The call for an end to meaningless international friendlies for European nations was parroted for many years, before UEFA finally paid attention and created the Nations League.

Those involved in football have long believed that international exhibition matches are near-useless exercises that taught coaches little and left fans feeling short-changed.

Friendly match-ups between England and Spain or France and Germany may look great on paper, but in reality, they provide little in the way of a spectacle, with nothing riding on the game and players more interested in getting back to their clubs in one piece.

Fewer Meaningless Friendlies

The problem with friendly matches stems from the fact that few conclusions can be drawn from the performances and they do not help teams to prepare adequately for upcoming competitive fixtures.

A national team only gets a short time together so spending it preparing to face a weakened German or Spanish side when their next competitive match is against Sweden or Italy can feel like a waste of time.

It also limits the time the team can spend working on new formations and tactical exercises on the training pitch.

The international break is SO boring... ?

Bring back proper football, right #BCFC fans? ?

— 888sport (@888sport) October 10, 2018

With such limited time to spend with their squads, most coaches would prefer to spend it in a training camp where they can work on specifics ahead of a tournament, or at least play a competitive match where there is something at stake.

Back in the late 1990s, former Manchester United youth team coach Eric Harrison suggested ditching friendlies for dedicated training camps, but the idea was seen as too radical at the time.

Creating a Nations League offers a better all-around solution as it still keeps fans engaged with the team between major tournaments, while giving sides a taste of competitive action.

 

More Competition For Nations At ALL Levels

The initial Nations League matches might still feel like friendlies as teams adjust to the idea of competitive international breaks. But by attaching extra significance to games that would otherwise be seen as damp squibs, that should change over time.

Most regional bodies are in agreement that the new system will provide improved sporting competition; the overall aim being to improve the quality of international football and raise the standard of lower-ranked teams.

The tournament also fills the summer void between major tournaments by allowing the top teams to compete in the UEFA Nations League Finals, with a top-level trophy at stake.

For middle and lower-ranked teams, the UEFA Nations League offers an alternative qualification route to the European Championships, with the bottom 16 guaranteed a slot in the 24-team quadrennial event.

The consultation process for the league began at a strategy meeting in Cyprus back in 2011, with the final format agreed at a conference in Astana three years later.

The only people that might still have a problem with the new system are club managers, who now face a situation where their players will be involved in competitive encounters during international breaks.

This could increase the risk of injury and affect a player’s fitness at club level. However, most top-level coaches accept that the current system is not working.

 

Will The Importance Of International Competition Be Diluted?

With the expansion of the European Championships (or Euros), more lower-ranked teams will get the chance to feature at the showpiece event. And the structure of the Nations League means those teams will play more matches against rivals of a similar level.

This balance provides a better competitive environment for those teams and should help them develop beyond their historic levels.

Previously, such teams would have been drawn in matches they had little or no chance of winning, or even drawing. Little is learnt from these games and zero progress is made.

Now, those teams will have a genuine chance to win games. This gives them more freedom to experiment tactically and take a positive approach to fixtures. This can boost confidence as well as technical ability.

As lowered-ranked teams improve, the overall standard of international football should be raised.

Hit ❤️ if you still have no clue what the UEFA Nations League is or how it works... pic.twitter.com/BS9GcqhBmW

— 888sport (@888sport) September 6, 2018

The benefits were clear in the opening round of matches, as Armenia and Lichtenstein both recorded wins, lowly Andorra secured a rare draw in their game against Kazakhstan, newly inducted Kosovo grabbed a win and a draw from their first two games, and Malta picked up a point against Azerbaijan.

What’s more, the new tournament works alongside existing competitions, so it is unlikely to dilute the importance of the traditional events.

The European Championships and World Cup will still be seen as the more prestigious events, while the Nations League will offer an additional chance of silverware.

Everyone involved benefits from having a fixed schedule and coaches and players will now have a positive target to focus on during international breaks.

The league will also act as a bridge between the main events, maintaining the competitive interest while also generating greater income through solidarity and bonus fees.

