Imo its purely the number of games that happen now, players will still want to play for their national teams and truth be told I think Mbappe's attitude stinks and would love if he got dropped, wont happen but some players and their attitude vex me.

I don't know how they will sort the amount of fixtures but it needs addressed and cutting back if possible

I’d happily bin International friendlies/Nations League, if you have to blood new players and try out new tactics in competitive games, so be it. It would make a HUGE difference to the work load of players.

comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t ... (U6374)
posted 3 minutes ago
I’d happily bin International friendlies/Nations League, if you have to blood new players and try out new tactics in competitive games, so be it. It would make a HUGE difference to the work load of players.
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And just have 2 weeks breaks instead?

Unless you mean just get on with domestic football and take the hit on Salah, Diaz, MacAllister, Endo, Nunez and any other non-European players?

I think there is an argument that the League Cup could be moved to international weeks and teams take the hit on international players. Most play weakened teams anyway, although it could cost youth players chances as they too will be on international duty. Would give a few midweeks off for the top 2 divisions.

The whole football calendar needs to be streamlined. Not only to protect players, but to protect the football. I think a lot of us feel like there's too much football to watch at the moment, and we value games less due to this saturation. More and more elite players being knackered or injured also diminishes the spectacle.

So yes: fewer meaningless international matches. But also continental competitions need to reverse their fixture inflation, and Fifa's Club World Cup / biennial World Cup concept can both fuсk right off.

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t ... (U6374)
posted 3 minutes ago
I’d happily bin International friendlies/Nations League, if you have to blood new players and try out new tactics in competitive games, so be it. It would make a HUGE difference to the work load of players.
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And just have 2 weeks breaks instead?
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Maybe, or just spread out the games more. If you go past the 4th round of the league cup the fixture list between November and December is just stupid at times.

Wasn’t so long ago Liverpool had to play two games in 24 hours in separate continents.

Throw in increased tournament sizes in Europe, the CWC and Internationals and imo something has to give. The most obvious thing would be friendlies/ Natoons league going in the bin.

If push came to shove most pro footballers would rather put on their national shirt over their club shirt. Many even do it for free. Whilst we have the World Cup and the Euros etc international football is here to stay. Despite what Mbappe says. If I was the French manager I would never play him again.

With the increased number of teams in World Cup and Euros there is a case to be made for teams to get automatic places there. Maybe increase WC to 64 and Euro to 32 and dramatically decrease the number of qualification games.

However, that the would against the argument that fans still have great appetite for international football and in countries outside the elite league countries want to see their players more often.

comment by RB&W - He kicked lumps out of them (U21434)
posted 1 minute ago
If push came to shove most pro footballers would rather put on their national shirt over their club shirt. Many even do it for free. Whilst we have the World Cup and the Euros etc international football is here to stay. Despite what Mbappe says. If I was the French manager I would never play him again.
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Ditto on the Mbappe part, he has an attitude that annoys me generally and no matter how good he is he is NOT bigger than the game or any more important than any other player, like a spoilt kid sometimes so he is.

comment by Insufferable-Piffle (U4388)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by RB&W - He kicked lumps out of them (U21434)
posted 1 minute ago
If push came to shove most pro footballers would rather put on their national shirt over their club shirt. Many even do it for free. Whilst we have the World Cup and the Euros etc international football is here to stay. Despite what Mbappe says. If I was the French manager I would never play him again.
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Ditto on the Mbappe part, he has an attitude that annoys me generally and no matter how good he is he is NOT bigger than the game or any more important than any other player, like a spoilt kid sometimes so he is.
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Mbappe is just the 1st of many players that are going to do this imo, De Bryne said something similar the other day too.
They are getting fed up with the pointless games against chit opposition, and sometimes getting injured in the process.
I get it and i don't think a lot of 'them' care about playing for their national teams as much as some fans do.

