UEFA International League

keith16

The latest idea to be floated by UEFA:

Uefa is considering a radical overhaul of international football that would see national teams playing a new Nations League competition.

The idea, floated at executive committee meetings that preceded the Uefa Congress in Dubrovnik last month, would see Uefa using existing dates for friendlies in the international calendar to launch a new league involving all 54 member nations.

How the groups might look

First division: Spain, Germany, Holland, Italy, England, Portugal

Second division: Russia, Greece, Croatia, Sweden, France, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Third division: Ukraine, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, Hungary, Czech Republic

Fourth division: Ireland, Serbia, Norway, Slovakia, Turkey, Israel

Fifth division: Slovenia, Austria, Romania, Montenegro, Poland, Finland

Sixth division: Scotland, Armenia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus

Seventh division: Wales, Northern Ireland, Albania, Iceland, Lithuania, Macedonia

Eighth division: Georgia, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Kazakhstan

Ninth division: Liechtenstein, Faroe Islands, Malta, Andorra, San Marino,Gibraltar

MEH is my gut reaction. I dunno tho, would it be good for the bottom tier nations?

A Primal Nut

Even more competitive games in an already crowded football calendar. Friendlies are useful for trying out new players and so on.

Kirby

It's a terrible idea.

For anyone outside of the Elite, part of the thrill of international football is coming up against the perceived big boys. Compare the crowds, hype and atmosphere when we play a team like France, Germany, Italy, Spain or Russia to when we play another small nation like ourselves. It's just not the same.

Who's going to show up to see us play Norway, Israel or Turkey? Attendance and viewing figures would plummet. We've had friendlies against Italy, Brazil, England etc. in the past.

No thanks. I'm sick of these super organisations looking for ways to make more money at the expense of the game itself.

ArmaniJeanss

Guardian stirring I'd say, doubt theres any truth in it.


edit : Fact that they've stuck England in League 1 ahead of countries they are behind both in world rankings and coefficient means I'm even more convinced they dreamt it up themselves.

5starpool

Meh, not a good idea imo.

iDave

I can think worse ideas tbh. Most friendlies are tedious as fcuk unless its against a neighbour.

lycan238

Third division: Ukraine, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, Hungary, Czech Republic
Fourth division: Ireland, Serbia, Norway, Slovakia, Turkey, Israel
Fifth division: Slovenia, Austria, Romania, Montenegro, Poland, Finland

Ok so presuming its home and away that is 10 games every time. It is possible to do this every season however if qualification for the european championships/World Cup were built into the structure you could see more of the smaller nations qualifying and therefore getting big games in the major tournament as was mentioned above. I personally would like to see Ireland playing Turkey and Serbia as I think they would provide a challenge but one we should overcome.

Also third division does look to be a good step up as it should be.

Too Tough To Die

Yeah, why not. Friendlies are sh!t.

FearDark

England in the top tier.... lol

Dont be at yourself

The big downside to this is that there'd be no games against Asian, African or South American teams -- although that would heighten the occasion of the World Cup, I suppose.

It would be interesting to expand the concept into a world league and get the other associations involved, but a 207-team pyramid would be quite something! Perhaps the top 2 or 3 tiers could be intercontinental, with the rest regional.

The most important thing is that some sort of meaning and competitiveness is introduced to the friendlies.

Mitch Connor

i think you would still need to leave dates free for teams to select their own friendlies.

For a lot of countries this would be revenue reasoned - need a big money spinning game to fill the stadium.

However, you also have cases where teams want to play nations that play similarly to teams they have been drawn against in the EC or WC - this needs to be accounted for.

a number of south american teams play Europe based friendlies due to the location of their players - this would likely have to stop. Would also mean little/no chance for teams from other federations to play vs european ones, a bad idea imo

There is also the question of how they would get the games played.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/feb/28/european-clubs-uefa-cut-international-matches

Major changes have also been agreed, subject to Fifa's approval, to the international calendar. Last year, the ECA proposed drastically reorganising the international calendar into six double headers for each two-year international tournament cycle, but a "compromise solution" of nine double-headers starting in 2015 was agreed. There will be no single dates for friendlies with the unpopular August friendly dropped from the calendar, probably from 2014.

9 double headers over a two year cycle - so 18 games in total. 10 games required for these friendlies to be done home/away - leaving just 8 for qualifiers for EC/WC and no room, I would say, for friendlies arranged to the possible requirements of each/any nation.

Think there are far too many areas of concern for FA bodies - and I cant see the clubs being happy if the number of international games is increased to accomodate this plan, so likely they won't agree to it.

Interesting idea, and on the face of it a good one (IMO) but not workable for practical reasons.

Darkglasses

I know it's a bad idea...But I still kinda like it? Anything's better than the flipping friendlies.

COYVB

I think that's a great idea tbh. I'd definitely be interested in watching internationals if that was the case

keith16

COYVB wrote: »

I think that's a great idea tbh. I'd definitely be interested in watching internationals if that was the case

Yeah, I mean it's really difficult not to instantly dismiss anything UEFA / FIFA come up with as utterly out of touch, but I am a little intrigued by this.

