Post by Mike Giggs' Munchies on Oct 13, 2014 10:41:13 GMT -5
So we all hate international breaks. They break up the season and are just really, really boring most of the time. I think this idea will change it.
The season starts at the same time, but now runs until April, with the CL final being played mid-April. This is achieved by removing all international breaks. May and June are then reserved for internationals (alternatively, you could have the season start in September after the transfer window closes, run until May, then June and July can be international time). In odd years (2015, 2017 etc.) the qualifiers for the next major tournament are all done in this period. So there would be maybe 10/12 games for European teams in these periods. Then for even years (2016, 2018 etc.) there would be a couple of friendlies in early May before the tournament proper begins. South Americans can play the Copa America in their usual time frame, then their qualifiers are split over two of these summer periods. The rest of the world stops for summer tournaments anyway so it doesn't make much of a difference to them really.
No complaining when players are injured for a few weeks on international duty, and conversely its much less likely that club managers would be able to get players to pull out of international duty for two whole months, and the season is over so they're less likely to want to anyway. No boring international breaks that just foster resentment towards the international team, but instead its almost like a mini-season every year with internationals keeping people's attention now the domestic season is over. Pre-Season starts in July, and the whole things starts all over again. I know some people fear big injuries could keep key players out of a whole qualifying campaign, but that's a risk for the WC and Euros anyway so its not like its anything new.
Thoughts?
The season starts at the same time, but now runs until April, with the CL final being played mid-April. This is achieved by removing all international breaks. May and June are then reserved for internationals (alternatively, you could have the season start in September after the transfer window closes, run until May, then June and July can be international time). In odd years (2015, 2017 etc.) the qualifiers for the next major tournament are all done in this period. So there would be maybe 10/12 games for European teams in these periods. Then for even years (2016, 2018 etc.) there would be a couple of friendlies in early May before the tournament proper begins. South Americans can play the Copa America in their usual time frame, then their qualifiers are split over two of these summer periods. The rest of the world stops for summer tournaments anyway so it doesn't make much of a difference to them really.
No complaining when players are injured for a few weeks on international duty, and conversely its much less likely that club managers would be able to get players to pull out of international duty for two whole months, and the season is over so they're less likely to want to anyway. No boring international breaks that just foster resentment towards the international team, but instead its almost like a mini-season every year with internationals keeping people's attention now the domestic season is over. Pre-Season starts in July, and the whole things starts all over again. I know some people fear big injuries could keep key players out of a whole qualifying campaign, but that's a risk for the WC and Euros anyway so its not like its anything new.
Thoughts?