Who said international football is a poor relation to the Premier League?
Well, most people if the evidence of this weekend is anything to go by.
Teams have got all their new players lined-up and raring to go but the domestic programme comes to a shuddering halt for one of the most uninspiring rounds of international fixtures in living memory.
We now have 53 teams competing for a place in Euro 2016.
Surely it makes more sense for some of the lesser lights to play for places in a slimmed-down group stage rather than a series of one-sided fixtures which seem to stretch on forever?
Watching England slaughter/struggle against San Marino isn’t my idea of football heaven
That was last week watching West Ham break their Anfield hoodoo – but I won’t gloat about that.
Oh go on then, it was fantastic and barely believable even now.
But back to the internationals.
The latest round of qualifiers rolls on from Thursday to Saturday with only a few attractive fixtures among them.
Italy taking on mighty Malta hardly stirs the blood while Israel v Andorra won’t draw record crowds.
The bookies have priced England up at 1/80 alongside a vast array of specials to waste your money on.
We are sailing through the qualification phase but the same old story seems likely to strike once we hit the finals.
England are fourth favoourites at 12/1 to win the thing. But I can count at least six teams with a better chance than that so I’ll look elsewhere.
Hosts France make most appeal at 4/1 with a decent young side, home advantage and a few doubts over favourites Germany as some of their established stars start to creak.
Putting a few past San Marino may fire national hope but the golden rule about never betting on England in a major tournament remains.
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Running total of all bets to a £10 stake for 2015/16 season: £-40.00
