Originally I said i'd only do it for friendlies - Thinking on it more I suppose the risk (or reality rather) of this is that most friendlies provide bigger and more interesting opponents than the qualifiers do these days and hence will be capable of drawing the bigger crowds.
So i'd do it on a game by game basis (to an extent) - San Marino tomorrow night, move it somewhere else, same for the Estonia and Lithuania qualifiers and any weak friendlies. But maybe the biggest group game (switzerland this time) and the big 'galmour' friendlies keep at Wembley.
The other worry is that the moved games would just end up at OT. Last time this happened, (for whatever reason) England were a much bigger draw and could easily fill OT. At the moment i'm not so sure. We can't even sell out a 7k allocation for Scotland away next month.
As it stands a lot of northerners can't get home by train from Wembley night games and even for the Sat home game againts Slovenia next month.
Play England games at the Valley. Might as actually fill the stadium, the seats are the right colour, food and drink are more reasonably priced and will stimulate the local economy. Plus the national team are as bad as a Championship quality side anyway so no one will notice a difference in the quality of football, but at least you'll be able to see the pitch if you seat any further back than Row H.
Food and drink reasonably priced? you sure? £8 for a burger that tastes like cardboard and a warm lifeless pint of past its sell by date Fosters? Leave off will ya! ;o)
Playing around the country seems like a good idea but typically is down to money reasons than anything to do with helping fans watch the national side!
Comments
Originally I said i'd only do it for friendlies - Thinking on it more I suppose the risk (or reality rather) of this is that most friendlies provide bigger and more interesting opponents than the qualifiers do these days and hence will be capable of drawing the bigger crowds.
So i'd do it on a game by game basis (to an extent) - San Marino tomorrow night, move it somewhere else, same for the Estonia and Lithuania qualifiers and any weak friendlies. But maybe the biggest group game (switzerland this time) and the big 'galmour' friendlies keep at Wembley.
The other worry is that the moved games would just end up at OT. Last time this happened, (for whatever reason) England were a much bigger draw and could easily fill OT. At the moment i'm not so sure. We can't even sell out a 7k allocation for Scotland away next month.
As it stands a lot of northerners can't get home by train from Wembley night games and even for the Sat home game againts Slovenia next month.