“In international football you have 10 games a season, with players from different clubs. There's no time for proper coaching; they're just recovering from playing on the Saturday.” DifferentGamesPlayerFootballSeasonsInternationalClubsCoachingSaturdayRecovering Author:Graham Taylor
“I haven't retired from international football - I still believe I have a part to play in the future of England.” BelieveStillsPlayHavensFootballEnglandInternationalRetiredI Still Believe Author:David Beckham
“I feel the time is right, I want to spend more time with my young family and concentrate fully on my career [on retiring from international football at age 30” WantFeelsAgeYoungFamilyCareersFootballInternationalMore TimeRetiringAge 30 Author:Robbie Savage
“Sven-Göran Eriksson, confronted with arguably Europe's weakest qualifying group, has a problem; it is the same one that afflicted Jacques Santini, the France coach at the time, before Euro 2004. Not that there are no easy matches at international level; rather, there are no hard ones. In qualifying for the 2004 European Championship finals, France faced a group not of death, but of sun-block, comprising Slovenia, Israel, Cyprus and Malta, which they duly won by ten points, averaging 3.6 goals per game. We all know what happened next.” KnowsHardProblemNextGamesEasyGoalLevelsSunHappenedGroupsFootballTenEuropeFinalsInternationalIsraelCoachesBlockFranceSoccerRanAnalysisChampionshipEuroQualifyingCyprusMalta Author:Martin Samuel
“Jonny Evans plays sort of international football with Northern Ireland” PlayFootballInternationalIrelandNorthern Ireland Author:Phil Thompson
“I never felt I would get to the stage where I would to have to actively think about retiring from international football as I always thought it would pass me by.” ThinkingFeltStageFootballInternationalRetiring Author:Kenny Cunningham
“When I was in Dutch and Italian football, a lot of people looked at Manchester United, and when they were asked who was the best player, a lot of them said Paul Scholes. Much of what he did looked simple, but actually it was quite hard. Invariably he controlled the ball instantly and passed it straight on, keeping the game moving. He made inch-perfect passes across the pitch; he saw the gaps and could play the ball through them. So it didn't surprise me that so many top-class international footballers recognized his quality.” PeopleMadeSaidHardPlayMovingGamesSimplePerfectUnitedQualityClassSawsPlayerFootballBallsSurpriseInternationalGapsControlledItalianInchesFootballerManchesterDutchBest PlayersSurprise MeManchester UnitedScholesPaul Scholes Author:Edwin van der Sar
“I come from a generation where I couldn't even contemplate such a thing. I find it amazing... You can become a multi-millionaire as a club player without playing international football. But international football is about individual pride and wanting to perform at the highest level. If I got picked at 41, I would have played, even if I thought I would make a fool of myself. I just wanted to play for my country.” IfsCountryPlayWantedIndividualLevelsPlayerGenerationsFootballPrideFoolHighestInternationalClubsContemplatingMillionaire Author:Trevor Brooking
“I'm upset. There was nothing like putting on the red shirt. (on retiring from international football)” FootballRedInternationalUpsetShirtsRetiringWalesRed Shirt Author:Robbie Savage
“I don't particularly enjoy watching international football in the way that I used to. It hurts me to say that, but it's true.” WayUsedEnjoyHurtFootballInternationalIt HurtsHurt Me Author:Michael Owen
“I have never thought of a scenario where international football was not a massive part of our [England] game.” GamesFootballEnglandInternationalMassiveScenarios Author:Michael Owen
“The Champions League is more interesting to watch than international football and the quality is superior as well.” WellsInterestingQualityWatchesFootballInternationalSuperiorsLeagueChampionChampions League Author:Michael Owen
“A lot of people have lost interest in watching England play. To get motivated to watch international football, you need your country to be having some form of success and England haven't had any for a long time now.” PeopleNeedsLongCountryPlayFormLostInterestWatchesHavensFootballLong TimeEnglandInternationalMotivated Author:Michael Owen
“I love the introduction of international managers and players into the Premier League. However Manchester United's principles through their history had always been: they will appoint a British manager, there will always promote youth, they will always play a certain style of football, they will always look to entertain. So to me the idea of appointing a British manager, David Moyes, appointing somebody who deserved that opportunity to step up, was the right principle.” LooksIdeasPlayCertainOpportunityUnitedStepsPrinciplesPlayerStyleYouthFootballInternationalBritishManagersLeagueIntroductionStep UpManchesterManchester UnitedPremier League Author:Gary Neville