But, We Were On A Break Part 1

So, despite only starting up again barely a month ago after the summer recess, football in the top two divisions in England resumes, yet again, tomorrow.

This time, with the odious transfer window slammed firmly shut for a few months (another blog for another day!) there is a real sense of “right ok, the season can really start now.”

Except after four more league games it stops.

Again.

Before resuming in October for good.

And the reason for this? Our old friend, the international break.

Now, at the risk of giving my age away here (www.football-business.co.uk UK staff are older than we look!) it doesn’t seem all that long ago – but in reality was probably 20 years ago, the same as most things that seem recent turn out to be! – that internationals were played on a Wednesday and players played for their clubs in the Saturday before and the weekend after.

Then somewhere along the line, this all changed and instead we have a series of breaks to allow managers and players to “prepare.”

Except the players themselves don’t seem overly impressed with this. Wayne Rooney, for example, tweeted the other day: “longest day ever….” And I know as a supporter that isn’t a great weekend when there’s no football.

There was a piece on Radio5live on Tuesday when I was driving home from the football Business offices regarding the lack of interest in the England Internationals. The landlord from the South Bank Sports Bar in Nottingham (a pub I have been in a few times to fair) was on saying that for the Bulgaria game the clientele was “your normal Friday night crowd, no one seemed all that interested in the game.” While the reporter said that it was “dead” in Nottingham’s pubs before the Wales match.” Granted it was half 5 or so, but still.

So it begs the question: Is anybody (and by this I mean fans AND players) really interested in those games?  Or are they merely a distraction from the real (in the case of the fans) and money spinning (in the case of the players) business of club football?

Managers too, have been lining up to crticise the breaks, for example Tony Pulis called international friendlies “a waste of space,” with Neil Warnock being even more vocal (which makes a change….) and calling them “meaningless” and “pathetic” yesterday before adding: "[Can you imagine] if you'd had a player playing for Holland and he pulled a hamstring or did an injury and was out for six months in a game that they won 11-0 against San Marino?”

And if you think that can’t happen – just ask poor Dean Ashton….

It would be remiss of us at football business to criticise something and not come up with any solutions for how to make things better - so we will.

Next week – keep ‘em peeled! Ideas, you bet! Some of them might even be sensible…..
So this weekend enjoy the football! Whether it be the proper stuff (that’s 5 or 6 a side, especially if its in one of our franchised leagues….) or the 11 a side imposters that charge a fortune.
Have a good one!