UEFA Nations League

ValleyGary

This has just been approved by UEFA to begin in 2018, and will replace international friendlies. There will be 4 leagues based on ranking and there will be a promotion/relegation format.

This is the first I've heard of it. Surely clubs won't be happy with more competitive football for their players?

ValleyGary

http://www.uefa.com/community/news/newsid=2079553.html

http://www.uefa.org/about-uefa/organisation/congress/news/newsid=2079556.html#nations+league+approved

cafctom

Heard about this a year or so back but thought it had maybe been shelved as talk about it had gone quiet.

I think it's a good idea.

Lincsaddick

I can see the logic behind the idea to spice up so called friendlies, but this is a step and a competition too far and as VG writes, it means more demands on the top players .. just a device then in an attempt to get more power, prestige and (of course) cash for UEFA. I can see it being viable for the second strata of European nations, the Austrias, Norways and Finlands but not for the super powers .. like England for example ((:>)

Charltonparklane

I think if the top division automatically qualifies for euros and World cup and maybe top half of the 2nd tier or something could work.

Callumcafc

Charltonparklane said:

I think if the top division automatically qualifies for euros and World cup and maybe top half of the 2nd tier or something could work.

They'd need to have a route for a nation from the third & fourth leagues to make it to those competitions too, even if it's just one "play-off" against a nation from a higher league. Otherwise there is no incentive for the minnows to bother trying to qualify for immediate tournaments.

creepyaddick

end of the world cup and start of a world league

Charltonparklane

Callumcafc said:

Charltonparklane said:

I think if the top division automatically qualifies for euros and World cup and maybe top half of the 2nd tier or something could work.

They'd need to have a route for a nation from the third & fourth leagues to make it to those competitions too, even if it's just one "play-off" against a nation from a higher league. Otherwise there is no incentive for the minnows to bother trying to qualify for immediate tournaments.

Yh agreed

Exiled_Addick

I think this could work, but as others have said, care needs to be taken to protect the health of the top players.

Maybe it needs to come with some extra rules above and beyond 'normal' competitive international rules - maybe allowed to name 11 subs and use to 5 or 7 of them and maybe a requirement that a certain number of players in the starting 11 and on the bench are under 23 so as to force teams not to pick just the stars for every game and also encourage the development of younger players at international level.

ForeverAddickted

Seeding has been determined ahead of the Nations League Draw (wont be till January)

We wont be able to face France | Switzerland | Italy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018%E2%80%9319_UEFA_Nations_League_A

palarsehater

so we get 1 of

germany, portugal, spain and belgium

and 1 of

poland, iceland, crotia and holland

spain away 1st weekend please.

SouthWest_Addicks

palarsehater said:

so we get 1 of

germany, portugal, spain and belgium

and 1 of

poland, iceland, crotia and holland

spain away 1st weekend please.

Hopefully, we can avoid Belguim away because that will bring all the helmets out of the woodworks

ForeverAddickted

Should have added that there is a great chance for Wales | Northern Ireland | Republic of Ireland to be together

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018%E2%80%9319_UEFA_Nations_League_B

palarsehater

SouthWest_Addicks said:

palarsehater said:

so we get 1 of

germany, portugal, spain and belgium

and 1 of

poland, iceland, crotia and holland

spain away 1st weekend please.

Hopefully, we can avoid Belguim away because that will bring all the helmets out of the woodworks

germany belgium holland

would be a lot of twats i reckon

Callumcafc

England fixtures:

Spain (H) - 8 September
Croatia (A) - 12 October
Spain (A) - 15 October
Croatia (H) - 18 November

Bedsaddick

and what's the point of this ? am I missing something?

Callumcafc

Bedsaddick said:

and what's the point of this ? am I missing something?

To produce more "competitive" matches instead of having to play minnows like Lithuania, San Marino and Scotland twice in the next two years.

If we win our mini group with Spain and Croatia, I believe we automatically qualify for Euro 2020 as well as advancing to the final four with other top group winners.

killerandflash

All a bit weird. We are in a higher level so get Spain and Croatia, really tough games when Southgate will want to be blooding new players. As will Spain and Croatia presumably

I see Scotland have Albania and Israel!

paulie8290

killerandflash said:

All a bit weird. We are in a higher level so get Spain and Croatia, really tough games when Southgate will want to be blooding new players. As will Spain and Croatia presumably

I see Scotland have Albania and Israel!

