sleepwalk to Euros qualifying but mess up a match in World Cup qualifying and it puts you in a little bit of trouble.

Plus the experience of England fans watching their team play in a boring way, winning without controversy is not the experience of the average nation. Italy didn't qualify for the last World Cup, Netherlands didn't either, Portugal have had a few tight playoffs. Germany are currently third in their group this time. Then for any nation outside the top 7 or 8, qualifying for the World Cup is a sense of immense pride.

 

[V.O.]

The World Cup is much harder to qualify for than the European Championships (therefore more interesting), people equate the two, but one has 24 teams going through and the other has only 13. You could sleepwalk to Euros qualifying but mess up a match in World Cup qualifying and it puts you in a little bit of trouble.

Plus the experience of England fans watching their team play in a boring way, winning without controversy is not the experience of the average nation. Italy didn't qualify for the last World Cup, Netherlands didn't either, Portugal have had a few tight playoffs. Germany are currently third in their group this time. Then for any nation outside the top 7 or 8, qualifying for the World Cup is a sense of immense pride.

I'm not an England fan, I'm Welsh. We're shite and went a lifetime without qualifying for anything. Qualifying for any tournament is absolutely huge for us and the biggest thing we can reasonably hope to achieve. Most of the actual qualifiers are still just an absolute chore to sit through, though.

 

[Teja]

Would it be possible to make euro / world cup qualifiers a separate thing at the beginning / end of the season? That way even the international sides can get into a rhythm and the football won't look like 11 random guys thrown onto the field for the first time.

I don't see how the current system benefits anyone (clubs / leagues / players / international sides).

 

[RedSky]

International breaks are hateful. They should all be planned at a specific date window as it'd make them more exciting and less frustrating as a fan/Manager. Qualifiers being a prelude to the actual Tournament.

 

[Desert Eagle]

It's genuinely the worst international break of the lot. Wait a summer for proper footy but 3 weeks in take another 2 weeks off.

 

[Sandikan]

It's bad enough having a definite one in the Premier league / championship, but I thought at least also supporting Wycombe, that I'd have a game for them.

But no...Wycombe have a game called off for damn internationals too

They should put this break before the season starts. Only way round it bar scrapping internationals completely.

 

[ivaldo]

It's not they've just had their players for a month.

 

[Josh 76]

Why not let the big nations automatically qualify for the World Cup/Euros and the leaser counties have to qualify.

You could have those matches in midweek which wouldn’t effect the PL weekends.