You allow two week breaks during the season then you know what is going to happen. Clubs will take advantage by filling the void to boost their commercial power and play overseas friendlies. Players will be bound by their contracts to play.

i don't think a lot of 'them' care about playing for their national teams as much as some fans do.
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I think the majority of players still see the World Cup as the pinnacle, that is why you will see players declare themselves for nations like Jamaica who have a massive opportunity of making the 2026 WC that hasn't been there in other campaigns.

Someone like Mbappe can call the shots in regards to which games are "important" enough for him to play in because he is pretty sure he will walk in come the WC. We have also seen players go to Saudi, for example, when told they won't be considered for their country and not give a damn.

I've always thought, don't have the international breaks meaning the season will be shorter.
say that takes 4-5 weeks off of a season.

Then before the summer tournaments have a few friendlys as build up.

How can you have summer tournaments without qualifying?

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 23 seconds ago
How can you have summer tournaments without qualifying?
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Or use a couple weeks before tournament to qualify. Don't have friendlies. Instead for a mini tournament.

Theres 5 international breaks, and if we put a couple mid week games in there we could finish seasons 7 weeks or so early.

Give players 2 weeks off then do qualifying, then tournament.

Obviously havent done the maths but if we can fit them in during the season, with extra disruption, we can fit them in with more time in the summer.

comment by AFCISMYTEAM (U14931)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by Insufferable-Piffle (U4388)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by RB&W - He kicked lumps out of them (U21434)
posted 1 minute ago
If push came to shove most pro footballers would rather put on their national shirt over their club shirt. Many even do it for free. Whilst we have the World Cup and the Euros etc international football is here to stay. Despite what Mbappe says. If I was the French manager I would never play him again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ditto on the Mbappe part, he has an attitude that annoys me generally and no matter how good he is he is NOT bigger than the game or any more important than any other player, like a spoilt kid sometimes so he is.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mbappe is just the 1st of many players that are going to do this imo, De Bryne said something similar the other day too.
They are getting fed up with the pointless games against chit opposition, and sometimes getting injured in the process.
I get it and i don't think a lot of 'them' care about playing for their national teams as much as some fans do.

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The players ive spoken to regard playing for your country as the pinnacle of thir careers. If some feel that playing qualifying games beneath them then fackem. They will soon change thir minds when the big summer tournos happen

It'll never happen anyway.

Not sure that really solves the issue, Nick, as it sounds as if you are just moving games and making the end of the season into international tournament even more hectic and punishing for players.

Football should look at the NFL which is a sport that generates huge money as well

They go by the philosophy of less games generates more interest

comment by Peks - Comanche Moon (U6618)
posted 6 minutes ago
Football should look at the NFL which is a sport that generates huge money as well

They go by the philosophy of less games generates more interest


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But college football and high school football are also massive. In a way NFL would be more the international level, college football the European level and high school domestic?

comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t talk to me unless you can do ten (U6374)
posted 1 hour ago
I’d happily bin International friendlies/Nations League, if you have to blood new players and try out new tactics in competitive games, so be it. It would make a HUGE difference to the work load of players.
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That's a pretty cunning plan.

Make ALL national teams play like strangers to increase England's chances of winning something.

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 28 minutes ago
Not sure that really solves the issue, Nick, as it sounds as if you are just moving games and making the end of the season into international tournament even more hectic and punishing for players.
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I dont think it would be, less flying, less time away, could play less games in those tournaments. im sure players would prefer a few weeks off then a game every 3 days then flying back and forth.

On the topic of footballers playing too many games, the ball is very much in the players' court, as they have the collective power to put pressure on both clubs and federations.

Imo FIFPro should be trying to convince its affiliates to push for a cap on the number of games a player can play each season.

Perhaps something like 60 games - 50 club and 10 international - would be doable.

It shouldn't be hard for the bigger clubs (which are also generally those who employ the most successful internationals) to add some squad depth.

Smaller clubs don't generally have to face as many games, as they don't normally go so deep in the cups.

The professional leagues could also expand the number of players per squad, although that shouldn't be absolutely necessary.

I’m not sure the international calendar is any different than it’s ever been is it? It’s club games that have increased for some.