 

Has It Been Tried Before?

Since 1996, the Oceania Football Confederation has organised the OFC Nations Cup. Initially a biannual event, it is now held every four years and since 2010, has formed part of the World Cup qualifying campaign for the region.

However, the lack of competitive nations means top sides must still play friendly matches in order to test themselves against top-level opposition.

Because of the different structure and the smaller numbers of teams involved, it is hard to use the OFC Nations Cup as an indicator of how successful the UEFA Nations League might be.

 

Are Other Federations Doing The Same?

In 2017, the member associations of CONCACAF, which covers North, Central America and the Caribbean Islands established the CONCACAF Nations League.

This 40-nation tournament is similar in structure to the Nations League. The league will also give teams a chance to qualify for CONCACAF Gold Cup.

The fact that other Federations are following suit suggests that this will be the standard approach going forward.

 

Is This The End For Friendly Matches?

With some of the top teams drawn in groups of three and the fixtures spread out over ten months, there will still be room for the odd friendly game.

Coaches will be able to use these games to test their players against teams from other continents or to prepare for upcoming Nations League fixtures.

However, friendlies will no longer be seen as central to the formation and development of the national team and no one will expect much from these matches.

And with the next competitive match never too far away, international breaks will no longer feel like such an intrusion upon the domestic campaign.

 

A Boost For National Team Coaches

For national team coaches, having extra competitive matches will give them more opportunities to make their mark on the team.

They will play against full-strength opposition of roughly the same level and can implement formations and tactical plans in the same way they would for a tournament game.

This means that the whole philosophy and identity of the national team can be established between major competitions so they arrive at the top events in the best shape.

Sometimes, the start of a new season just doesn’t go to plan.

Here, 888sport looks at some of the worst starts to a football season ever seen across the European continent.

Serie A: Napoli (1997/98)

Nothing much was expected in 1997/98 of what was then a consistently mid-table Napoli side, and one far from the Serie A outright frontrunner it is today. A 2-0 defeat to Lazio, followed by a home win over Empoli seemed par for the course.

The first real signs of trouble began on 20 September 1997, when Napoli were held to a disappointing draw at Vicenza. Then came a run that only the worst nightmares of a Napoli fan could generate.

The Neapolitans took precisely three points (via three draws) from the next 48 available. Along the way, Napoli lost by margins of three or more goals on six occasions, and failed to win again until 10 February 1998.

89 mins: Napoli 0-0 Liverpool

Full time: Napoli 1-0 Liverpool

Non #LFC fans be like... ? pic.twitter.com/6sHToavDF3

— 888sport (@888sport) October 3, 2018

Unbelievably, it was to be Napoli’s final win of the season, and the team took just four points from the next 45, for a paltry grand total of 14.

The more seasoned players in the squad had lost a yard of pace over the summer of 1997, and that proved to be the difference between the 13th place attained in 1996/97, and the horrors of the following campaign.

Also of severe detriment to Napoli’s team spirit was the continual change of coaching staff. No fewer than four different head coaches took to the helm, but none proved capable of doing the impossible.

 

Ligue 1: Grenoble (2009/10)

While the last two Ligue 1 seasons (2017/18 and 2018/19) have each seen a team draw a blank from the first five rounds of action, those teams in question look like PSG with cybernetic enhancements compared to the Grenoble team of 2009/10.

The club’s venture into greatness was conceived back in 2004, when it was taken over by Index Holdings. The funds of the owners enabled the construction of a new ground, which opened in 2008, and the rebuild of the playing squad.

It was a venture that worked, with promotion to Ligue 1 sealed at the end of 2007/08.

The team held its own in the top flight, finishing 13th. Under the surface, however, financial difficulties were brewing, thanks in no small part to the global recession that shadowed the world at that time.

Thus, with players eying greener pastures, the rapid decline of the club began.

Grenoble Foot 38, as they are now known, remain the only Ligue 1 side in history to lose the first 12 games of a season, after doing so in the autumn of 2009/10.