Thats the point, all top teams in tougher groups.

There is relegation and promotion to I think

Callumcafc

Yeah if we finish bottom of our group we get relegated to the 'B' level with the likes of Austria, Wales, Russia and others.

Think it's trying to imitate a league structure but obviously with limited match days so has split the four tiers into mini groups of 3 or 4.

killerandflash

paulie8290 said:

killerandflash said:

All a bit weird. We are in a higher level so get Spain and Croatia, really tough games when Southgate will want to be blooding new players. As will Spain and Croatia presumably

I see Scotland have Albania and Israel!

Thats the point, all top teams in tougher groups.

There is relegation and promotion to I think

To me it just complicates and distorts things, especially as some teams will take this seriously and others wont. Meanwhile Scotland have home matches against Albania and Israel to draw in the crowds

se9addick

So if Scotland finish above Albania and Israel in the Nations group they qualify for Euro 2020?

Chris_from_Sidcup

Callumcafc said:

Bedsaddick said:

and what's the point of this ? am I missing something?

To produce more "competitive" matches instead of having to play minnows like Lithuania, San Marino and Scotland twice in the next two years.

If we win our mini group with Spain and Croatia, I believe we automatically qualify for Euro 2020 as well as advancing to the final four with other top group winners.

That's not completely true. Yes they've been introduced so there are more competitive matches, but they are meant to replace the meaningless friendlies, not qualifiers against minnows.

There will still be qualifiers for the Euro's, they just come after the Nation's league.

ricky_otto

se9addick said:

So if Scotland finish above Albania and Israel in the Nations group they qualify for Euro 2020?

They won’t though.

roseandcrown

already got tickets for Spain and Croatia at wembley, £20 each.

ForeverAddickted

se9addick said:

So if Scotland finish above Albania and Israel in the Nations group they qualify for Euro 2020?

No - they'll still have to go through standard Qualifying for Euro 2020 if (when) they fail to finish top two yet finish top of their Nations League Group, they'll go into a mini-tournament with the other three winners at their level

Should they then win that Play-Off they'll Qualify for the World Cup

Will be the same across all four levels of the Nations League so England will have a second chance even if we mess up Qualifying, same with Gibraltar and San Marino etc. - They'll get smashed in Qualifying yet if they win their Nations League Group and then their mini tournament, they too will Qualifying for the Euros

palarsehater

basically it gives the minnows d group a guaranteed slot at the euros.

palarsehater

In addition to the Nations League Finals of League A, there will be four play-offs with a similar format. Each group winner takes a spot in the semi-finals. If the group winner is already one of 20 qualified teams, rankings will be used to give the play-off spot to another team of the league. If less than four teams in the entire League remain unqualified, play-off spots for that league are given to teams of the next-lower league. This determines the four remaining qualifying spots for the European Championship (out of 24 total)

ForeverAddickted

palarsehater said:

basically it gives the minnows d group a guaranteed slot at the euros.

Yeah but some of those minnows arent really whipping boys like Azerbaijan and Macedonia

i.e. Neither will get out of their Euro Group yet doubt they'd lose by more than a goal or two

There will also be a guaranteed slot for a side from Divisions A | B | C (Although the A slot will only be available if one of the teams in the top Group havent already qualified via. the Standard Groups which should happen)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018%E2%80%9319_UEFA_Nations_League#Seeding

cafctom

All sounds very straight forward....

smudge7946

killerandflash said:

paulie8290 said:

killerandflash said:

All a bit weird. We are in a higher level so get Spain and Croatia, really tough games when Southgate will want to be blooding new players. As will Spain and Croatia presumably

I see Scotland have Albania and Israel!

Thats the point, all top teams in tougher groups.

There is relegation and promotion to I think

To me it just complicates and distorts things, especially as some teams will take this seriously and others wont. Meanwhile Scotland have home matches against Albania and Israel to draw in the crowds

I thought the league was seeded.
It must be annoying for Israel and Albania to be forced to play against minnows.