VillaChris Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 11 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said: Was just thinking to myself, it can be quite boring and shite can't it? Bar the big tournaments. Even the England game yesterday I was half asleep. Too many teams qualify so there's a real lack of jeopardy in the qualifiers. I mean for euros you get top 2 straight through (and some like Scotland only have 5 team groups) and then endless teams have the backdoor route through nations league play offs. At least World cup qualifying has just 1st going through and everyone else is then in fight for play offs but they really need to reconsider qualifiers, I thought with nations league coming in they could act as potential qualifiers but Uefa don't want to risk it given England and Germany have both been relegated since their introduction. Watch them extend the Euros to 32 teams in the next decade and still have the same qualifying format to knock out less than 20 teams (and half of them are minnows like San Marino or Malta with little chance of even getting 1-2 points). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlobalVillan Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 27 minutes ago, VillaChris said: Too many teams qualify so there's a real lack of jeopardy in the qualifiers. I mean for euros you get top 2 straight through (and some like Scotland only have 5 team groups) and then endless teams have the backdoor route through nations league play offs. At least World cup qualifying has just 1st going through and everyone else is then in fight for play offs but they really need to reconsider qualifiers, I thought with nations league coming in they could act as potential qualifiers but Uefa don't want to risk it given England and Germany have both been relegated since their introduction. Watch them extend the Euros to 32 teams in the next decade and still have the same qualifying format to knock out less than 20 teams (and half of them are minnows like San Marino or Malta with little chance of even getting 1-2 points). Add to that the fact that right now, every footballer in all of the big leagues just wants to f*** off to Ibiza/Dubai for a month and you have to wonder whats the point of these qualifiers. Even if the likes of Scotland do get to the finals in Germany, they'll be out in the group stage and the tournament will probably be won by the hosts or France. International football really isn't worth watching like it used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 5 minutes ago, GlobalVillan said: Even if the likes of Scotland do get to the finals in Germany, they'll be out in the group stage and the tournament will probably be won by the hosts or France. International football really isn't worth watching like it used to be. Well yeah, usually the countries with the best players win, when was it otherwise? All apart from the top few players rarely win Wimbledon either, but each stage is a new challenge and an achievement for others if they win, even if they aren't going to win the overall tournament. I don't really understand what people in this thread want. If you think it should just be a tournament for England France Spain Italy and Germany fair enough, but it never was that in the first place so I don't the 'harking back to a golden age' angle. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlobalVillan Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 1 minute ago, HanoiVillan said: Well yeah, usually the countries with the best players win, when was it otherwise? All apart from the top few players rarely win Wimbledon either, but each stage is a new challenge and an achievement for others if they win, even if they aren't going to win the overall tournament. I don't really understand what people in this thread want. If you think it should just be a tournament for England France Spain Italy and Germany fair enough, but it never was that in the first place so I don't the 'harking back to a golden age' angle. I mean its just boring. Nothing more than that. Too many games to get to a point where they will just fall at the first hurdle. Even of there happens to be the odd good game, it's still meaningless. Tho the Premier League is exactly the same now in fairness thanks to Man City. Qualifiers need scrapping for the Euros. The continent is small enough to work out another way of qualification. Wasn't the NL suppsoed to do that? And I'm not "harking back" to anything, just saying I used to not just watch, but actually GO to qualifiers back in the 90s. I haven't even watched one on TV since. Not one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 5 minutes ago, GlobalVillan said: I mean its just boring. Nothing more than that. Too many games to get to a point where they will just fall at the first hurdle. Even of there happens to be the odd good game, it's still meaningless. Tho the Premier League is exactly the same now in fairness thanks to Man City. I follow a few Scotland fans on social media and I promise you they were not bored by that game, and they don't think it was not fun or meaningless just because they're not going to win the tournament overall. 9 minutes ago, GlobalVillan said: Qualifiers need scrapping for the Euros. The continent is small enough to work out another way of qualification. Wasn't the NL suppsoed to do that? Qualifiers are fine as they are tbh. I don't really understand what format you think the Nations League should have to lead to qualification, but the only two ways I can think of would lead to either *only* the big nations or *nowhere near enough* big nations, and both of those would make the finals worse. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoobs Posted June 17, 2023 Visiting Supporter Share Posted June 17, 2023 29 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said: I follow a few Scotland fans on social media and I promise you they were not bored by that game, and they don't think it was not fun or meaningless just because they're not going to win the tournament overall. Qualifiers are fine as they are tbh. I don't really understand what format you think the Nations League should have to lead to qualification, but the only two ways I can think of would lead to either *only* the big nations or *nowhere near enough* big nations, and both of those would make the finals worse. Trust me, for a nation like us, qualifiers aren’t boring. That’s why I am so glad Scotland is my nation in terms of international football. This is what it means. No disrespect to England but because you are so strong as a nation, 90% of international football is pointless. Malta v England. Result is never in doubt. We beat Norway and it’s a 3 day holiday for Scotland. And what about the SJM engine at the end. Love him. