Is my memory playing tricks again or was it at one time that if a club had an international player in the squad, he would just be released to play for his country and his place taken in the team by another squad member and the league program continued as normal ?

Seems to have worked ok back in the day...... when we won the World Cup. But its all about money as with most things these days, for instance anyone remember in the FA Cup games when little clubs would be drawn against the big guys who fielded their 1st 11 and gave everyone a chance to cheer their team on against the stars of the day. I seemed to enjoy the game more in them days, but then again I am an old git.

The game is much more physically demanding now surely? Can you imagine Rooney on 20 a day then having a few pints in the local with the fans after the game? While the increase in athleticism is good, and a good role model for kids its to the detriment of the craft of football. Look at the average age of squads they are getting younger every year. While the coaching badges are much more structured these days & they do recognise psychology, technique and social as well as physical (known as the 4 corner model), the majority of drills are around possession, speed of action. My youth club have recognised this and we're currently designing an individual award system with sew on badges for doing increasing amounts of flick ups and other things, things that take hours of work with a football. Ball work individually is fast disappearing off the FA's radar.

Its therefore understandable that domestic games get postponed, the timing is questionable. What does it achieve playing 2 friendlies in a few days against stern opposition in the last 6-8 weeks, ie the business end of the domestic calendar. What really is Roy and his coaching staff going to learn that they don't already know? We can all say that 90% of those that will play are not up to international standard, and by that I mean tournament standard so again what on earth does it achieve other than making money for the FA. Its like higher management doing pointless things just to justify their pointless jobs and justification for their salary.

Hopefully when we vote out of the EU, the FA can force their legal hand over the PL that have been systematically destroying the potential of our own country coming through, out national game will improve and we all can find our national pride again

The international breaks arent nonsensical Brad, now England have beaten the Germans in a friendly i hear we're going to win the euros and the next world cup.....