FIFA to axe one international break from next season and somehow make things worse
We're sure we aren't the only ones who hate international breaks during the Premier League season. It feels like we're just getting football back and BOOM, a fortnight off for some largely meaningless friendlies or some form of competition qualifier.
Obviously, this isn't just a Newcastle United problem; we're sure fans up and down the country roll their eyes when the words 'international break' are uttered, especially when it's the September break.
You literally get a couple of weeks of proper football and then it goes on hold for some inevitably terrible international schedule.
Well, fear not because FIFA has stepped in to make things better. No longer will there be the usual four international breaks in September, October, November and March starting next season, there'll now just be three.
One international break will be axed by making the September break three weeks long
As reported by The Athletic, FIFA will merge the September and October breaks into one starting next season, but that break will now last three weeks rather than two, allowing four fixtures to be played.
So, just as we get the Premier League back after the summer break next year, we're going to be hit with a three-week gap and forced to get our football fix from watching Nations League matches or something equally insufferable.
On one hand, we get the need for mid-season international breaks, it keeps the national players familiar with the set-up and keeps the managers involved, but it's so disruptive to club football, which 90% (I just made that up) of fans prefer.
Are you a fan of the changes FIFA has made?
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Yes - fewer breaks is a good thing, even if one is three weeks20%
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No - three weeks with no club football is a horrible idea80%
Why can't qualifying for a tournament take place in the off-season prior to the tournament?
International tournaments happen every two years, so why isn't the summer of each off-season devoted to the qualification process? It eliminates the need for the Nations League, as nobody cares about that anyway.
I guess then the PFA would kick off about the top players not having much time off, but you're getting paid over £ 100,000 a week to kick a bag of wind about a pitch a couple of times a week, chill out.
Am I just being a grumpy old man here, or do people actually enjoy the breaks in the Premier League season for international football and won't mind a three-week break?
