Big European clubs looking to cut International matches - again.

[Tes]

European giants demand 'nonsense' fixtures are removed from international calendar

By Laura Williamson  6th September 2011


Europe's top clubs want to reduce the number of international matches each season and cut out 'nonsense' friendlies.

The European Club Association would like to release players for just six internationals outside of major tournaments each season, meaning countries would have to compete in smaller qualifying groups or cut out non-competitive matches.

England played nine games in 2010-11, including four friendlies against Hungary, France, Denmark and Ghana.

ECA and Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: 'We are the most important stakeholder - without our players you can't have the competition. We have to come back in favour of quality not quantity.

'Qualifying groups for international tournaments used to have groups of four, now it is six or seven. 'It has to be stopped that we release players for nonsense dates.'

The ECA proposed 12 international dates over a two-year period, which would come into force after the current deal ends in 2014.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2034206/Cut-international-calendar-half-demand-European-Club-Association.html

Whilst they're at it trim all top European leagues down to 16 teams - 30 matches a season, reduce the Champions League down to 24 teams (4 groups of 6, 2 semi-finals and a final) and also the obese Europa League (32 teams, no qualifying rounds, no CL failures, two legged ties).

Quality, not quantity and then the players can be paid less, because they'll be doing less. Upside for them - hopefully fewer injuries and the darlings will be less 'tired'.

[the dude abides]

unlike when we were growing up Tes, the present-day FA (and other major international football associations) are profit-making organisations.

thus, my mind changed on this topic a few years ago (after I discovered the budget and the profit making ventures of the London-based FA).

if the FA want top players, then they have to pay for their insurance.   The days of freebies are over. 

And we need to cut back the ever growing international schedule of games.    Holland beat San Marino 11-0 last week, in a Euro qualifier.  These types of games serve no purpose.  Let's get back to 4 team groups.  And the minnows can be involved in a pre-qualifying group/s.

And as fans, we need less football on our screens not more.  Rather than get a break this summer from football on tv, we had to put up with the under 17 world cup, the under 21 world cup, the women's world cup, etc, etc. 

Enough!   

Every sport should have it's place.  Football has grown like a weed....and now dominates the garden. 

Heck, SPORT in general is now a weed....and along with *talent* and *reality* shows, it plagues tv screens across the planet.

[Tes]

if the FA want top players, then they have to pay for their insurance.   The days of freebies are over. 

Totally agree, Dude. All players should be insured against injury and their wages covered. It's far too much money now for clubs to be expected to continue to find when they get a 'broken' player handed back to them by any national team.
If the smaller nations can't afford the insurance then either they are excluded from international football until they have financially evolved enough, or if FIFA wants these smaller teams in it's competitions then it pays for the insurance. Surely it earns enough from it's competitions to cover any insurance shortfall. Put something back in and be a facilitator instead of just taking all the time.

Also the lesser teams should have a qualifying tournament with the winners of the groups replacing the bottom placed teams in the groups of the main qualifying tournament. For example, the bottom placed team in the current Euros qualifying groups would be replaced by the group winners from the qualifying groups. The winners and losers would take their places in the respective tournaments for the 2016 Euros. Then we're back to four team groups, six qualifying games over (nearly) two seasons.

[the dude abides]

good idea Tes, makes perfect sense.

I paid 500 dollars the other week, for another 15 months of tv coverage (all the sports, most of the movies and all the documentary channels).  But the english football (spanish commentary) is all I watch....well 90 percent of my watching is of Liverpool....the rest of the american themed channels (even the documentaries) are a pile of hogwash.  Unwatchable.

And I said to myself this time, that this may be the last time I spend money on this live footy coverage.  I may go back to what I knew as a kid - i.e. watch Match of the Day highlights.  I can download the torrent here the next day.  I may go back to doing that, because I am sorta sick of all the football on tv.  It is endless.  Even this close season, I was plagued by football world cups (under 17, under 21, womens).  I watched none of them, but they were always on when I went into shops and bars.

And these endless group games are part of the problem, of over-kill re football. 

We need much less football on our tv screens.  The clubs and national associations all want to grab a slice of the pie.....but they are killing the goose that lays the golden egg.  They are killing the game, with 24/7 coverage, 12 months of the year.  For goodness sake folks, give us a break. 

Re less games.....We need to go back to the old four team group - as you said, 6 games over a 2 year period.  We need national teams to pay insurance and wages, when they have the players and if the player should get injured.

Your idea is a good one.  Or maybe they just need to look at the FIFA rankings.....and those near the bottom of the rankings, get herded into pre-qualifying.  Maybe Wales might be dangerously close to such a scenario!

[Tes]

As with anything that can be based on 'supply and demand' (however losely), you need to keep the supply just below the level of demand. A percentage of 'pent up demand' is much better than saturation or complete satisfaction of demand.

The problem is that the quality and sporting aspect suffers where this 'money first' approach is followed. Still, I guess it fits in with the 'modern way' of image over substance. (End of old man's grumble).

[the dude abides]

yes, you always want to leave them wanting a little more.

for me, Sky's premiership was a nail in english football's coffin, and the CL and Bosman provided the two final nails.

but football now (like snooker, in it's own way, in the 80s) has reached saturation point.  OK, I imagine the top executives will see major potential to offer future highlights/goal coverage on new medias, like cell phones/blueberries, etc.  And there always be talk of breakaway leagues, made up of the continent's top teams.     
But really, from my seat, it looks like a market that is long since been exposed to saturation coverage.  I love my football, but I was sick this summer to get no break at all.  Three other bleedin footy world cups were on, across the entire summer.  Next summer it will be Euro 2012.  Enough, enough! 

when I was growing up, I used to enjoy the summer, watching 40 overs cricket on lazy Sunday afternoons, over on BBC2.  Now, I am not a major cricket fan.  But for a few months each summer, it was  a refreshing break.  Similar re Wimbledon - I am not a major tennis fan, but it is good for two weeks of the year. 

And by the end of the summer, I was refreshed and my batteries re-powered, looking forward with excitement to  a new football season starting.  These times, I could hardly care less. 

And don't start me on the endless press conferences.....every bleedin day, we see the managers wheeled on, to offer new soundbytes for the media.  I am surprised that Kenny and his colleagues find time to take training and think about issues. 

end of rant from a sunburnt shaved headed man.

[Tes]

Ditto, Dude. I seem to remember the papers had plenty of football in them without the press conferences.

Strange how so much has changed yet I'm struggling to see an improvement in amongst all the change.

[the dude abides]

Ditto, Dude. I seem to remember the papers had plenty of football in them without the press conferences.

Strange how so much has changed yet I'm struggling to see an improvement in amongst all the change.

agreed, Tes.

and despite historically the game never being richer, than it is today, clubs have never been poorer.  Record club debts, despite record incomes. 

and as for daily press conferences, if I were a manager, I would send out some club employee, to conduct interviews on my behalf.  Fergie has it right (ok, despite it being for the wrong reasons - his hatred of the BBC).

Like what possibly could Kenny have to say today in his press conference, that would be new.  What major issue has cropped up at Melwood in the mere space of 24 hours.

BTW I note that Kenny was very tetchy with his media inquisitors the other day re their stories on Carroll.  Kenny was rightfully pissed off at them using old Capello quotes from March.  "When are you lot gonna stop milking it?" was the gist of his attack.