The rhythm of the season just get’s broken up some how. My Saturday habits are put on hold for national glory(\s). Maybe watching a game, following the goal reports, he soothing monotony of Final Score, Match of the Day …all just gone.

Surely it is one of the levelers of the game. If you are a big enough club to have international class players, in the past you had to accept that those players would be missing for part of the season. You have a big enough squad, manage around it. Chance for the lower reaches of the table to make up some ground. Chance for some youngsters to get first team experience.