Matip's potential Cameroon call up.

[Chairman Meow]

So far this season we've already lost three weekend match days and two potential mid week fixtures and there are two more weekend and two more mid week internationals before the season ends.

 

So 9 potential match days. You could easily chuck a 3 week break in at the start of January and still have some scope for less fixture congestion elsewhere as you've really only used 6 potential match days. 

 

Then again I'd also have the Champions League revert to being League winners only, plus the winner of the previous years tournament if they didn't win their league and that all being knockout with no seeding. Next few league spots and/or cup winners for the UEFA Cup also made into a knockout only competition with no seeding. 

 

But I'm not interested TV revenue over having a decent sporting contest, unlike the governing bodies who just want to cream as much cash as they can. 

[jimmycase]

It's the ex president of FIFA, blatter, who pushed this international calendar farce as he wanted to ensure international football was the 'pinnacle' of football.

 

I think that's bullshit. He wanted international football to appear supreme because it re inforced his own position as the head of football. The cunt.

[Ronnie Whelan]

I still like the business end of competitions and I do love seeing smaller countries getting to tournaments - it was a bit of a laugh seeing Iceland doing well in the summer.

 

The big thing is that there is a far less spread of quality amongst countries than there used to be. In the past, countries like Ireland, Scotland, Romania, Denmark etc used to have at least one world class player and at times several of them. If you take those four countries as as an example now, only Eriksen and Coleman would stand out as being very good, but they wouldn't meet my idea of world class. You won't see a Sparta Prague, a Ferencevaros, a Celtic or a Steau Bucharest win a European competition now and this has impacted on the quality of the national teams in those countries.

[UnwelcomeinPeru]

The Rule is - 

 

 

As a general rule, every player registered with a club is obliged to respond affirmatively when called up by the association he is eligible to represent on the basis of his nationality to play for one of its representative teams. 

 

but as has been pointed out a player who has retired from international football by definition does not want to play, so why call up a player who does not want to play? 

[Lee909]

A suspension would never hold up with the court of arbitration. You cant force a man to play international football

[stringvest]

The world should revolve around your spoilt life shouldn't it?

 

 

Negged.  Nasty comment.  SD doesn't have a life. 

[deiseach]

This might be a "but I don't know any Trump voters personally so I don't understand how he was elected" moment but I genuinely don't know anyone who likes international football.

 

About 98% of the people I've spoken with about it hate it with a passion.  The other 2% don't really care.  Where is the market for these games?  I have a very hard time understanding why we have to pause actual league seasons for meaningless games no one wants to watch every two months!

 

My wife loves following Ingerland, and that gerl's my werld. So there.

[cloggypop]

@_pauljoyce: Joel Matip has reassured Liverpool he will not be going to Africa Cup of Nations next month with Cameroon.

[bonesman]

@_pauljoyce: Joel Matip has reassured Liverpool he will not be going to Africa Cup of Nations next month with Cameroon.

Joel Matip won’t be joining Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations after talks

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Good. 

[niallers]

Still think we need another centre half to fill in should he get injured again. We looked decidedly less calm last Sunday! Worryingly so.

[bonesman]

Still think we need another centre half to fill in should he get injured again. We looked decidedly less calm last Sunday! Worryingly so.

Agreed, its like lovren is powered by osmosis. haha.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Still think we need another centre half to fill in should he get injured again. We looked decidedly less calm last Sunday! Worryingly so.

Agreed. A player of similar stature and ability would be smart business. Just buy Van Dijk.

 

I can overlook his terrible cockney accent garvna.

[Gym Beglin]

I'd rather we went for Jamaal Lascelles from Newcastle.

 

He's probably who Southampton would buy with the Van Dijk money.

 

Great personality and will to win.

[Hades]

I want MATIP inside me.

[aRdja]

I'd rather we went for Jamaal Lascelles from Newcastle.

 

He's probably who Southampton would buy with the Van Dijk money.

 

Great personality and will to win.

Both good traits, but surely football ability should come before?

[cloggypop]

No. Has to have determination over 15 before looking at anything else.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I'm torn between Virgil and Jamal because they're both such cool names.

[Tony Moanero]

@_pauljoyce: Joel Matip has reassured Liverpool he will not be going to Africa Cup of Nations next month with Cameroon.

Does this mean we won't get relegated now?

[cloggypop]

Does this mean we won't get relegated now?

Unfortunately, Tony, it makes it far more unlikely.

[mouse1989]

Unfortunately, Tony, it makes it far more unlikely.

It's only made me hate Matip more, the Cunt

[Tony Moanero]

I want the bastard sold in January. Fuck it, I'd give him

a free transfer.

[Anubis]

I thought Tah was the Matip partner of choice?

[Grinch]

Has he always been so prone to injury?

 

This is about three times now where he's been out.   Not even sure what's wrong with him this time.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

There is still a chance Cameroon will ask FIFA to suspend Matip and the other renegades for the duration of the ANC.