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It is currently the international break and it will come as no surprise that a lot of fans are bored of the non-competitive fixtures, having to support rival players playing for your country, injuries and dull games.
For some fans, the international break may be a relief from their clubs poor form, but for others, it is just an annoyance that disrupts the rhythm of the week-to-week games in addition to the matchday experience which you do not get with International football.
When major international tournaments come around fans take an interest, but until then international breaks are mostly dull fixtures cluttered together and a chance for managers to experiment with their squad, this does not exactly make for a great spectacle for the fans.
Here is a list of 5 reasons why football fans dread the international break.
#1 It interrupts the club season
International breaks always seem to come at the most inopportune of times, just as the season is heating up in the race for the European trophies, league titles and domestic cups the season grinds to a halt because of the dreaded internationals.
Just when teams pick up form at a critical time, the international break means some players have to travel long distances to play in their respective games which can be a hindrance to a teams momentum or recovery, the weekly pattern for a player at a club is broken up by having to travel and surround themselves in a different environment.
#2 injuries
The sight every club fan dreads is seeing their star player clutching their ankle in agony or feeling their thigh after an awkward turn forcing them off the pitch.
Every fan fears important members of their squad picking up an injury, but particularly when it is picked up in an 'unimportant' or 'unnecessary' friendly game whilst on international duty is it especially frowned upon by club fans.
Because friendlies are non-competitive and often at times pointless, fans dread any of their star players potentially picking up an injury or be unnecessarily fatigued by the demands put on their players by national sides.
Jack Wilshere was one player to pick up an injury whilst on international duty with England. The Arsenal midfielder picked up a knee injury which sidelined him for England's games with the Netherlands and Italy.
#3 Supporting rival clubs' players
A friendly rivalry? Yeah right, most club fans can't stand seeing rival players line up against their team, and even when they do play for the national team the feelings of anger towards those players rarely dissipate.
For an Arsenal or Chelsea fan to cheer Dele Alli, or a Spurs fan to applaud Jack Wilshere, is done so with, at best, bitter resentment.
Most fans of clubs spend most weeks hoping their opposition players fail, so on the odd occasion when they lineup for the national team feelings do not exactly simmer all that much.
As much as club fans try to get behind their national sides the resentment at domestic level is always there, fans are more inclined towards their club sides as they watch them play 10 months out of 12, this creates a separation with the national team and a dissipated relationship with those who pull on the national shirt.
#4 Messes up weekend plans
The Premier League is the most popular league in the world and for good reason, the quality of football and its competitiveness means fans and even neutrals take an interest in results of all teams, rarely is there ever a dull week and the influx in foreign talent has added to the league's excitement exponentially.
The frequency of games is also a large factor, if it isn't league games then it is the domestic cups or European trophies, with International games a load of mostly predictable matches bundled together rarely creates any entertainment,
The excitement of matchday, results shows, highlights and live TV all add to the spectacle, international football cannot quite live up to the drama or the ups and downs of a clubs league season.
#5 The games are dull
International friendlies are rarely exciting and do not compare to the drama of Premier League, La Liga, Serie A or Bundesliga, the games are mostly used as chances for coaches to experiment with players or systems ahead of the major tournaments.
Because international sides do not meet up as often as club teams it could be said that there is not as much energy in performances, at club sides players develop an understanding and are drilled into their roles much more effectively and therefore the matches are much more enjoyable from an entertainment perspective.
It is not surprising that someone would enjoy the drama of a league season to a non-competitive friendly with unlimited substitutions, if enjoyment is ever going to be put into the International fixtures then the games will have to count for something meaningful.
