Should we do away with international football?

God, what a boring weekend.

Crap though we are, I was loving the new season. Something to do again on Saturdays besides go the gym, shop and watch shit TV.

Let's face it, international weekend comes and goes like a black cloud. Do you know anybody that looks forward to it? I don't.

Is it a fair price to pay to have a World Cup/Euros every four years?

Fuck off international football?

Nothing like watching the world cup or the european championships, so no I wouldn't do away with it.

What I would do away with in terms of international competitions are teams like San Marino, they are never going to qualify for the major tournaments let alone win them, any team that you are guaranteed to score at least 5 past shouldn't even be considered for any major competition.

I like watching England, so for me it doesn't go into room 101.

In a way yes, every country should use non-League players for International football, then the Fixtures will go ahead , no waiting two weeks , some times more for your next game.

I'd love to see a game like the best non-League team from England against the best non-League from France, or Wales, Wembley would be full every time they play, they'd be heart and soul put into it, and it would put the pride back into England.

Most of all they'd be normal people, instead of these stuck up millionaires thinking there better than everyone on the planet.

I voted no simply because I agree with what Aaron says, the World Cup finals and Euro Championships are just amazing, those tournaments do make up for all the shit weekends when we have next to no football for 2 weeks and without the World Cup finals and Euro Championships there would never be any football in the summers.   

I do agree that international qualifiers and friendlies are just a bore but what is the alternative? The FA's around the world need these games for its own income too. I don't think there is any way around it.

Always loved international football and rather than "f*** it off" I'd like to see England back as a force with the support of the clubs and more players like Gerrard who take pride in wearing the shirt. After years of over-expectation generated by a reckless media, the resultant failure and money-driven selfishness of the Premier League/modern game, players are more mercenary than ever and pride in the national team is not what it was.

We complain that our "overpaid ponces" don't appear to take pride in wearing the BWFC shirt so it would be wrong to suggest that I feel any different about the England players.

Much better if we could restore the pride in the national team. In any other sport, representing your country is the pinnacle of your career and it's about time that the same aspiration was restored to football as it used to be. Maybe then we'd get some success and if we do a new generation of kids will grow up wanting to play for England and international football will be restored to it's former glory.

Personally, I don't think it will happen whilst the media continue to overhype the Premier League and English players in general. If they positioned England more realistically in the media (i.e. as underdogs hanging on to a seat at the top table) more people would get behind England and more players would want to help the cause.

In a way, the England situation mirrors our own problems.

I'd do away with the England team until such a time that players actually care.

Right now Premier League ponces don't give a shit about England, they'd rather stay at home and count their cash than play Brazil at the Maracanã. Just 15 years ago players would have given their right arm for that experience.

How many times does a player pull out of the England team only to play at the weekend for his club? I absolutely guarantee you that Sturridge will play for Liverpool on Saturday.

I read somewhere that there was a rule that if a player pulled out of an England game through injury that he wasn't allowed to play for his club for 5 days, but the FA are too scared of the PL and their lawyers to enforce it.

They should stop pissing about and make a stand against these ponces.

Natasha Whittam wrote:I'd do away with the England team until such a time that players actually care.

Right now Premier League ponces don't give a shit about England, they'd rather stay at home and count their cash than play Brazil at the Maracanã. Just 15 years ago players would have given their right arm for that experience.

How many times does a player pull out of the England team only to play at the weekend for his club? I absolutely guarantee you that Sturridge will play for Liverpool on Saturday.

I read somewhere that there was a rule that if a player pulled out of an England game through injury that he wasn't allowed to play for his club for 5 days, but the FA are too scared of the PL and their lawyers to enforce it.

They should stop pissing about and make a stand against these ponces.

I totally agree, players like Rooney clearly see playing for England as a chore. However, take Rickie Lambert - he is different, he clearly sees it as the best thing is his career and is loving every minute of it and is giving 200%. He is a top bloke. England need players like him in the squad. I could cheer for England again if they had a squad of players like Rickie Lambert.

I love the major tournaments, and quite enjoy some of the qualifying to be fair.

But obviously it leaves me bored on weekends like this, they should play some matches on a Saturday.

There's no doubt most of the players value club over country, not overly surprising to be fair as most of us do, I think we inadvertently sacrificed the national team when we created the premier league. It's so wealthy and competitive teams are bound to focus on themselves and not the national team (plus the fact the FA and Premier League are separate orgs.), unless a proper English player quota is introduced then I don't think we'll ever improve the England team.

Nats right about the English players attitudes. I was in Dubrovnic when Croatia played Serbia, (who attacked them in 1991), and the passion was running very high. Reminded me a little of the old home internationals, especially the England/Scotland games. keep going I reckon, and while I'm at it don't pay anyone to play, the fact that you are representing your nation should be enough.