Competitive friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and Finland are hardly going to quench the thirst of the dehydrated football fan. Surely only the most hardcore could endure ninety minutes of oxymoronic apathy, and even they may have been more tempted by the clash between Netherlands and Germany. So, what is the point?

Well, apart from adding structure to friendlies, and a convoluted but significant route to major tournament qualification, not a lot.

But when it started, it was actually alright, wasn’t it? England came third in that first tournament. That stunning 3-2 victory in Seville starring Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling cemented Gareth Southgate’s position in the eyes of both the FA and the fans. As you will doubtless recall, that was followed by a frustrating 3-1 extra time defeat to the Dutch in the semi-final in Guimarães.

Do England fans dwell on what might have been in 2019 in the same way as they would a major tournament? No. But the ride was enjoyable nonetheless. And the desired context to international breaks seemed to have been added successfully.

Critics will continue to point to the lack of friendlies with teams from other federations. Since January 2020, England have played only three friendlies against non-European opposition – against Côte d'Ivoire, Australia and Brazil. But in the preceding five years, England only played five. Can that small difference really have a substantial effect on England’s performance at major tournaments, or the experience of the fans? Probably not.

The headlines over the break were rightly stolen by Harry Kane’s landmark and a touching tribute to the late Sven Goran Eriksson. The football played by Lee Carsley’s England was, at times, interesting. The move which led to Jack Grealish’s goal against the Republic was tidy, and that sort of football will appeal to the fans who lost faith with predecessor Southgate. But both matchups lacked a competitive edge, and felt far more like friendlies than those games against Spain and Croatia in 2018.

Perhaps though, that is the fault of England themselves rather than the administrators. England were relegated at the end of the last campaign having failed to record a single win in six matches against Italy, Germany, and Hungary. One might argue that games against the Irish, Finnish and Greeks is appropriate punishment for those poor performances.

The ambivalence of England fans is not shared elsewhere in Europe. Certainly not in San Marino, where regular fixtures against teams of similar quality have caused a rejuvenation of the nation’s football fever.

England must focus on returning to the top tier. The competitive games will return and, with them, the fans’ interest.

So yes, these fixtures were a frustrating interruption to the premier league season. And yes, England’s fixture list will not raise the pulses of England supporters. But the Nations League is not to be written off just yet.

 

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By Leon Parrott