SURPRISE SUCCESS

THOMAS HEATH SAYS THE NATIONS LEAGUE HAS BEEN AN UNEXPECTED TRIUMPH...

- THOMAS HEATH

THERE was an audible groan let out by most of us when we first heard about the latest edition to football’s increasingly packed schedule.

Whether it was in the papers, on Twitter or through your mates, few of us regarded the Nations League as anything more than an insignificant piece of silverware only worth a few minutes of our time a month just to check if England had won.

It was predominately the complexity of the tournament’s format that led to my initial disregard for the competition. Endless internet searches just led to YouTube clips of Sky Sports News presenters trying to explain the format without fully understanding it themselves.

A group stage with promotion and relegation, semi-finals and a final and a backdoor into the Euros? It just seemed too complicated to be worth the effort.

However, as we are midway through the second instalment of the competition, we are left to reflect on what has been a successful edition to the footballing calendar. It’s filled a gap in international football we didn’t know existed.

To begin with, the opportunities for young players are endless. It offers a chance for them to prove themselves to their managers in a way no other international competition can.