Nations League

[theonlywayisup]

Ignoring how Scotland are performing and the fact it disrupts the domestic football season, I actually like the idea of the Nations League. As we've seen this week there are a lot of interesting games and even the minnows have something to play for.

The BBC summarise all the permutations here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46154317

In the top tier, England and Croatia can go into the game with both teams capable of finishing first in their group and going into the Nations League semi or could be relegated. Netherlands could win their group of they avoid defeat at relegated Germany and pipping France for the top spot.

Loads of other permutations. Great for the football fan.

Pity Scotland are not in a higher league but maybe that will change this weekend.

Apologies, can't get link to work.

[danhibees1875]

I agree. I like it. Adds something a bit extra, gives teams a realistic chance of qualifying for something by playing teams of a similar standard to them. This weekend is the start of Scotland's best chance to qualify for something in many years.

The semis and finals get played after regular qualifying, but does the nations league get played through every 2 years? I'm not sure if it also has a route for world cup qualifying or if it's just euro qualifying.

[EH54]

I like the idea of it, but we are still playing friendly matches, this nations league was supposed to be instead of friendly's. There is far too many internationals. No need for it, Most people put clubs before country, with all these internationals it's easy to get fed up and frustrated. Must be the same for the players. Very boring, not a novelty anymore.

[Sir David Gray]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I agree. I like it. Adds something a bit extra, gives teams a realistic chance of qualifying for something by playing teams of a similar standard to them. This weekend is the start of Scotland's best chance to qualify for something in many years.

The semis and finals get played after regular qualifying, but does the nations league get played through every 2 years? I'm not sure if it also has a route for world cup qualifying or if it's just euro qualifying.

Yes it is every two years, the next one will be in 2020/21 and it is proposed that this competition will allow for European teams to qualify for the 2022 World Cup although there has been no confirmation of this yet.

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I like the idea of it, but we are still playing friendly matches, this nations league was supposed to be instead of friendly's. There is far too many internationals. No need for it, Most people put clubs before country, with all these internationals it's easy to get fed up and frustrated. Must be the same for the players. Very boring, not a novelty anymore.

It's designed to reduce the number of friendlies, not cut them out altogether.

[EH54]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Yes it is every two years, the next one will be in 2020/21 and it is proposed that this competition will allow for European teams to qualify for the 2022 World Cup although there has been no confirmation of this yet.



It's designed to reduce the number of friendlies, not cut them out altogether.

If your playing nations league and euro/World Cup qualifiers that should be more than enough. Piece of nonsense all these internationals.

[SJNB Hibby]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I like the idea of it, but we are still playing friendly matches, this nations league was supposed to be instead of friendly's. There is far too many internationals. No need for it, Most people put clubs before country, with all these internationals it's easy to get fed up and frustrated. Must be the same for the players. Very boring, not a novelty anymore.

Because we are in (1 of many) group(s) of 3
If UEFA want to get rid of friendly's, all groups should consist of 4 teams

[danhibees1875]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Because we are in (1 of many) group(s) of 3
If UEFA want to get rid of friendly's, all groups should consist of 4 teams

Would they want to get rid of friendlies? Countries would be limited to only playing teams they were drawn against and only from their continent - I guess that would be something new to moan about at least.

[SJNB Hibby]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Would they want to get rid of friendlies? Countries would be limited to only playing teams they were drawn against and only from their continent - I guess that would be something new to moan about at least.

Plenty of opportunities for friendly's, play-off weeks for countries not involved(every other year) immediate lead up to competitions(every other year) summers when there's no competitions(every other year)
I'm getting fed up with a bunch of no names getting 1 or 2 caps on the basis of a mass second half swathe of substitutions

[danhibees1875]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Plenty of opportunities for friendly's, play-off weeks for countries not involved(every other year) immediate lead up to competitions(every other year) summers when there's no competitions(every other year)
I'm getting fed up with a bunch of no names getting 1 or 2 caps on the basis of a mass second half swathe of substitutions

Maybe I've misunderstood - I thought the argument was that people didn't want friendlies?

Don't see the issue with players getting a run out - everyone was pretty happy for Stevenson recently.

[Ozyhibby]

Hard to get excited by anything the SFA is up to to be honest although I have a 12 year old and he is gutted by how terrible we are, so it can’t say I don’t care. Wish I didn’t though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[H18 SFR]

I'm delighted to see so many players pulling out, international football should be WC and EC. The nations league is simply a way to generate more money and in doing so take money out of every day fans pockets.

[Keith_M]

It's a League for crappy wee teams, and despite that Scotland still look crap in comparison.

[Moulin Yarns]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

It's a League for crappy wee teams, and despite that Scotland still look crap in comparison.

Tell that to Germany, just relegated in their group.

[we are hibs]

International friendlies are a complete waste of time. The nations league is our best chance of qualifying for a tournament and we should be taking it seriously. We won't qualify for the euros though. We won't even get to the next phase of this imo. A loss tonight and a draw on Tuesday.

[Keith_M]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

International friendlies are a complete waste of time. The nations league is our best chance of qualifying for a tournament and we should be taking it seriously. We won't qualify for the euros though. We won't even get to the next phase of this imo. A loss tonight and a draw on Tuesday.

