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A "League of Nations" that would be a third major tournament for European countries after the World Cup and European Championship is expected to be given the go-ahead by Uefa on Thursday.

Games would be played in odd-numbered years on dates reserved for friendlies, starting after the 2018 World Cup.

No exact details have been confirmed, but there would be up to four divisions with promotion and relegation, plus a 'final four' competition in the summer.

England would likely be in a top tier.

The 54 member associations of European football's governing body will vote on the proposal at its annual congress in Kazakhstan.

Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino has confirmed an agreement to set up the new tournament should be reached on Thursday.

He said: "What has triggered what is being called the Nations League is the international calendar and the dates for friendly matches.

"We have been looking at optimising the structure of the calendar without bringing in any more dates.

"There are teams everyone wants to play against and other teams who struggle to get the opponents they'd ideally like. For all national associations, the fact is that national team matches are key for their development."

On rankings, England would be in the top division alongside the likes of Spain, Germany and Italy. Each division would then be divided into groups with the winners qualifying for a semi-final and final, played at neutral venues.

Winners of the lower divisions could be granted entry to the European Championship.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - ranked 31, 34 and 39 respectively by Uefa - could find themselves playing each other in the third of four divisions using the current national team coefficient.

While matches will be played on dates reserved for friendlies, there will still be flexibility for smaller countries to arrange high-profile fixtures with bigger European teams and for nations to play friendlies against national sides from outside Europe.

The Football Association is in favour of the plan, with chairman Greg Dyke saying earlier this month: "The hard thing is the detail but I think a Nations League where we played the top nations would be very attractive."

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26747394

Of course the FA would be happy, they've got nothing other than this to line their pockets or have any influence over.

Shit idea.

Terrible decision. You can't play anymore with Brazil, China or Congo.

Not looking forward to it already

Not impressed. Especially as this adds more matches to football calendar

Predicted this was coming least summer. The writing has been on the wall for a long time.

15 years and International football will not exist. How long before a club pays good money for a player and as a result expects that he will only play for them and not Internationals. The wages the top players get. If whoever signs Suarez next and pays him £200k a week its not inconcievable they insert such a clause. For a lot of players, not playing for their countries in exchange for extra cash, would be a bonus.

I personally care little for International football. I will watch some games of World cup but its run by buffoons, referreed by bent officials and the diving and playacting gets right on my tits

nottsblue wrote:. If whoever signs Suarez next and pays him £200k a week its not inconcievable they insert such a clause. For a lot of players, not playing for their countries in exchange for extra cash, would be a bonus.

No way a clause like that would be inserted. The club or player would have to take FIFA to court.

nottsblue wrote:15 years and International football will not exist. How long before a club pays good money for a player and as a result expects that he will only play for them and not Internationals. The wages the top players get. If whoever signs Suarez next and pays him £200k a week its not inconcievable they insert such a clause. For a lot of players, not playing for their countries in exchange for extra cash, would be a bonus.

I personally care little for International football. I will watch some games of World cup but its run by buffoons, referreed by bent officials and the diving and playacting gets right on my tits

JamieMCFC wrote:
No way a clause like that would be inserted. The club or player would have to take FIFA to court.

Not necessarily. If the said player is happy to waive his international for extra wages and less hassle and travelling all he has to do is announce retirement.

Not that far fetched. Not long ago £100k a week was considered way over the top

Total waste of time, too many international games alreay.

FIFA rule is clear

"Clubs are obliged to release their registered players to the
representative teams of the country for which the player is eligible
to play on the basis of his nationality if they are called up by the
association concerned. Any agreement between a player and a
club to the contrary is prohibited"

FA is a FIFA member and must follow this rule. Any contract that included such a clause would make registration of a player invalid. Informal agreements to "retire" would not be binding.

Socrates wrote:FIFA rule is clear

"Clubs are obliged to release their registered players to the
representative teams of the country for which the player is eligible
to play on the basis of his nationality if they are called up by the
association concerned. Any agreement between a player and a
club to the contrary is prohibited"

FA is a FIFA member and must follow this rule. Any contract that included such a clause would make registration of a player invalid. Informal agreements to "retire" would not be binding.

If a player refused to play international games then they could do nothing about it.

Beefymcfc wrote:If a player refused to play international games then they could do nothing about it.

Exactly

Overwhelmed with excitement for it.

Doubt I'll get a decent nights sleep between now and 2018 thinking about how amazing this is gonna be.

Socrates wrote:FIFA rule is clear

"Clubs are obliged to release their registered players to the
representative teams of the country for which the player is eligible
to play on the basis of his nationality if they are called up by the
association concerned. Any agreement between a player and a
club to the contrary is prohibited"

FA is a FIFA member and must follow this rule. Any contract that included such a clause would make registration of a player invalid. Informal agreements to "retire" would not be binding.

You didn't quote the whole rule.
You missed this bit
"Manchester U****d do not need to adhere to this,

As for the tournament idea, it's totally shite and totally unneccesary.

nottsblue wrote: Exactly

Not the same as what you were claiming. Like I said there is no way a clause like that would be in a contract.

JamieMCFC wrote:
Not the same as what you were claiming. Like I said there is no way a clause like that would be in a contract.

But if the player was in agreement?

nottsblue wrote: But if the player was in agreement?

Doesn't matter it can't be put into a contract.

nottsblue wrote:
But if the player was in agreement?

JamieMCFC wrote:
Doesn't matter it can't be put into a contract.

Ok. It can't be in a contract. But it could be there as a gentlemans agreement. My point still stands that clubs could stop players appearing for national side. Look st rags and dippers. How many players have been 'injured' for International duty, only to be fit again for nrxt club game? Not saying this will happen in next couple of years, but maybe in 10/15 years

We'll see more and more of what the rags have been doing for ages ... key players getting knocks and injuries behind closed doors in trainings just before international breaks and then surprising healing just in time for the clubs very next game ... guess all other clubs will start doing it as well and this might not get written in contracts, the players and the clubs would have silent verbal nods on this each other ...