Should we call time on International Football?

When I was a young lad I really loved the end of season home internationals. A packed Ninian Park against England pelting Fred Bailey with bottles and cans from the Grange End was so much fun, as was the famous wins at Wembley (1977) and Wrexham (1980 & 1984)

There was the near misses against Scotland (1977 & 1985), Romainia (1983) and as recently as 2004 against Russia.

However, I have grown board with International football and the only Wales game I have been to since 2004 was the game against Scotland at CCS last season.

On a wider issue the recent World Cup was totally crap and you got the feeling that players from England, France, Portugal and Italy were just not interested and found the whole thing a chore, Indeed the whole International set up is a joke because of the huge number of squad withdrawals and 'early' retirements espiecally for friendly games.

There is also the thorney issue of players getting injured whilst on International duty. If say Bellamy injured himself playing for Wales yesterday and was put out of action for the rest of the season, CCFC would have ended up paying £21,000 P/W for a player who was basically 'on the sick' until he returned to Manchester City next June.

That is unfair and would mean we had blown nearly £1m on wages and probably promotion and it's £90m pot of gold to, but there is no way the WFA could compensate us.

International football has had it's day and really from now on it should be used for development purposes (Under-21's and under) only. There might be a case for a 'club side World Cup' or a 'league World Cup' (Premiership vs La Liga vs Serie A etc) but there again we might just find the same problems.

I agree with pretty much allof that, but imagine scrapping the World Cup? It won't happen because it's too much of a FIFA moneyspinner and a lot of people enjoy the world cups. I thought this one was shite, too, but you'll never do away with it

Can't be arsed with wales ,they are shit

Can't be arsed with wales ,they are shit

So when we were shit, you didn't follow us?

You support a club or nation through thick and thin - the bad times are where the fans are needed more.

Yesterday's game, one slip by Collins, not clinical enough in front of goal. But, Vaughan showed good passing vision, Bale and Bellamy looked likely to cut the defence open.

Keep that formation, put Collison and Rambo in alongside Vaughan, it looks a lot more promising.

i packed it in after the 94 qualifying failure, hardly missed a game before then, i have been once since then, azerbijan a couple of years ago.
the international breaks are in my opinion, ruining the football season, we have pointless friendlys before the season starts, then a week now where any club could loose any number of players thru injury, potentially ruining a clubs promotion campaign, and then another break in october, where we have to sit around twiddling our thumbs for the weekend hoping our best players make it back safe.

Can't be arsed with wales ,they are shit

So when we were shit, you didn't follow us?

You support a club or nation through thick and thin - the bad times are where the fans are needed more.

Yesterday's game, one slip by Collins, not clinical enough in front of goal. But, Vaughan showed good passing vision, Bale and Bellamy looked likely to cut the defence open.

Keep that formation, put Collison and Rambo in alongside Vaughan, it looks a lot more promising.

Been following Cardiff when they were worse than shit Loosing to the likes of rhyl ,enfield & a 1-1 with ebbw vale ,is that ok with you ?

I think international football is slowly dying. The main problem is that the international level is no longer the highest level of the game. The best teams in the world are at club level.

If you put the Spanish World Cup squad (+3 to make 25!) in any of the major leagues of Europe, they would be unlikely to win over the course of the season. Week in Week out league football is where the money is and where the TV is.

I suspect that in the next 5 to 10 years, the major leagues will begin to operate on a franchise basis with no relegation, and this will definitely be the death knell of international football.

im bored with wales but i always want to see the likes of brazil, argentina, spain and germany at world cups

Steady on Chief thats a bit harsh !! There was many on here who missed the days we were shit (CCFC) But come on no Wales football team ? No way one day we will start competing again but untill that day keep the faith and never forget you are WELSH Chief.

i was looking forward to the match yesterday but as usual they disapoint big time, toshack needs to go hes set us back since he took over , and not sure how much the tickets are now but they should be a tenner maybe they might get a few more fans then.

I always look forward to international games. I dont expect us to win many games so when we do its a bonus.

Well I just wonder if we were competing like England and were favourites in our group to qualify for major tournements would there be alot more interest in our national side?

Well I just wonder if we were competing like England and were favourites in our group to qualify for major tournements would there be alot more interest in our national side?

Ive been away to watch wales ,96 holland where we got smashed 7-1 but I've never felt part of it,i'm welsh through & through but don't enjoy the games.If they were good or not it doesn't make a difference to me, I mostly go out in the pubs with all the boys & watch them there .

the millenium stadium has spoilt welsh football for me, no atmosphere,, ok ,italy was good, bring back the old days,, keep the welsh games, at ccs or the liberty, even give wrexham a couple,,,,,, had some good days watching the internationals, win or loose,,,

I agree with pretty much allof that,

I don't.

When I was a young lad I really loved the end of season home internationals. A packed Ninian Park against England pelting Fred Bailey with bottles and cans from the Grange End was so much fun, as was the famous wins at Wembley (1977) and Wrexham (1980 & 1984)

There was the near misses against Scotland (1977 & 1985), Romainia (1983) and as recently as 2004 against Russia.

However, I have grown board with International football and the only Wales game I have been to since 2004 was the game against Scotland at CCS last season.

On a wider issue the recent World Cup was totally crap and you got the feeling that players from England, France, Portugal and Italy were just not interested and found the whole thing a chore, Indeed the whole International set up is a joke because of the huge number of squad withdrawals and 'early' retirements espiecally for friendly games.

There is also the thorney issue of players getting injured whilst on International duty. If say Bellamy injured himself playing for Wales yesterday and was put out of action for the rest of the season, CCFC would have ended up paying £21,000 P/W for a player who was basically 'on the sick' until he returned to Manchester City next June.

That is unfair and would mean we had blown nearly £1m on wages and probably promotion and it's £90m pot of gold to, but there is no way the WFA could compensate us.

International football has had it's day and really from now on it should be used for development purposes (Under-21's and under) only. There might be a case for a 'club side World Cup' or a 'league World Cup' (Premiership vs La Liga vs Serie A etc) but there again we might just find the same problems.

I thought that if bellers or any loan player for that matter got a long term injury they would return to their parent club and the loan deal is cancelled ( ie like when forssell broke his leg on loan to brum from chealsea a few years ago)
Also i think the bulgaria game is a chance for us to reignite our passion for our country by filling our stadium, creating an atmosphere and getting behind our players and make them proud to wear the shirt, this game could be the making of this team, its up to us to do our bit.

I also used to love the home internationals as a kid, and have followed Wales all over Europe. I think that the domestic game and Champions league football have got so big that International football is fast becoming irrelevant. For most club supporting fans, players and managers, International football is an unwanted distraction.

problem is the south wales and wales in genral are all plastics, all go where the success is, wether it be leeds back in the day, to liverpool when they were winning everything to man utd then chelsea, and a little Cardiff now!

Roll on switziland, i know we'll proberly lose or the game will be boring as fook but you got to support anything WELSH!!!