So what's the point?




Not a dig at you, by the way.

[we are hibs]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

So what's the point?




Not a dig at you, by the way.

If we ever have a decent football team again we will have a better chance of qualifying. If we weren't so bad atm people would view this tournament differently.

[Frazerbob]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I'm delighted to see so many players pulling out, international football should be WC and EC. The nations league is simply a way to generate more money and in doing so take money out of every day fans pockets.

You need to qualify for those somehow. What about the fans who love following their country?

Edit: posted from the road from Tirana to Shkoder on a bus full of pals having a magic time in Albania.

[H18 SFR]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

You need to qualify for those somehow. What about the fans who love following their country?

Edit: posted from the road from Tirana to Shkoder on a bus full of pals having a magic time in Albania.

Previously a ten pointer myself back in the day so fully understand the magic time with pals aspect. Sadly I'm not convinced you'd have any worse a time of you were there with mates not for a Scotland game.

[Frazerbob]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Previously a ten pointer myself back in the day so fully understand the magic time with pals aspect. Sadly I'm not convinced you'd have any worse a time of you were there with mates not for a Scotland game.

That very topic has been discussed but there’s no way the extended group of mates from all corners of the country and all walks of life would get their act together without the focal point of the game. It just doesn’t happen in ‘normal life’.

[CMurdoch]

Short and sweet.
Nations League is much better than playing friendlies.
All friendlies are a waste of time for all concerned, including those played by Hibs, and should be avoided by players and supporters like the plague.

[Hibbyradge]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I'm delighted to see so many players pulling out, international football should be WC and EC. The nations league is simply a way to generate more money and in doing so take money out of every day fans pockets.

They're not taking any more money out of my pocket.

Not yours, presumably.

It's a choice thing.

[G B Young]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Ignoring how Scotland are performing and the fact it disrupts the domestic football season, I actually like the idea of the Nations League. As we've seen this week there are a lot of interesting games and even the minnows have something to play for.

The BBC summarise all the permutations here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46154317

In the top tier, England and Croatia can go into the game with both teams capable of finishing first in their group and going into the Nations League semi or could be relegated. Netherlands could win their group of they avoid defeat at relegated Germany and pipping France for the top spot.

Loads of other permutations. Great for the football fan.

Pity Scotland are not in a higher league but maybe that will change this weekend.

Apologies, can't get link to work.

I don't get the point of it to be honest. I'd suggest the point of World Cups and European Championships is to showcase the best teams around. By grouping the Nations League teams together in terms of their stature (eg Scotland along with fellow fourth-tier nations Israel and Albania) it seems to offer a back door route for some really poor teams to qualify at the expense of those who play the best football. There are already too many teams at the major championships. Quantity does not equate to quality.

[Leith Green]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I don't get the point of it to be honest. I'd suggest the point of World Cups and European Championships is to showcase the best teams around. By grouping the Nations League teams together in terms of their stature (eg Scotland along with fellow fourth-tier nations Israel and Albania) it seems to offer a back door route for some really poor teams to qualify at the expense of those who play the best football. There are already too many teams at the major championships. Quantity does not equate to quality.

It has been really good for the smaller nations to actually play competitive games which they have a chance of winning.

[G B Young]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

It has been really good for the smaller nations to actually play competitive games which they have a chance of winning.

That would be fine if the smaller nations (including Scotland) were playing in an international equivalent of the Irn-Bru Cup which didn't involve the top nations. However, if I'm reading things right, the Nations League gives these teams a potential back door route to the European Championships by winning an easy group and then a play-off. Why reward that kind of mediocrity at the expense of better sides who would enhance, rather than reduce the quality of the main tournament? Rewarding mediocrity is surely not the way to improve the quality of football across the board.

[Diclonius]

I'm far more interested in (non-Scotland) Nations League games than I am the Euro/WC qualifiers. Something to play for in almost every game and between teams of similar stature so they're always competitive. A welcome addition to the calendar, as long as England don't ****ing win it.

[Sylar]

So what happens if we manage to win tomorrow night and win Group C1? Do we get promoted into Group B1, or does our landing spot get drawn out of some hat?

[BS44]

Just caught the end of Chick Young on Sportsound, did I pick him up correctly that if we lose today we drop down a pot and would be in the same seeding's as Lichtenstein, San Marino and other not so good football countries

[danhibees1875]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Just caught the end of Chick Young on Sportsound, did I pick him up correctly that if we lose today we drop down a pot and would be in the same seeding's as Lichtenstein, San Marino and other not so good football countries

No. Even if we lose, we could still beat Israel on Tuesday and end up top of the group once head to heads are considered.

Winning the group would put us up to league B with teams such as Poland, Germany, and England/Croatia. Where we'd get relegated promptly back down. following that trend of yo-yo-ing would be advantageous to our qualification prospects every 4 years though.

[bingo70]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Just caught the end of Chick Young on Sportsound, did I pick him up correctly that if we lose today we drop down a pot and would be in the same seeding's as Lichtenstein, San Marino and other not so good football countries

I read earlier that the result of this game is largely irrelevant. Regardless of the result we’ll still need to beat Israel next week.

Only exception to that would be if we get pumped 3 nil.

[BILLYHIBS]

Are we relegated yet?