As a manager, I used to see international breaks as an opportunity - then they became a problem. In my first few years in the Premier League at Stoke, I would always hope that our fixtures against the top-six clubs would coincide with either their European midweek games or international matches. I always believed that would give us an edge, especially if it was a cold, windy and wet afternoon in Stoke! Back then, it was the big clubs who took the biggest hits with losing players on international duty, whereas today most clubs in the Premier League or even the Championship will all lose significant numbers. Working with me, they soon understood my basic principles of player care, and little was left to chance.

Source: BBC March 27, 2026 08:58 UTC