When the international break rolls around every few months it is met by the same groan as one might expect from a child realising the summer holiday is over. Even though it is a single weekend without the excitement and furore of the Premier League, the Football League, La Liga and any other domestic league, it still forces the average football fan to shrink into their armchair in fear as the supposed sub-entertainment value of international football is played.
While the international games are entertaining in their own way, it feels like a huge step down from the frenetic weekends of the Premier League. There are rarely games where two high quality teams come together and it is rarer still to see both sides play out an entertaining match outside of a major tournament. Bar helping their national teams in their attempts to qualify for a tournament, what does the international break actually achieve? Is it as beneficial for the players and their clubs as it is for the national teams?
The first area to discuss is the impact on the clubs without their players. It gives the manager some much-needed breathing space, especially when working in a league as stressful as the Premier League. Games come thick and fast and criticism comes in droves; the manager’s hot seat can be an incredibly claustrophobic place. The international break allows a manager to shrink away from the spotlight and evaluate his tactics, team and position without the pressure of an imminent fixture.
This is most relevant to under-fire Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho. Mourinho’s Chelsea are currently 15 points adrift of leaders Manchester City and have 11 points from 12 games. He has not been shy of voicing his displeasure at a plethora of decisions made against him and Chelsea ranging from penalties that have not been given to fines and bans given to him. This time away from the media spotlight will surely have helped him to reassess his situation at the club and change his tactics with both his team and the media.
It is also a fantastic opportunity for those players who have either not been selected by their country or are injured to rehabilitate. These players are left at their respective training grounds and are able to partake in training sessions on a far smaller scale. The fact that there are fewer players means they will be able to gain more in-depth advice about their own performance and personal goals. The injured or fatigued players have time to recover without missing club games and the unproven players have a chance to impress their managers. It is indeed a good opportunity for all those left behind to improve and recover.
Adversely, a fortnight away from any club football can have a negative effect on a manager. Mourinho lost his final game before the break against Stoke in a 1-0 defeat. Chelsea were praised for finally showing signs of improvement though they were still criticised for being without a killer instinct as they spurned a number of chances to score. Two weeks away from the Premier League can cause any lingering discontent amongst fans and players alike to fester. Any team that was beaten or performed poorly in the run up to the break will be forced to rest upon their poor result and while this can help, it can also have a hugely negative impact upon a player as it can breed negativity and resentment.
For players struggling for form, playing for one’s country can be a golden time to turn things around. It is a chance for a player to step away from his club and play in a completely different setup. The international break gives players the chance to work in a completely different team, in a different dynamic and perhaps even in a different position. This can allow players to be refreshed mentally as they have different responsibilities and pressures upon them. In short, they can move away from areas in which they are struggling.
Wayne Rooney’s stint with England will have allowed some of the pressure he has on him at Manchester United to be relieved. United’s lack of striking options have been well-documented, and the 30-year-old has been one of United’s only natural goalscorers. He has received ample support from Anthony Martial, but he is a teenager and cannot have too much pressure put on him, and picked up an injury in the recent match between France and England.
With England, some of the burden upon Rooney is lifted. He himself has said: “It’s the best group of strikers, certainly since I’ve been involved in the squad”. Harry Kane has effectively halved the pressure while the likes of Jamie Vardy, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck, all of whom were injured during the last international break, will provide competition for places in the England team which will push Rooney to be at his best in order to retain his place. This is a luxury he does not have playing for his club.
Rooney was able to score a well-taken volley in England’s 2-0 friendly win over France and thus extend his lead as England’s all-time top scorer. While it remains to be seen whether that goal and the time away from his club will ignite Rooney’s form, this could prove to be an example of an international break turning a player’s fortunes around.
However, games with the national team always seem to result in players picking up injuries along the way. Manchester United’s Anthony Martial picked up an injury against England and it is still unclear the extent of this injury. It does conform to the fear the fans, players and managers all share when the top players are called upon by their national teams.
Of course, an international manager will want his best team at his disposal. The desire for positive results which all managers have is why there are so many disagreements between international and domestic managers. After all, it is not the results of players’ clubs which keeps international managers in their jobs.
Manuel Pellegrini voiced his dismay last month at Belgium coach Marc Wilmots’ decision to play Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany in their European Qualifier against Israel. He said: “I was not pleased because we sent Vincent with a medical report that he was not able to play…He couldn’t do it (return to the City starting line-up) because he played for Belgium, so he had to recover here Wednesdayand Thursday”. Pellegrini’s lack of control over his player shows the problem domestic managers have: once a player is with his country, he is under the control of another manager.
Without international breaks there can be no World Cup. There isn’t a football fan alive who doesn’t want to see the best players in the world play one another and no matter how begrudgingly anyone may say it, the World Cup and all the other international tournaments are worth a few breaks from domestic football every year.
