UEFA Nations League | Page 2 | Vital Football

UEFA Nations League

So this kicks off next week. I can't tell you how excited I am by this, really I can't.

I can't because I'm not remotely excited. Even less so now Jamie Vardy and Gary Cahill have announced their international retirements. Although in Vardy's case, only until Harry Kane gets injured by the sound of it.
 
You can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig. You can call it what you like but they’re still meaningless friendlies to me.
 
Well us Irish are playing the Welsh so at least there should be a bit of bite in that one, especially as it's Giggs first "real" game as Welsh manager.

I wonder will I hear any songs about a certain Declan Rice....
 
At least they are trying something to shake things up. I imagine it will be slightly more than just a friendly.. it will be interesting to see if things kick on from our World Cup run although I can’t say I am particularly excited for the first round of fixtures.
 
Stephen Jay Hawkings said:
Well us Irish are playing the Welsh so at least there should be a bit of bite in that one, especially as it's Giggs first "real" game as Welsh manager.

I wonder will I hear any songs about a certain Declan Rice....
Click to expand...

Since you brought it up, what would you do in Rice's shoes? The lad was born and bred in England. He's as English as Andy Townsend or Tony Cascarino.

Playing for England gives you much more money and the slim chance of actually winning for something. However, there is no guarantee that he'll ever play for England and he would walk into the Ireland squad.
 
BodyButter said:
Since you brought it up, what would you do in Rice's shoes? The lad was born and bred in England. He's as English as Andy Townsend or Tony Cascarino.

Playing for England gives you much more money and the slim chance of actually winning for something. However, there is no guarantee that he'll ever play for England and he would walk into the Ireland squad.
Click to expand...

If I was Rice I wouldn't have been playing for Ireland from the U-16's up to senior level, and saying he was fully committed to Ireland and there was no decision to make on his future. Until England come calling...

To be fair, it's not him I have the problem with, it's the FAI. I understood Jack's decision and held nothing against him. I don't think the granny rule or whatever should be applied to players who are underage. Maybe after the age of 21, where they have to commit to the senior side and stick with their international identity.

The FAI need to revamp their youth system and seriously work on developing young Irish players rather than filling the sides with plastic Paddies who decide to do a u-turn when they have to commit.

The thing with Rice now is that there will be a cloud over him if he does decide to play for Ireland, so he's pretty much fucked that up.
 
Stephen Jay Hawkings said:
If I was Rice I wouldn't have been playing for Ireland from the U-16's up to senior level, and saying he was fully committed to Ireland and there was no decision to make on his future. Until England come calling...

To be fair, it's not him I have the problem with, it's the FAI. I understood Jack's decision and held nothing against him. I don't think the granny rule or whatever should be applied to players who are underage. Maybe after the age of 21, where they have to commit to the senior side and stick with their international identity.

The FAI need to revamp their youth system and seriously work on developing young Irish players rather than filling the sides with plastic Paddies who decide to do a u-turn when they have to commit.

The thing with Rice now is that there will be a cloud over him if he does decide to play for Ireland, so he's pretty much fucked that up.
Click to expand...

I agree with you about the FAI. I guess if Rice came knocking on their door and said he wanted to play for Ireland, they couldn't say no but if they are actively trying to recruit youth players from the UK, they are wasting their time.

I do have some sympathy for Rice though. I'd play for Malaysia if they asked me (I'm 40 and was never that good) but I'd crawl over broken glass to play for Ireland. If Malaysia came to me first and asked me to play and I didn't think Ireland would ever ask, of course I'd play for them. If later Ireland told me I was in contention, I'd have a very difficult decision to make.
 
I think it’s better than meaningless friendlies for the sake of playing, I guess they’ve looked at rugby and the success of the 6 Nations each year and thought that could be the way forward rather than watching 4 teams play a 90 minute game (with 11 subs each per team).

Every England manager tries to find the winning formula from playing 20 different selections over 4-5 friendlies - and the one that performs well for 30 mins is that winning formula.

It doesn’t work in my opinion, you need 15-16 players and the selected XI start most games unless injures, the rezzers come in when someone is injured or rested. No wonder we have no style of play or rhythm. Every England squad for the last however many tournaments you can see the players learning how to play with each other in the group games.

It might also help the European teams by playing more competitive football and challenging each other more in these games, so that instead of England going to Berlin and beating the Germans on their own patch meaning we are guaranteed to win the next World Cup, the Germans put out a better side and the best team will win - and England get the reality check we are still shit.
 
Its a bloody ridiculous set up, just another excuse for UEFA to generate more money. I read on the BBC website earlier that the winners of the top 4 groups will qualify for an end of season tournament next Summer. How long before that gets increased to 8 teams then 16. It also guarantee's a major tournament spot for one of the 12 lowest ranked teams in Europe - so Euro 2020 will be graced with someone of the level of Luxembourg, Kazakhstan or Gibraltar!
 
McGinn looking horrible for Scotland, just gifted Belgium a goal after lazily being caught in possession
 
Pointless crock of shit - the sooner we realise international football is a sideshow the better.
 
This weird competition reaches the semi-final stage this week as England take on The Netherlands on Thursday for the right to face Portugal or Switzerland in the inaugural final on Sunday 9th June.

We have a very good chance of winning our first silverware since 1966 at senior level. But the question remains...

 
We'll never win 2 on the trot. I don't know whether it's worse to lose in the semis or in the final to Switzerland
 
You must log in or register to reply here.