Nations League

[TheBirchgrovePub]

In what way has it been a great success?

28k for the Wales game last week, a competitive international that saves meaningless friendlies. Promotion/Relegation and the potential of a playoff to qualify for major tournaments which has twice given Wales and many other countries a lifeline.

Additional money for both competing and success, plus added revenue from bigger crowds compared to friendlies.

Competetive games for all teams against similar ranked opposition. Look at the scenes on the pitch when San Marino won last week.

Did you watch Georgia at the euros? Promoted twice from the bottom division and now top of group B looking to get promoted again, momentum that led into them reaching the euros and then qualifying out of the group.

You might not personally like it but stupid to claim it hasn’t been a success, it’s one of the only things they’ve got right in recent years to give international football a much needed boost and make 90% of games competitive.

[The Lone Gunman]

28k for the Wales game last week, a competitive international that saves meaningless friendlies. Promotion/Relegation and the potential of a playoff to qualify for major tournaments which has twice given Wales and many other countries a lifeline.

Additional money for both competing and success, plus added revenue from bigger crowds compared to friendlies.

Competetive games for all teams against similar ranked opposition. Look at the scenes on the pitch when San Marino won last week.

Did you watch Georgia at the euros? Promoted twice from the bottom division and now top of group B looking to get promoted again, momentum that led into them reaching the euros and then qualifying out of the group.

You might not personally like it but stupid to claim it hasn’t been a success, it’s one of the only things they’ve got right in recent years to give international football a much needed boost and make 90% of games competitive.

Fair enough, I'll bow to your far greater knowledge on all of the above, and good luck to anyone who actually enjoys it, but it's definitely not for me.

My view is there is way too much football at all professional levels: way too many club competitions, way too many international matches, way too many teams able to qualify for international finals tournaments and European club competitions, etc etc. It's all become farcical as far as I'm concerned and totally devalues the game.

Meanwhile, the FA and League Cups have become a joke because players are rested on account of the fact that they play too much football.

No, I didn't watch Georgia at the Euros. I've got no interest in them whatsoever. Or San Marino. Or TNS.

[Der Kaiser]

Fair enough, I'll bow to your far greater knowledge on all of the above, and good luck to anyone who actually enjoys it, but it's definitely not for me.

My view is there is way too much football at all professional levels: way too many club competitions, way too many international matches, way too many teams able to qualify for international finals tournaments and European club competitions, etc etc. It's all become farcical as far as I'm concerned and totally devalues the game.

Meanwhile, the FA and League Cups have become a joke because players are rested on account of the fact that they play too much football.

No, I didn't watch Georgia at the Euros. I've got no interest in them whatsoever. Or San Marino. Or TNS.

I think both of you are right. The sport is so over saturated it's becoming a bit boring, it's like Eastenders at this point. Never ending and very little is actually that memorable.

That said if they are intent on expanding the sport to the point it may as well occupy a 24/7 channel, then the least they could do is make meaningful decisions making the additional games competitive - which the nations league has done in fairness.

[Jordi Culé]

I don't watch any of them these days. Haven't got the channels they're on and not interested enough to go to the pub to watch any of the games. I've watched a couple of finals in recent years years and that's about it.

That's fair enough.

I go to the Nations League games because I'm shanghaied into by my lad. It's the same for City games mind!

I wouldn't think of putting a game on to watch on the TV though unless it is perhaps Wales.

The tournament itself isn't the worse idea UEFA have come up with and it beats meaningless friendlies that they'd insist upon.

[Citizen's Nephew]

I fell out of love with international football especially with the Qatar WC build-up and watching Wales under Page. But the Turkey match last Friday with 28K at the CSS and front foot football made me wish we had more internationals and bigger sides to play. After the last few years of watching Cardiff I'd forgotten what the stadium could be like and the buzz of a game and the noise. We need that at City games. There were 10K fewer fans at the 'borough game. It was grim. Something has to be done.

[Cardiff-Cal]

I say give us more international football.

It’s far more enjoyable than club football.

I know, like every other aspect of football, FIFA, UEFA etc. are milking it for every penny they can, but it’s still at its core, about men and women playing for their nation and (hopefully) giving it their all, not for any huge financial gain, but because they want to bring enjoyment and pride to the people of their country.
To me, aside from proper non league football, and clubs like Exeter who are fan owned, it’s pretty much as pure as football can be these days.

I swear to god TLG would only be happy if every ounce of enjoyment in football has been banished 😆

[The Lone Gunman]

I swear to god TLG would only be happy if every ounce of enjoyment in football has been banished 😆

Have you watched City lately? And how did watching Wales under Page work out for you, oh happy one?

[Cardiff-Cal]

Have you watched City lately? And how did watching Wales under Page work out for you, oh happy one?

There were some incredible highs under Page, but yeah not enough of them, and some pretty terrible lows as well, and that’s why he’s no longer in charge… it can’t always be perfect, but the possibility is always there.

I don’t know if you’re actually Welsh or not, but have you ever done a Wales away?

I’m not saying you personally would enjoy it, but many thousands of people love the experience, god forbid people enjoy themselves eh?


Yes I have watched city plenty recently, why do you ask?

[A Quiet Monkfish]

28k for the Wales game last week, a competitive international that saves meaningless friendlies. Promotion/Relegation and the potential of a playoff to qualify for major tournaments which has twice given Wales and many other countries a lifeline.

Additional money for both competing and success, plus added revenue from bigger crowds compared to friendlies.

Competetive games for all teams against similar ranked opposition. Look at the scenes on the pitch when San Marino won last week.

Did you watch Georgia at the euros? Promoted twice from the bottom division and now top of group B looking to get promoted again, momentum that led into them reaching the euros and then qualifying out of the group.

You might not personally like it but stupid to claim it hasn’t been a success, it’s one of the only things they’ve got right in recent years to give international football a much needed boost and make 90% of games competitive.

It's better than pointless friendlies, true, but I think I'd appreciate the competition more if I understood it..

[The Lone Gunman]

There were some incredible highs under Page, but yeah not enough of them, and some pretty terrible lows as well, and that’s why he’s no longer in charge… it can’t always be perfect, but the possibility is always there.

I don’t know if you’re actually Welsh or not, but have you ever done a Wales away?

I’m not saying you personally would enjoy it, but many thousands of people love the experience, god forbid people enjoy themselves eh?

Yes I have watched city plenty recently, why do you ask?

I consider myself Welsh, as I was born in Cardiff and have lived here all my life. However, I was adopted at birth (or at least a few days afterwards). By blood I’m apparently three quarters English and a quarter Indian. By adoption, I’m a quarter English, a quarter Welsh, a quarter Polish and a quarter either Russian or Ukrainian (nobody in the family is quite sure). So a bit of a mix, to be fair.

The only Wales away games I ever did were England at the old Wembley in the 70’s and 80’s (three times in total I think) and the England game in France at the Euros.

I was very keen on international football as a youngster, but the older I’ve got the less it has meant to me and the dafter the whole thing has become in my opinion due to the ludicrous qualifying criteria for players and the continued expansion of finals tournaments, which has seriously devalued them in my view.

I have a number of good friends who travel away with Wales regularly and they absolutely love it. Ironically, one of those friends is English. But the whole scene is not for me. The increased levels of nationalism makes me uncomfortable, but more importantly I just don’t care enough to bother with it. Having been to a great many Wales games at various levels over the years, I only watch matches on TV now. Still want Wales to do well in every game, but not really bothered when they don’t.

I mentioned watching City as you talked of sucking the pleasure out football - something Bulut had been doing a grand job of since he arrived.