Topic: International Watch

[Dim Glas]

Klopp has been banging this drum for a year plus. But got shouted down.

that’s exactly what he said today, he’s been going on about it since he got here, but no one listens.

Must drive him up the wall. Not helped by the fact that far too many other managers in the league are just yes men and don't have the guts to go to battle for the players. Once in a while one will speak out and back his frustrations up, but it doesn’t happen anywhere near often enough.

Kloppo is the only one who does it regularly and who cares about these things, but he’s the moaner and whinger 

[Mighty_Red]

Sports federations areprobably one of the most self-serving and corrupt admistrative organisations in the world. International football ones are undeniably top of the tree. I can only hope they go bankrupt but if they were ever in danger they would always call on a bit of sportswash money to see them through.

I think we are heading for player contracts to have these problems put in print, e.g., you can only attend a certain number of intl matches in specific windows  I can't see clubs accepting this long term.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Liverpool send Alisson Becker and Fabinho to Spain to complete Covid-19 quarantine

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58928165

[dutchkop]

 

Liverpool send Alisson Becker and Fabinho to Spain to complete Covid-19 quarantine

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58928165

[dutchkop]

It's shambolic - but that's CONMEBOL, only topped in terms of outright chancers by CONCACAF. They have played a Copa America in 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021 and insist on playing 18 rounds of World Cup qualifiers.

3 games in 2 weeks plus international flying is not on.

and FIFA want to have the World Cup every two years. Feck them, FIFA, UEFA and agents.
the clubs, Professional players union should  just say - enough is enough.

I also agree on the Curtis farce with Andorra.

Our club has to get smarter like Fergusson was in his day - he would put his fooft down & just say no.

[afc tukrish]

I also agree on the Curtis farce with Andorra.

I don't smell any farce...

[Brissyred]

I think a simple solution would be the federation running the competition has to pay the wages of the players whilst they are on international duty, and cover them for any time they are out when a player gets injured. That would soon knock a big hole in their cash cow.

[MdArshad]

That solution will not work. Guinea and Senegal will never be able to afford calling up Keita and Mane respectively.

[Brissyred]

That solution will not work. Guinea and Senegal will never be able to afford calling up Keita and Mane respectively.

That's the whole point, the federation organises the games and makes the money from them, the federation should pay the wages.

[Gerry Attrick]

That's the whole point, the federation organises the games and makes the money from them, the federation should pay the wages.

I don't know how much you think Senegal or Guinea make from these games but I believe you might need to re-evaluate if you believe this is even remotely possible. Mane's wages are astronomical unless you're an organisation that spins through about Ł500m a year in revenue.

[Brissyred]

I don't know how much you think Senegal or Guinea make from these games but I believe you might need to re-evaluate if you believe this is even remotely possible. Mane's wages are astronomical unless you're an organisation that spins through about Ł500m a year in revenue.

Senegal or Guinea aren't the ones organising the tournaments, it's the football federations and it's the federations that are making all the money, therefor the federations should foot the bill for the wages.
Like it or not football is big business, how many other big businesses have to give away their top employees for free, multiple times per year, and get them back broken without recompense?

[ScouserAtHeart]

FIFA rules state “players must be released and start travel to their representative team no later than Monday morning the week preceding the week when the relevant final competition starts.” The Confederation of African Football (CAF) says they are following this guidance. “The process and relationship (between clubs, FAs and players) is governed by this,” a CAF spokesperson told The Athletic. Hosts Cameroon kick off the tournament against Burkina Faso on Sunday, January 9, meaning Monday December 27 — 13 days previous — is, by that rationale, the date players will be required to leave their clubs.

Discussions between clubs and national FAs are likely to centre on an interpretation of the rules. The vast majority of nations (20 of the 24) start their tournament between January 10-12th (into the next week) and therefore it could be argued that Monday January 3 is also a reasonable date to report. If, and that’s a big if, that was agreed, then Premier League clubs would be able to select their players for two further games. “Clubs and associations concerned may agree a longer period of release or different arrangements,” is the caveat in the FIFA rules that clubs may lean on.

https://theathletic.com/2891756/2021/10/21/what-afcon-means-for-premier-league-players-and-the-big-december-chelsea-v-liverpool-game/

[redgriffin73]

27th December, fucking hell!

[RedG13]

27th December, fucking hell!

Remember Liverpool plays on Boxing day then also plays 28th, I think they are the only big side to not get at minimum the 48 hours rest. Im guessing Liverpool probably working with 3 national teams to have them go after the Jan 3 weekend Fixtures

[Dree]

Might as well give City the league if it’s going to be that long, I thought we’d at least keep Salah and Mané for the Chelsea game.

[Caston]

Bit of a nothing article. You can bet our players won’t leave till the latest date possible

[Barneylfc∗]

I don't recall players ever leaving that early. Isn't it always after the first league game in the New Year? Obviously with some discussions with the relevant countries, we'll come to an agreement.

[killer-heels]

The Chelsea game and the Leicester game either side of the tournament are a bit close in terms of what further fixtures it could be affected.

[please, I have my reasons for it but...]

We also play Leicester away on the 28th of December, although I suspect we'll strike a deal with the FAs to let us keep Salah, Mane & Keita for that one as we play on boxing day vs Leeds too.

I doubt either feature for the Chelsea game though.

