BertieWoostersDonsClub wrote:
Don't forget the two mouth watering games for Scotland: Albania and Israel.
When it comes to change I usually fall somewhere in the middle: I'm not opposed to it, but rarely push for it.
But I'm finding it hard to justify this one. It seems completely unnecessary. The big competitions at the end of the season - the World Cup and all the continental championships - with all the qualifications for those tournaments on top of that, seemed to provide enough competitive international football. The friendlies were there to give other players / formations a chance in preparation for the competitive games.
I really don't see the point in making this half-way competition - not friendlies yet not a major tournament.
I'll watch it, and it might well prove quite good, but it does seem change for changes sake and seems a totally unnecessary addition to an already crammed calendar.
For Scotland it is their only (read realistic) way of getting to Euro 2020. As if they fail in their qualifying group then one from each league will get a place. Very convoluted, but for teams that struggle it is a way of making it interesting.
Plus the amount of friendlies are cut down, meaning no more 10 subs a game as this from what I understand will be competitive rules, even if it isn't a competitive competition. I hate friendlies. They do nothing for England. They play them. They may win them. Their rankings never change and then we are give a shitty group when we get to the major tournaments. I also looked at the last friendly for England v Brazil. England STILL don't know their best team. They have three more games (I think) before the World Cup. Brazil played nearly their first 11./ If the Nations League does anything it will force England to (hopefully) play their best team.