UEFA nations league

robfosters · 24 Jan 2018 at 11:50

whats this all about then, I have’nt even heard of it? Apparently we’re in group 4 with Spain and Croatia. Draw going on now on SSN. Don’t we already have enough international football with the World Cup and European championships?

Talking about it, I don’t even understand it! Danny Mills is totally confused.

The_One · 24 Jan 2018 at 11:54

Its instead of meanless friendlies

Good idea imo

McBain · 24 Jan 2018 at 11:59

This is the first i've ever heard of it as well.

Cosimo · 24 Jan 2018 at 12:05

All explained here:

http://www.skysports.com/football/n...-new-format-could-aid-euro-2020-qualification

Rotty · 24 Jan 2018 at 15:21

needs to be a bit more complicated

Kenai · 24 Jan 2018 at 18:51

It's quite simple really, it's just a league system but with groups within the league to keep number of games down. (That said Sky have managed to explain the final four tournament in two different ways, one of which is wrong)

There are a few oddities for increased Euro qualification opportunities for crap teams which is where most of the complexity has come from in discussions.

trigg_27 · 24 Jan 2018 at 19:02

The only part I disagree with is the qualification spots for the Euros.

It effectively means that if one of the big teams messes up in their qualification group they still get to go to the Championships and also guarantees a spot at the tournament for one of the 16 worst teams in Europe

FrankJH · 26 Jan 2018 at 19:33

so this means that as this final is now played every three years, top players get one summer off per 4 years potentially on how good their national team is.

Admittedly tournament final shouldn't last long but even so - surely this will increase injury risk / burn out etc - and especially for those UK based players that don't have a winter break.

Kenai · 27 Jan 2018 at 09:01

FrankJH said:
so this means that as this final is now played every three years, top players get one summer off per 4 years potentially on how good their national team is.

Admittedly tournament final shouldn't last long but even so - surely this will increase injury risk / burn out etc - and especially for those UK based players that don't have a winter break.

It's every two years, there is no 'year off'

The summers will pan out like so

2018 World Cup
2019 Nations League Finals
2020 Euros
2021 Nations League Finals
2022 World Cup
2023 Nations League Finals
2024 Euros
2025 Nations League Finals

I doubt the potential extra 2 games for successful countries in those summers will lead to significant increases in injuries etc.

FrankJH · 27 Jan 2018 at 10:09

Kenai said:
I doubt the potential extra 2 games for successful countries in those summers will lead to significant increases in injuries etc.

Its not the extra games as such its the playing every summer and therefore not actually getting much if any recovery time after a hard season (or two)

end of may CL final , maybe a week before that for EPL finish*- Pre season is mid-july for most epl clubs for mid Aug EPL start ........that leaves 6 weeks or so for a two week competition incl pre-training camp , maybe longer)

Its also pretty pointless, as if there isn't enough football being played / shown already - think this is a step too far

Also a little bit strange now the teams are there (as there are 4 teams in the final, one from each group) they should all play each other rather than just winners & losers in the 2nd match

*I think this year's EPL was adjusted to finish a week or two early because of Russia if I remember correctly, and it finishes on the 13th this year.

Kenai · 27 Jan 2018 at 10:23

FrankJH said:
Its not the extra games as such its the playing every summer and therefore not actually getting much if any recovery time after a hard season (or two)

end of may CL final , maybe a week before that for EPL finish*- Pre season is mid-july for most epl clubs for mid Aug EPL start ........that leaves 6 weeks or so for a two week competition incl pre-training camp , maybe longer)

Its also pretty pointless, as if there isn't enough football being played / shown already - think this is a step too far

Also a little bit strange now the teams are there (as there are 4 teams in the final, one from each group) they should all play each other rather than just winners & losers in the 2nd match

*I think this year's EPL was adjusted to finish a week or two early because of Russia if I remember correctly, and it finishes on the 13th this year.

It won't be a two week competition, it's literally two games per team. A semi final and then a final/3rd place game. In the first week of June, so they can still get their 6 weeks holiday before mid July pre season.

Bear in mind this effectively completely replaces international friendlies, it doesn't really add all that much game time to the calendar.

trigg_27 · 27 Jan 2018 at 12:25

I was under the impression that all nations league games, include the 'final four' would take place on dates already set aside for international friendlies, so there won't be any additional matches to be played

skylineboy · 5 Feb 2018 at 21:03

I’m very much looking forward to this. I think friendlies were pants, drab affairs.

At least it gives something to play for but I do wonder how it may impact youth development. Would a country trying to gain an automatic place be as willing to play younger fringe up and comers? Maybe it’s going to bring an edge to the game. I certainly hope so!