Iceland vs Wales

[Skippyjack]

Tonight 19.45 kick off S4C https://liveonsat.com/international-all-football.php

No Ampadu, it's an interesting evening, Iceland are a decent team

 

[Smurph]

Anyone else not bothered about this game? These Nation league matches are just glorified friendlies.

I've lost complete interest in the national team over the last year or so.

 

[JackSomething]

Anyone else not bothered about this game? These Nation league matches are just glorified friendlies.

I've lost complete interest in the national team over the last year or so.

Was starting to feel that way under Page (despite still qualifying for a couple of tournaments), but the last 2 games with Bellamy have got me right back on board. Looking forward to tonight's game and getting to watch some actually exciting football.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

Anyone else not bothered about this game? These Nation league matches are just glorified friendlies.

I've lost complete interest in the national team over the last year or so.

They are extremely important - even more so now. Fifa announced last week that world cup qualifying group seedings are based solely on performance in the nations league so certainly in our interest to do well.

Let alone the prospect of a qualification play off space via the nations league like we had for the Euros.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

Allen left out of squad.

Along with Beck but he's needed for the u21s big game tonight.

 

[Smurph]

They are extremely important - even more so now. Fifa announced last week that world cup qualifying group seedings are based solely on performance in the nations league so certainly in our interest to do well.

Let alone the prospect of a qualification play off space via the nations league like we had for the Euros.

It's harder not to qualify these days due to the increase in the amount of teams at tournaments. I'm pretty sure the likes of Luxembourg secured a play off spot for the latest Euros.

Just qualify for tournaments and forget all this other nonsense. It's just a money making scheme.

 

[Smurph]

Was starting to feel that way under Page (despite still qualifying for a couple of tournaments), but the last 2 games with Bellamy have got me right back on board. Looking forward to tonight's game and getting to watch some actually exciting football.

Page bored the life out of me. It's going to take a while for me to find the enthusiasm again.

Maybe when we're playing games with something riding on it, I'll be arsed again and I'll stop being so miserable

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

It's harder not to qualify these days due to the increase in the amount of teams at tournaments. I'm pretty sure the likes of Luxembourg secured a play off spot for the latest Euros.

Just qualify for tournaments and forget all this other nonsense. It's just a money making scheme.

Well evidently not seeing as we still didn't qualify, albeit you could put that down to management. We aren't a big nation who will qualify for every tournament so we certainly do need to take the nations league as seriously as we can. It is a far better system than friendlies. Been a breath of fresh air in my opinion and the FAW have done the right thing by offering bundles for the home games along with the qualifiers.

16 teams qualify from Europe for the WC, only 12 automatically which isnt a huge increase than usual despite the whole tournament number going up. Id say we're pretty much on the cusp and have no right to be in that 16.

 

[MrSwerve]

Anyone else not bothered about this game? These Nation league matches are just glorified friendlies.

I've lost complete interest in the national team over the last year or so.

International football, which was pretty dead outside of the actual WC/EC finals tournaments, feels even more dead now. All this nations league, 'best 3rd place' and all that bollox is a load of rubbish.

 

[Smurph]

Well evidently not seeing as we still didn't qualify, albeit you could put that down to management. We aren't a big nation who will qualify for every tournament so we certainly do need to take the nations league as seriously as we can. It is a far better system than friendlies. Been a breath of fresh air in my opinion and the FAW have done the right thing by offering bundles for the home games along with the qualifiers.

16 teams qualify from Europe for the WC, only 12 automatically which isnt a huge increase than usual despite the whole tournament number going up. Id say we're pretty much on the cusp and have no right to be in that 16.

Still harder not to qualify

 

[Smurph]

International football, which was pretty dead outside of the actual WC/EC finals tournaments, feels even more dead now. All this nations league, 'best 3rd place' and all that bollox is a load of rubbish.

Couldn't agree more. It's over kill.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

Still harder not to qualify

For some, but not for us. To be a top seed in qualifying we probably need to finish top of this nations league group which we aren't favourite to do (euros quarter finalist is in our group who we have already drawn with at home). And then it's obviously an uphill battle.

But that's the beauty of the nations league - competitive games.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

International football, which was pretty dead outside of the actual WC/EC finals tournaments, feels even more dead now. All this nations league, 'best 3rd place' and all that bollox is a load of rubbish.

You're very much in a minority. The overwhelming consensus is that the nations league is a rare positive brought in by uefa / fifa. Although it's not without it's flaws.

 

[Smurph]

For some, but not for us. To be a top seed in qualifying we probably need to finish top of this nations league group which we aren't favourite to do (euros quarter finalist is in our group who we have already drawn with at home). And then it's obviously an uphill battle.

But that's the beauty of the nations league - competitive games.

They aren't really competitive though are they, none gives a shit. Complete and utter waste of everyone's time.

If a country can't qualify out of the group like we were in for the euros they don't deserve to end up at the tournament.

 

[JackSomething]

I have to say that people may have forgotten just how boring the average international friendlies were before the Nations League if they believe these games are worse. The last 2 Wales games would probably have been more exciting than the vast majority of friendlies Wales ever played.

I absolutely get not being bothered about international games outside of actual qualifiers/final games (and that international football is less interesting than club football), but the current system is absolutely an improvement for me.