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlobalVillan Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 45 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said: I follow a few Scotland fans on social media and I promise you they were not bored by that game, and they don't think it was not fun or meaningless just because they're not going to win the tournament overall. Qualifiers are fine as they are tbh. I don't really understand what format you think the Nations League should have to lead to qualification, but the only two ways I can think of would lead to either *only* the big nations or *nowhere near enough* big nations, and both of those would make the finals worse. I am sure that for a few nations you are right and they enjoy the qualifiers. I am talking generally and of course countries like Scoltland are the exception to the rule. Having personally lived in many European countries, as varied Italy, Norway, Spain, Czech Republic and Croatia, I can tell you that nobody I have ever known in those places gives a toss about qualifiers. As they don't in England either generally. As for the NL, I think you actually CAN qualify for the Euros through it already, I meant that itd be good to find a way to get rid of the qualifiers completely and the international breaks that all seem so pointless to the vast majority of people. Although I grant that there will be exceptions. Scotland fans may be happy today, but I'm not sure hiw much they have enjoyed the qualifiers over the last 40 years in general. And each to their own, if people enjoy England beating Malta and Moldova then fair enough. Personally, I don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Who attacked Lyndon Dykes with a marker pen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 It was better in the 90s. Just the group winners used to go through so would pretty much always go to the last game as a decider. Less teams and groups aswell so you had England and Italy in same group (I know it's happening now but top 2 + nations league play off results in far less tension). Can still remember England going to Rome and getting a 0-0 that got them to the 98 World cup automatically then you had the Beckham free kick in last minute v Greece four years later and Germany went into the play offs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 3 hours ago, Pinebro said: Haaland really should picked England Why? Can he play defensive midfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 2 hours ago, GlobalVillan said: Add to that the fact that right now, every footballer in all of the big leagues just wants to f*** off to Ibiza/Dubai for a month and you have to wonder whats the point of these qualifiers. Even if the likes of Scotland do get to the finals in Germany, they'll be out in the group stage and the tournament will probably be won by the hosts or France. International football really isn't worth watching like it used to be. Every footballer is not Jack Grealish Some actually respect playing for the national team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 55 minutes ago, VillaChris said: It was better in the 90s. Just the group winners used to go through so would pretty much always go to the last game as a decider. Less teams and groups aswell so you had England and Italy in same group (I know it's happening now but top 2 + nations league play off results in far less tension). Can still remember England going to Rome and getting a 0-0 that got them to the 98 World cup automatically then you had the Beckham free kick in last minute v Greece four years later and Germany went into the play offs. Its normally group winners qualify..play offs are terrible, evwn examples you said was a play off opportunity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlobalVillan Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 44 minutes ago, Zatman said: Every footballer is not Jack Grealish Some actually respect playing for the national team I didn't mention Jack Grealish at all. I just know that at the end of a long season, players are desperate to get away and have a break. A pretty pointless walk in the park against Malta just seemed daft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinebro Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 7 hours ago, Zatman said: Why? Can he play defensive midfield I feel bad for him playing for Norway. It's unbelievable how bad the rest of our squad is apart from him and Odegaard. It's basic stuff. Haaland not playing in a world cup or euros would be tragic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mic09 Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 9 hours ago, GlobalVillan said: I didn't mention Jack Grealish at all. I just know that at the end of a long season, players are desperate to get away and have a break. A pretty pointless walk in the park against Malta just seemed daft. Daft for you, probably not for the people of Malta. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted June 18, 2023 Author Share Posted June 18, 2023 (edited) 34 minutes ago, Mic09 said: Daft for you, probably not for the people of Malta. The point is right though, shit time for games regardless of who we play The problem is its a FIFA global international break and not every league finished in may, same as not every league in 2 games in when they stop in August or whenever it is Edited June 18, 2023 by villa4europe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 As far as I know there's always been international games in June in non tournament years. Go back to 1997 and England had World cup qualifiers and then played in Le Tournoi which was World cup warm up. Go back to Graham Taylor's time and there was a summer tournament in the US where they lost to US. Of course with backlog of domestic leagues and european expansion seasons ending in mid June are going to be regular now rather than the exception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Dogg Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 Qualifiers are boring for England because they cruise through them with no excitement of any kind. Under Southgate anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlobalVillan Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 5 hours ago, Mic09 said: Daft for you, probably not for the people of Malta. The people of Malta will not have been excited by 2000 pissheads arriving from England before strolling to routine 4-0 victory. I assure you of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvonVillain Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 (edited) I love watching / listening to Scotland, Wales & both Irelands, but couldn't care any less about England qualifying. I don't even know what the score was or who we played whenever it was. *edit* Ah, just seen post above. Now I know. Edited June 18, 2023 by AvonVillain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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