I don’t know whether it’s just me or if anybody else feels this way but are international friendlies even worth playing? They are just more games for supposedly tired legs.
So many people in England complain about player tiredness and the amount of games, yet we play a completely pointless friendly against Denmark tomorrow night in the middle of a gruelling Premier League season.
Injured
If I was a club team boss and my best players were going to play pointless international friendlies I would probably tell them to say they had a slight niggle and withdraw from their international squads.
A lot of clubs have done that in the past and they have every right. The clubs pay the players wages and they are the ones who have to cope with the loss of the player if he picks up an injury and is out for months.
A good example was West Ham striker Dean Ashton picking up an injury which cost him his career, while training with England for a pointless friendly game. He recently sued the FA and won an undisclosed fee.
As an Everton I am now furious that promising young midfielder Jack Rodwell could be out injured with a groin strain, after picking up the injury playing for England under-21’s earlier today. The youngster is just getting back to his best form after a long-term injury and it’s a big blow to Everton and boss David Moyes.
Experience
People say that these friendly games give international managers the opportunity to try out youngsters on the international stage. That is absolute rubbish. These games are nothing like competitive international games.
Players are scared to put a tackle in or get a knock because it might keep them out of vital domestic games to come. They are nothing like European Championship or World cup games for which these games are meant to prepare players and managers.
The games may give less experienced players the chance to mix with seasoned international footballers but they do that week-in week-out with their clubs.
Gain
I don’t think managers can gain much from players playing in these hardly competitive pointless encounters. A lot of players playing in these friendly games are just going through the motions and just want to get back to their clubs as soon as they can.
Poor
A lot of the teams that are put in front of England for friendly games are poor but tomorrow’s opponents Denmark are actually a decent team. The question is how much the Danish really want to play this game? And I also wonder about the strength of team they will put out.
Timing
The timing of these friendly matches must also be very annoying for club managers. They must be praying for all their top players to return back safely and unscathed. This isn’t just a Premier League problem either. The fixture congestion around this time of the year makes it a very busy period for clubs and their players all over Europe.
Watching
As anybody who knows me would testify I am a massive football fan or Soccerholic as it were, but a lot of the time I manage to find something else to do when these pointless affairs are screened on my television. And tomorrow night I’m sure it won’t prove any different.
Are international friendly games worthwhile?
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