Football Season 2012/2013

[Valeron]

I like international games during the offseason, like the euros and world cup during the summers

in the middle of club season they are a big drag though

[Northern Goblin]

Doozer might actually be onto something here.

Why can't we just have world cup qualifiers during this summer, World Cup next summer. Then Euro qualifiers in suumer 2015?

It'd fill up the empty void that is my summer without football.

[OscaR]

because then the break will be even shorter? Players will be playing all year long without any long break. Not gonna help club football nor international football in any way.

[koodledrum]

Doozer might actually be onto something here.

Why can't we just have world cup qualifiers during this summer, World Cup next summer. Then Euro qualifiers in suumer 2015?

It'd fill up the empty void that is my summer without football.

Because then you'd have clubs kicking off when their players arrive back at training knackered & injured from the qualifiers before the start of the season as well as having medics have kittens over the prolonged period of excessive work load on their bodies potentially leading to issues down the road. That's before we get into the fact it would lose millions of pounds worth of opportunity for stadiums to be used for secondary purposes (i.e. concerts), the headache that would be the brigade who bitch and moan whenever their precious Corrie/EastEnders is switched for football matches & the various players unions complaining about lack of downtime for players to spend with their families.

What I would rather do is to cut the number of international friendlies, far too many of them and ultimately it artificially lengthens the domestic season by up to 3 weeks each year for what purpose, a chance to check out players in a game that no one (including the two teams on the pitch) actually gives a shit about?

[Northern Goblin]

They aren't knackered after international tournaments, and they get a winter break in exchange because there isn't a cluster of games to be played out in such a short space of time.

As it stands every other year there's summer football. Reduce the friendlies quota, shift international qualifiers to post season and give players their break when the weather is at its crappiest, the pitches in their worst conditions and it's roughly at the midpoint in the season.

I can't see where the current setup has any advantage over it.

[Norganon]

I agree, in the summer is just the best time for this. If you cancel friendlies and international games during the season you'll also get some free additional weeks. Spread the games out more, give them some extra rest. This is just a win/win situation.

International football isn't fun when you're a Dutch fan by the way. After the WC final every ounce of respect is probably gone and with it, the once shining football. Although, now that I'm moving to Spain I guess I can support those.

EDIT: Wow, Brazil - Italy is an amazing match. The irony, it burns.

[laffling]

So it seems like money ain't everything Qatar might have to give up 2022. I really can't see Qatar keeping 2022, I'll give it a year before there is another vote.

[Jeleh]

So it seems like money ain't everything Qatar might have to give up 2022. I really can't see Qatar keeping 2022, I'll give it a year before there is another vote.

God I hope that happens, I love how the idiots are complaining that the tournament can't be hosted in the summer; why vote for Qatar then?

[laffling]

The problem is it would probably go to Aus since they have never had it while the others have had it in the last 20 years.

[Tommy T]

Bring it to England.

[Norganon]

Shame if it's not gonna be in Qatar, would have loved to visit those lovely stadiums they're building there. But then again, come on now, Qatar, really? They get an average of 2000 people during league games. It's not a country where football lives.

[laffling]

If it wen't to Aus the times for the matches would fuck every single country that ain't close to Aus.

[Larath]

I think the friendlies might be a good way to play other players rather then your nations starting lineup, say your reserves/youths just to see them in action and the friendlies shouldn't affect the rankings >_>

but ireland going down! (hopefully :>)

[OscaR]

I agree, in the summer is just the best time for this. If you cancel friendlies and international games during the season you'll also get some free additional weeks. Spread the games out more, give them some extra rest. This is just a win/win situation.

THe value of a long break is much higher than many small ones. We've seen players giving interviews on how they want to disconnect completely from football during those long breaks to keep them fresh when they get back. Smaller breaks won't be able to do that.

[Norganon]

THe value of a long break is much higher than many small ones. We've seen players giving interviews on how they want to disconnect completely from football during those long breaks to keep them fresh when they get back. Smaller breaks won't be able to do that.

You're probably right, but still, it would be nice to cut back on the international breaks so clubs wouldn't get so much injuries. Cut the friendlies though. I know Higuain has to travel over 20,000 km in 2 weeks. That's just too much.

[koodledrum]

Apparently Northern Ireland's game is at risk tonight due to snow at Windsor Park - they're supposed to be playing Russia.....

You couldn't write this shit could you!

[Northern Goblin]

After seeing the scoreline Israel 3 - Portugal 3, I'm inclined to believe anything today.

[koodledrum]

I noticed that game kicking off at silly o'clock earlier - poor result for Portugal though!

[laffling]

This might end up getting really bad for San Marino.

[koodledrum]

Like there was any shot of it being any other way Laffling - christ, I remember being at a Scotland game for Euro 96 qualification where we humped them 5-0!