25 Mar 2025 09:21:10
I just heard that England men's team are unbeaten in their last 39 qualifiers as far back to 2019 and then prior to that it was 10 years without a loss. If that is true surely that's a reason to abolish the pot seeding.
Look at how well the champions league went for the so called smaller teams when the big boys don't get it all their own way.
25 Mar 2025 09:52:44
England have only lost One Qualifier in approximately 70 games played since 2009.
They lost 2-1 away to Czech Republic.
The closest they came to losing another game during that period was at Hampden when Griffiths scored 2 free kicks.
25 Mar 2025 11:57:09
England, along with other previous winners, should be pre-qualified for all world cups, as should the previous tournaments semi finalists (maybe even quarter finalists) . Cut down the qualifying, cut number of international games/ breaks, hopefully get to the point of one or two rounds, home and away knockout fixtures.
And abolish the nations league while we are at it, total waste of time.
25 Mar 2025 12:32:41
They will only play more Friendly games if they cut down on Qualifiers or scrap the Nations league.
Nations need games to prepare for major tournaments.
25 Mar 2025 20:15:30
Yes you are right Buzz bomb . International football has existed since club league football started . The problem with International football is that it is spread out over too many weeks of season and thus creates too many interruptions in domestic league football. Champions League puts a big strain especially on clubs who are vieing with the top 5 league teams and when these teams also have most if not all away on International football on weeks there is no Championship league games . Players are really pushed to limit and something has to be done to spread the stressful games and help players recover
Maybe close season can be lengthened by 2 weeks and their can maybe an additional 4/ 5 games squeezed into these 2 weeks . That could remove 2 international weeks from ist half of season.
25 Mar 2025 20:37:11
There’s no quick fix because International matches also get played every June when domestic seasons are finished across Europe.
26 Mar 2025 00:31:34
I know that Buzz but I was thinking we should play at least double the number of matches we currently play in June to take some of the strain off club teams .
In many ways we are like Liverpool, they pay out more in transfer fees than us, in fact far more but they are not really big spenders as far as EPL are concerned and haven’t the biggest of squads. I read reports that Liverpool seemed to be tired out and couldn’t complete physically with Newcastle in League Cup final, which may have been the same as us earlier in the day .
Mental and physical tiredness can creep. up on players without them being aware . Clubs in Champions League usually have nearly all their key players on international duties and that leaves many without a mid week break from some time in August until year end . That is bound to take its toll and we need to create breaks for top footballers.