I loathe International breaks, as I’m sure you all do. A drab adjournment from what I’d describe as ‘real’ football (apologies if that terminology offends any madly patriotic supporters). I’m saying sorry already, two sentences in; this should be fun. Anyway, they seem to crop up in the most pointless and unnecessary places and just badly stagger what, for the most part, is a nice flow of Liverpool enjoyment. I say enjoyment, it has been known to be far more detrimental to my health than that suggests.
I grasp the fact that International football must be played in order to allow players to fulfil that pride-carrying moment of representing the country they were born in. I understand that it has to go somewhere in the sporting calendar. What I can’t fathom, however, is the sheer grimness of the week(s) during these games. I say this with no over-exaggeration: I often feel horribly lost.
I’ll sit aimlessly searching for something Premier League related. Something news worthy or Liverpool linked. I’ll scour the official site for some content which suggests the League will be back soon. I’ll even write articles like this one, because I’m soul searching and need something to occupy my mind. Yes, it really does get that bad. People who know me will tell you how little I ever feel the need to document anything.
Some may say I’m being pathetic, which quite frankly could be true. I just despise these gaps in the League season and find them to carry less sporting excitement than the annual watching-paint-dry-on-walls joust. I hope that’s not actually an event.
In my turmoil yesterday (Sunday), I tried so very hard to understand my hate towards this form of a game I love. I’ll be honest, it’s partially due to the fact England have Roy Hodgson in charge. All Liverpool fans will be able to resonate with me there. I’d compare him to Tony Pulis. Nice enough guy – although his face rub scares me – just makes football so very painful. Some might label it “anti-football”.
As an addition to that, with my priorities lying very much with club football, I dislike players actually getting a call up, to some extent. I, as much as the next person, like the recognition that comes with an International squad place. Your club player is performing well enough to warrant his inclusion, great! Steven Gerrard is the national captain, nice! But, I’d much rather them be nowhere near St. Georges Park, purely due to the added risk of injury. As far as I’m concerned, and this will probably sound slightly blunt and narrow minded; it’s a risk that’s not worth taking. I’d rather have Liverpool players fit and ready for Liverpool games.
One final thing which annoys me about England in particular is the selection process; it’s poorly executed. We have players being called up for games with the rationale seemingly citing ownership. Phil Jones is probably the best example of this; Cleverley and Welbeck too. Play well for smaller teams, it goes unrecognised. Secure a move to a bigger team, instantly – or soon after – gain a call up. I’m aware those three players are United players, I’m sure there’s many other cases. I get the impression it sometimes doesn’t even matter if these players are performing well or not. They’re getting picked for their big club so they must be good enough. Sound about right, Roy?
This reads like I’m a dull old man, I bet. Perhaps I am. I just get the smallest chunks of enjoyment watching England play these days. I wouldn’t say I’m any less patriotic than most. I’ll support England in tournaments, when there’s no Premier League season for it to contend with. I wouldn’t mind them doing well, even if it’d mean Hodgson gaining some praise. I just have a void of interest to the levels which Liverpool holds over me. It’s that disparity which causes me to get annoyed and angry at the disappearance of the club game for these odd occasions throughout the year.
“Come up with a sensible solution then”, I hear you cry. Well, I don’t even have one of them. That kind of makes this a long-winded rant, which it is. It’s kept me occupied for the half an hour I’ve been plugging away at it though, if nothing else. Perhaps during the next international break, which knowing my luck will be next week or something, I can try and conjure up a credible plan.