[killer-heels]

We also play Leicester away on the 28th of December, although I suspect we'll strike a deal with the FAs to let us keep Salah, Mane & Keita for that one as we play on boxing day vs Leeds too.

I doubt either feature for the Chelsea game though.

Yep. The Chelsea game wasnt talked about but I always thought that was a bit dodgy as its not long before the tournament starts.

[Legs]

We should be able to have them for the Chelsea game its bordering on farce otherwise.

My opinion is international games should not affect club games at all.

I mean if Mo is away for say 4 weeks are they going to pay his salary and give us money for a replacement ??!!

[clinical]

Wasn't everyone on here saying Salah and Mane were only missing 2 games? Now 4? This could have huge impact on the season. Hopefully Origi is ready

[Legs]

Wasn't everyone on here saying Salah and Mane were only missing 2 games? Now 4? This could have huge impact on the season. Hopefully Origi is ready

Leicester is 28th Dec so im guessing they will be available for that.

Chelsea away could be a huge game for us so I hope they play that.

Its bad enough they play this in the season as it is without the potential to miss more games.

[Agent99]

Wasn't everyone on here saying Salah and Mane were only missing 2 games? Now 4? This could have huge impact on the season. Hopefully Origi is ready

FIFA rules state that qualifying clubs can ask for their players to be released on December 27, for a tournament that runs until the second week of February.

Think it's due to this rule so they would miss 4 league games instead of 2.

[BoRed]

Think it's due to this rule so they would miss 4 league games instead of 2.

Much ado about nothing if you ask me. The rule states that they can ask, but they won't, as it would upset their own players first and foremost. This is not a new rule, and yet we never released them two weeks before the opening game. They'll play against Chelsea, no worries.

[davidlpool1982]

Especially since Chelsea have a few players in the same situation. I can see us going together to the different nations to allow them all to play with that game and then pay for private planes or something to fly them all out to by their training camps.

[BarryCrocker]

Especially since Chelsea have a few players in the same situation. I can see us going together to the different nations to allow them all to play with that game and then pay for private planes or something to fly them all out to by their training camps.

Tournament is from 9 January to 6 February 2022. Leicester would be an issue if it moved to Red list

Chelsea (3/1) have Edouard Mendy (Senegal) & Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)
Brentford (16/1) are missing Julian Jeanvier (Guinea), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria), Tariqe Fosu-Henry (Ghana)
Crystal Palace (23/1) have Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Jeffrey Schlupp (Ghana), Jordan Ayew (Ghana), Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast)
Leicester City (10/2) have Daniel Amartey (Ghana), Nampalys Mendy (Senegal), Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria).

[Anfield Kopite]

Tournament is from 9 January to 6 February 2022. Leicester would be an issue if it moved to Red list

Chelsea (3/1) have Edouard Mendy (Senegal) & Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)
Brentford (16/1) are missing Julian Jeanvier (Guinea), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria), Tariqe Fosu-Henry (Ghana)
Crystal Palace (23/1) have Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Jeffrey Schlupp (Ghana), Jordan Ayew (Ghana), Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast)
Leicester City (10/2) have Daniel Amartey (Ghana), Nampalys Mendy (Senegal), Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria).

So every team we play during this time will have players missing too depending on how far that nation goes in the tournament ?.  So obviously not missing players like Mo Salah but this does ease my concerns a bit.

[BoRed]

So we're hoping Ghana and Nigeria make the semis and Egypt and Senegal don't.

[Crosby Nick]

So we're hoping Ghana and Nigeria make the semis and Egypt and Senegal don't.

I remember the relief the last time they had a winter one and Senegal got knocked out in the semis I think. We struggled without Mané back then (16/17).

[disgraced cake]

I remember the relief the last time they had a winter one and Senegal got knocked out in the semis I think. We struggled without Mané back then (16/17).

Remember that well, it was an absolutely terrible month for us and a promising season fell apart. Not saying we'd have won the league but if Mane had stayed there's no chance we'd have been scraping fourth place on the last day of the season. As well as that we went out of both cup competitions, Southampton in the league cup semi was very frustrating and Wolves beat us at Anfield.

Mane missed the crucial penalty for Senegal and he was actually crying I think, as sad as it was for him I was just glad to have him back. I fucking hate this competition.

[sinnermichael]

Some talk of AFCON being cancelled. Great if true.

[tubby]

Some talk of AFCON being cancelled. Great if true.

Where's this being reported?  That'd be huge for us.

[redgriffin73]

That would be amazing, please be true!

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

By the sounds of it, it's seem like a Cameroon problem? In which case I'd imagine another country will step in and host it, as with the Copa.

So don't get too excited!

[Caligula?]

By the sounds of it, it's seem like a Cameroon problem? In which case I'd imagine another country will step in and host it, as with the Copa.

So don't get too excited!

Infrastructure problems in Cameroon apparently.

If they cancel it, would another nation really be able to step in on such short notice?

[Ray K]

Infrastructure problems in Cameroon apparently.

If they cancel it, would another nation really be able to step in on such short notice?

Happens all the time with AFCON. Equatorial Guinea took over the January 2015 event in November 2014. 

[ScouserAtHeart]

Happens all the time with AFCON. Equatorial Guinea took over the January 2015 event in November 2014. 

Well you're certainly a ray of sunshine

[redgriffin73]

Well cheers for pissing on our short-lived bonfire

[tubby]

FFS carrot dangled and then snatched away.  Well done.