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Posted

Interesting:

 

 

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26747394

 

Nations League: New European tournament to be confirmed

 

A "League of Nations" that would be a third major tournament for European countries after the World Cup and European Championship is expected to be given the go-ahead by Uefa on Thursday.

 

Games would be played in odd-numbered years on dates reserved for friendlies, starting after the 2018 World Cup.

 

No exact details have been confirmed, but there would be up to four divisions with promotion and relegation, plus a 'final four' competition in the summer.

 

England would likely be in a top tier.

 

The 54 member associations of European football's governing body will vote on the proposal at its annual congress in Kazakhstan.

 

Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino has confirmed an agreement to set up the new tournament should be reached on Thursday.

He said: "What has triggered what is being called the Nations League is the international calendar and the dates for friendly matches.

"We have been looking at optimising the structure of the calendar without bringing in any more dates.

"There are teams everyone wants to play against and other teams who struggle to get the opponents they'd ideally like. For all national associations, the fact is that national team matches are key for their development."

 

On rankings, England would be in the top division alongside the likes of Spain, Germany and Italy. Each division would then be divided into groups with the winners qualifying for a semi-final and final, played at neutral venues.

Winners of the lower divisions could be granted entry to the European Championship.

 

Northern Ireland and Wales - ranked 47 and 48 respectively by Uefa - could find themselves playing each other in the bottom division.

 

Scotland's ranking of 24 could see them meeting the likes of Sweden, Croatia and Poland in the league.

 

While matches will be played on dates reserved for friendlies, there will still be flexibility for smaller countries to arrange high-profile fixtures with bigger European teams and for nations to play friendlies against national sides from outside Europe.

 

The Football Association is in favour of the plan, with chairman Greg Dyke saying earlier this month: "The hard thing is the detail but I think a Nations League where we played the top nations would be very attractive."

Posted
He said: "What has triggered what is being called the Nations League is the international calendar and the dates for friendly matches.

"We have been looking at optimising the structure of the calendar without bringing in any more dates."

 

Is he saying this tournament replaces International Friendlies, or is that just wishful thinking ?

Posted

Oh great, more potential for injuries from international matches.

 

Do these jerks ever speak to the clubs and ask what they think? I'm pretty sure that the club owners feel there are more than enough competitive games at the moment.

 

At least the friendlies have the option for massive substitutions.

Posted

Oh great, more potential for injuries from international matches.

 

Do these jerks ever speak to the clubs and ask what they think? I'm pretty sure that the club owners feel there are more than enough competitive games at the moment.

 

At least the friendlies have the option for massive substitutions.

 

The biggest lobby group in European football is the clubs and the international match calendar shrinking and double windows are all a result of this pressure. But the football authorities have an obligation to promote interational football too and this seems like the perfect balance between the two - club and international.

Posted

I keep seeing international managers saying they don't get enough games with the players but there are WAY more internationals now than there used to be. Cap records are getting smashed all the time. With the split in the European nations and the Soviet Union there are way more qualifying games than in the past. Packie Bonnar was first choice for Ireland for 15 years and only got 80 caps and that includes 3 international tournaments.

Posted

I keep seeing international managers saying they don't get enough games with the players but there are WAY more internationals now than there used to be. Cap records are getting smashed all the time. With the split in the European nations and the Soviet Union there are way more qualifying games than in the past. Packie Bonnar was first choice for Ireland for 15 years and only got 80 caps and that includes 3 international tournaments.

 

There should be a ranking arrangement I think where the crappy nations like San Marino, Faroes, Gibraltar (Gibraltar FFS!!, they might as well give membership to the Isle of Man or Tory Island!) are omitted from the Euros/WC.

Posted

What's the point of them if they can't be in the qualifiers. Given both have scored results against bigger countries, I think that's unfair.

 

San Marino is a great away BTW and I will be heading to Portugal for Gibraltar next year. So there are upsides.

 

Also, 2 more votes for Sepp at Congress, FTW.

Posted

What's the point of them if they can't be in the qualifiers. Given both have scored results against bigger countries, I think that's unfair.

 

San Marino is a great away BTW and I will be heading to Portugal for Gibraltar next year. So there are upsides.

 

Also, 2 more votes for Sepp at Congress, FTW.

 

The extra votes for Sepp are probably what swings them being admitted in the first place. But how is football in San Marino advanced by them being regularly thrashed by the bigger nations? And we'd be royally pissed off if the likes of Gerrard or Sturridge picked up an injury playing against them in a 7-0 stroll. Maybe there should be a 'small nations' competition where the minnows can play each other, and some kind of pre-qualifying thing like they have in the club competitions to weed out the weakest countries before getting into the Euros proper.

Posted (edited)

The extra votes for Sepp are probably what swings them being admitted in the first place. But how is football in San Marino advanced by them being regularly thrashed by the bigger nations? And we'd be royally pissed off if the likes of Gerrard or Sturridge picked up an injury playing against them in a 7-0 stroll. Maybe there should be a 'small nations' competition where the minnows can play each other, and some kind of pre-qualifying thing like they have in the club competitions to weed out the weakest countries before getting into the Euros proper.

 

They just got that small competition. It's what this thread is about!

 

They'll never accept themselves being eliminated from the qualifiers proper. And you can expect more of it if anything, Gibraltar let in for this campaign, Montenegro not long in, God knows what happens in the future in eastern Uefa-land with countries fracturing and applying for full member status.

Edited by aka Dus
Posted (edited)

We should cancel all domestic football for one year. All 200+ countries would then play in one final international World Cup. From then on the winner of that would defend the title 3 or 4 times a year; much like a boxer. If they are beaten then the title of World Champions passes over and then they defend the title a handful of times a year.

 

Despite the huge initial investment (ie losing proper footy for a season) this ultimately will effectively end all international friendlies and tournaments. And that can only be a good thing.

Edited by Cam
Posted (edited)

How would you decide who would play the champions for the title?

 

Maybe the country who makes the biggest donation to FIFA?

Edited by drdooom

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