International Football Games And Breaks

Why are these so often and so compulsory? These rob club teams of their finest talents for extended periods of time and often from games that mean little or nothing. For example, Arsenal have now lost Aliaksandr Hleb for around 21 days playing for Belarus in a qualifier which meant nothing to them. Why make him play? Give the young players a go so they can get prepared for the next round of qualifiers. The break before this robbed Arsenal of Robin van Persie who is still yet to return.

I will start this next point off by saying I have the greatest of respect for African footballers and their countries but the African Cup of Nations is a joke. It is so unfair on the players and clubs it is ridiculous. How is a player supposed to choose between missing around 10 games for his club (and it even goes upwards of that!) or staying being viewed as a traitor in a place where most countries are in poverty which makes football like religion? I respect the that trying to hold such a tournament in Summer in Africa would be in smoldering heat but it would be easier on the players with that rather than choosing between club and country. I have also become aware that this is a rain season (Summer) in many parts of Africa. This still needs to be moved to accomodate for club football. This brings me to the clubs. A club asking players to not attend the African Cup of Nations is disrespectful and could (and probably should/would) upset most players as Africans seem to all be very proud of their origins.

Anyway all this said, Platini and Blatter are so keen to see international football improve it seems hopeless to think that clubs will ever wield enough power to refuse to release their players for international games (I know this can be wrong too but where is the line drawn on the powers of the nations???) as to protect some of their most prized players (think Barca with Eto'o and Yaya Toure, Chelsea with Drogba, Essien and Kalou and then Arsenal with Kolo Toure, Eboue and Adebayor, who will not be attending this time because of Togo's failure to qualify). Blatter and Platini are both obviously whacked out of their minds and moves for foreign quotas and the increase, or even staying, of the current power of nations over clubs will only serve to bring down the mighty game of football.