From my Birmingham Mail Column Weds Nov 14th 2018
Here we are in the middle of yet another international break and I make no bones about it I hate it. I miss the Saturday fix of club football including the build-up and post-match debate and discussions with my pals and on social media. And as worthy as England internationals are it’s just not the same for me and is best described as like kissing your sister.
Without doubt when it’s the Euro’s or the World Cup it’s different and they can often be very exciting games but these Nations Cup games otherwise better known as friendlies just don’t have the same impact for me. I would much rather be watching a championship game.
Clubs continually moan about the number of games they have to play especially in the Premier League where for years they have been talking about reducing it to 18 clubs.
Yet they buy into the international break when the reality is that it is not a break for most of the players who are involved in “international friendlies” which of course that can also mean travelling thousands of miles very often making you unavailable for the first game after the international break.
Cancel all midweek Premier League and Championship games and play the International friendlies then. Players fly out to join their international squad on Sunday
This is the people’s game it’s not a business. Going to games on a Saturday is tradition and part of our upbringing and culture. I don’t care how much money you makes from International friendlies through the turnstile or via TV. Please don’t inflict international breaks on us for meaningless games when what we love to do and want to do is watch our team play.