Fr Tod Umptious

A Primal Nut wrote: »

Even more competitive games in an already crowded football calendar. Friendlies are useful for trying out new players and so on.

I hate it when people go and try to compare Gaelic Football and soccer but I am going to do it myself anyway.

This idea could very well work like the The League does in GAA

The League is not the primary competition but it is a competition none the less.
It gives teams the opportunity to try out new players, and thus gives established players a rest, and to try out new systems, players playing in different positions etc
Every team in the league has a different focus, be it winning it outright, consolidation in their division, promotion to the next level, avoiding relegation etc, and all at the same time trying new players, systems etc.
And the league is also competitive, teams want to win, and the run in is often exciting as there are lots of different outcomes that may happen during the final few weeks of the competition

It could be the case that this UEFA proposal works out being the same.
The primary competition would still be the qualification games, but this league would also be valuable to teams based on what they want to get out of it, move up a level, try new things, consolodate their position etc.

Far better than friendlies if you ask me

Mr Whirly

Only if you can get relegated or promoted.

Chagan

I like it. It still gives the opportunity for coaches to experiment before qualifiers but gives the friendly games a much needed competitive edge. Also offers the minnows a better chance to properly gauge where they are and develop.

gnfnrhead

Curious as to what criteria was used for those groups. UEFA co-effiencents would see France in the top group ahead of Holland but the FIFA rankings would see Belgium and Croatia instead of England and Portugal. I assume the FIFA rankings would take priority but the groups dont reflect that.

The only negative I can see is fitting them in. I'd like to see it maybe spread out over two years. That still leaves plenty of room for the qualifiers. Over the past few years we have averaged 5 friendlies per year. Two years and thats the 10 matches done alongside the qualifiers. Have the seasons end in non cup years so: 2014: WC, 2015: Season ends, 2016: Euros, 2017: Season ends, and repeat.

Mint Sauce

Chagan wrote: »

I like it. It still gives the opportunity for coaches to experiment before qualifiers but gives the friendly games a much needed competitive edge. Also offers the minnows a better chance to properly gauge where they are and develop.

But whilst friendlies could see you up against higher, or even lower ranked sided. This format wont.

Ferris_Bueller

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

I hate it when people go and try to compare Gaelic Football and soccer but I am going to do it myself anyway.

This idea could very well work like the The League does in GAA

The League is not the primary competition but it is a competition none the less.
It gives teams the opportunity to try out new players, and thus gives established players a rest, and to try out new systems, players playing in different positions etc
Every team in the league has a different focus, be it winning it outright, consolidation in their division, promotion to the next level, avoiding relegation etc, and all at the same time trying new players, systems etc.
And the league is also competitive, teams want to win, and the run in is often exciting as there are lots of different outcomes that may happen during the final few weeks of the competition

It could be the case that this UEFA proposal works out being the same.
The primary competition would still be the qualification games, but this league would also be valuable to teams based on what they want to get out of it, move up a level, try new things, consolodate their position etc.

Far better than friendlies if you ask me

This came to mind when I first read it too. Nobody really enjoys friendlies, even when they are against one of the bigger countries. I would be interested in it happening, but have a feeling it will never come about.

Chagan

Mint Sauce wrote: »

But whilst friendlies could see you up against higher, or even lower ranked sided. This format wont.

I'd rather we played 10 semi-competitive games against teams of similar stature to us with the prospect of stepping up a level if we did well. I'd consider that better than playing friendlies against bigger teams where even if we do get a result it means nothing (e.g England) or pointless games against lower ranked teams (playing Oman in Craven Cottage)

We'd still be playing at least one marquee name in the qualifiers anyway.

Mitch Connor

Trap held friendlies as important due to rankings points on offer.

Imagine if the man in charge with this in place had the same attitude to the ranking points as well as the placing in this league format - could be very poor for the development of younger players.

Maybe a rule would need to be put in place to ensure some amount of younger or uncapped players were included in the squad, match day squad or starting 11.

Fr Tod Umptious

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Curious as to what criteria was used for those groups. UEFA co-effiencents would see France in the top group ahead of Holland but the FIFA rankings would see Belgium and Croatia instead of England and Portugal. I assume the FIFA rankings would take priority but the groups dont reflect that.

The only negative I can see is fitting them in. I'd like to see it maybe spread out over two years. That still leaves plenty of room for the qualifiers. Over the past few years we have averaged 5 friendlies per year. Two years and thats the 10 matches done alongside the qualifiers. Have the seasons end in non cup years so: 2014: WC, 2015: Season ends, 2016: Euros, 2017: Season ends, and repeat.

Again like in GAA it does not necessarily have to be home and away.
You could play 3 home games one year, two the next.
That means you could get it done in a single season and with promotion and relegation the various divisions would be freshened up each season

Richard Hillman

I like this idea. Anything is better than friendlies. Unfortunately though I think they will use this to replace the European Championships since they are so intent on ruining it.