Club over Country?

As England prepare to take on the might of San Marino, football fans across the country are mourning the break from their clubs.

The international break is a great time, it is your chance to get behind your country, for rival fans to come together but the emotion is not quite the same as it is with your club.

One difference between club and international football is fans become more invested in their clubs because they play more often and read news about them every day. It is hard for international teams to build momentum when they only play once or twice every few months, whereas clubs can sometimes play up to four times in a week. If you loved watching something, which would you prefer, having to wait two months to see it again or seven days?

Club football is more personal, every  fan supports their country, but your club is what separates you from everyone else. You don't get the banter and the rivalry with internationals like you do with clubs. It means more if you're a Liverpool fan to beat Manchester United then it does for England to beat Germany. I'll bet you're more likely to meet a few United fans on your way to work to banter with then you are a bunch of Germans; though if you happened to live in Germany it would be a lot easier!

Success may play a part in it for some as well. The continuous failures of the England team to replicate anything near to the 1966 triumph has become frustrating. I think every club must have had 'some' form of success since the national team has.

International football is a great concept though and I would be outraged if it was decided that because people prefer their clubs that it should be done away with. Tournament football is brilliant because it is a few weeks focused entirely on watch your country, who play up to seven games, but with England it is usually maximum of four.

The players can also have an effect on your interest on the international stage. If your national side has a lot of your club players you become more invested but if your clubs players aren't there, then you may feel your team is not represented.

There will be plenty of people that disagree with this and I am not saying that I do not like internationals, because I do, just my club means more to me when it comes to football. I feel more passionate, more emotional and more invested with my club. If they lose I feel down but a win makes me feel great and on top of the world.

A couple of years ago I was studying in California and it was around the time my team, Leeds United (please keep reading after hearing who I support), were trying to get promoted from League One. Leeds were playing Bristol Rovers at home and just needed a win to guarantee promotion. California is eight hours behind so when the game kicked off at 3pm UK time, it was 7am where I was. During my time in California I lived in a shared room, which is an important part to the story. I woke up to listen to the game and suffered as Leeds went down to 10 men and then 1-0 down. Just after hearing Leeds equalise I managed to find a video link to the game in time to see Jermaine Beckford put Leeds ahead, upon which I shouted in excitement, thus waking my room-mate up! I could not contain my joy at this victory, that was a result of nine months worth of work for my team. Now I have seen some great England games, goals and drama, Beckham's free kick (you know the one) being a prime example, but I just don't feel that sheer joy I experienced at 8.20am, 5,000 miles from home, could be replicated watching someone in a England shirt rather than a Leeds one.

There is no doubt I would choose my club first but come every other summer you will find me in the middle of the pub, beer in one hand, crisps in the other, cheering on my country.