It’s only a short one, because it’s not really relevant to the Villa as such, but it does affect the game.
It all started yesterday when I heard that Arsene Wenger has suggested a world cup every two years. I didn’t think much of it and frankly wondered what he was on about.
Until I heard that this has actually been proposed, which in my opinion is seriously bad news.
Gareth Southgate had said that a World cup every two years would be too much and for once, he’s right about something.
As it stands, the WC alternates with the Euros, ie they’re two years apart and every other year the domestic game is blitzed with breaks destroying any impetus that teams might have built up. I suppose you can also say it’s a welcome break for teams that are struggling, but either way, it just destroys the season for us fans.
I’ve suggested previously that the qualifiers ought to consist of all the teams thrown in the hat and whittled down like a conventional cup. Yes, it’s a lottery, but it was that format that made the FA cup so popular before the leagues totally debased it. You might actually get a Libya vs Brazil type final, which would make a great change.
Whatever, I didn’t hear anyone saying I was wrong and I really do believe noone is interested in the qualifiers.
The actual finals, fair enough. Even I find those very watchable and I think a lot of that is down to the timeline.
Who wants to watch a game when you don’t reap the reward until next year?
Of course some will love it and that’s fair enough. But I’m a Villa fan and England come a very distant second, particularly nowadays where some players think they’re bigger than the team.
I find it fascinating that Wenger is one of those proposing this and strongly suspect the shoe would have been firmly on the other foot if he was still a club manager, as opposed to being a Eufa advisor.
I suspect this is all about money, as it seems everything footy related is now and us fans need to be vigilant, as they’ll try and introduce this by stealth if we aren’t careful.
It already seems like we have qualifiers every couple of weeks and I don’t want to see any more of them, thanks.
Of course you might think differently.
I really hope this gets kicked into touch.
I used to really like Wenger too.
No.
Definitely not
Bonkers.
When are players meant to rest 1 in 4 years!
World Cup
Euros
World Cup
Break
Stupid plan, therefore very likely to be adopted.
A number of top players will pack in international football to protect themselves from injury. Remember it is the clubs who pay their day to day wages.
Sid, I will take your point a step further and predict that the day that players go on strike is approaching. Yes, they are handsomely paid. But they are not animals. Even a donkey will eventually give out if it’s pushed beyond its limit.
Badger, out of interest run a poll – or is it a foregone conclusion?
I’ve just looked into inserting a poll and everything has changed. I’ve followed the instructions, but it doesn’t work.
Argh, why do they keep messing with things?
I’ll have to look into that further, but I’ve got other stuff to do and it’ll have to wait.
It seems it’s a foregone conclusion anyway and I’d expect that to be the universal feeling throughout the game.
Which begs the question of why they come up with these hair-brained ideas when no one wants it?
But then, it’s not about what the fans want is it?
No – it’s as you said – all about the money.
I see the players not released for the Brazil game are banned for five days but it seems the Prem League clubs involved don’t accept it.
What is galling about this is there’s no reference to clubs, like Villa, that released players for Argentina and will be without them for the Chelsea game and also have had their training interrupted as a result of the 10 day quarantine.
If they get away with it, I hope Villa put in the strongest objection possible.
Level playing fields – my arse!
So players not released for WC qualifiers are going to avoid bans but clubs like Villa that released players are to be penalised through quarantine rules.What is even more galling is that Buendia wasn’t even picked for either match day squad.
What a f’ing mess.
I’ll be really pissed off if Villa release players again in similar circumstances.
I’m so angry and completely fed up with football.
Ca_villan@yahoo.com