Frustratingly, perhaps, the only real thrashing they took in that sequence was a 4-0 drubbing at home to Stade Rennais. In most other cases, their defeats were settled by a single goal, indicating that only a slight upping of efforts would reverse the rot.

Naturally, the idea of Grenoble doing so was laughable. They were as good as gone by Christmas, but still managed to scrape five wins and 23 points.

Just two years later, in 2011, the club was liquidated and plunged into the fifth tier of French football under its current name.

 

Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund (2014/15)

This was nowhere near the actual worst start of a Bundesliga season. That accolade belongs to the Saarbrucken team of 1963/64, but by the standards expected of Borussia Dortmund, the start of 2014/15 was nothing short of terrifying.

Under the management of Jurgen Klopp, Borussia Dortmund once again stood as equals to their main rivals Bayern Munich. Klopp’s class first shone through in typically emphatic fashion, as Dortmund won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012.

He also guided them through to the Champions League final in 2013, and with his squad approaching 2014/15 on the back of successive second-place finishes, hopes were high that the Bundesliga shield would return to the Signal Iduna Park.

It all began innocuously enough, with two wins in the first three rounds of the Bundesliga. However, there then followed a run of just one point from the next twenty-one available, and Dortmund plummeted like Lucifer from heaven.

79th minute - Dortmund 1-2 Augsburg

84th minute - Dortmund 3-2 Augsburg

87th minute - Dortmund 3-3 Augsburg

95th minute - Dortmund 4-3

Remarkable. pic.twitter.com/RQ61mBHvok

— 888sport (@888sport) October 6, 2018

A 2-1 defeat at Bayern Munich on November 1st 2014 saw them sink into the relegation zone.

A run of just two more wins until February 4th saw Dortmund flit in and out of the drop zone. Naturally, rumours were rife that the man who had put the club back on the map was about to be sacked.

In England, that would have long since been the case, but the Dortmund faithful continued to back him, and it worked.

Between early February and late March 2015, the team’s form surged.

Their superior fitness relative to the rest of the league began to pay dividends, and Klopp’s men took 17 points from 21 to survive relegation comfortably, and set a route to a respectable seventh-place finish.

 

La Liga: Grenada (2016/17)

Up until their relegation from La Liga in 2017, Granada were one of the more unassuming sides in the league. In the early 2010s, the club had scored back-to-back 17th-place finishes, having always done just the bare minimum required to survive.

Finishes improved thereafter, and a 12th-place finish in 2016 was seen by some as an indication that the club was all set to make a real assault on the top half of, perhaps, the second-most competitive league in the continent.

It was not to be, and the need to sign an extraordinary number of players on loan proved disastrous. The Granada squad of 2016/17 was – quite literally – a bunch of strangers that had never met.

They certainly played like it too, though the first matchday brought a respectable 1-1 draw at home Villarreal. Beyond that, however, the season soon descended into farce.

A series of chastening defeats, most notably a 7-1 thumping away to Atletico Madrid, gave Granada a return of just four points from the next 42 available after their respectable opening-day result.

The first match of December brought a maiden victory of the season, but the rejuvenating effect was short-lived.

Three home wins in February were the last throws of Granada’s hopeless case, and a return of just one point from the final thirty-nine available sealed the club’s fate.

 

Premier League: Crystal Palace (2017/18)

There are many contenders from the Premier League. However, in terms of raw numbers, the mantle of ‘worst-ever’ start to a Premier League season belongs to the Crystal Palace side of 2017/18.

Frank de Boer’s appointment as Crystal Palace manager in the summer of 2017 raised many an eyebrow.

The idea of a revolutionary brand of total football, after a myriad of turgid performances from his Palace predecessors, was hugely welcome.

Four defeats and zero goals later, the Dutchman was drummed unceremoniously out of the Selhurst Park gates forever.

Jose isn't a massive fan of Frank 'worst manager in Premier League history' de Boer ?? pic.twitter.com/OqRa4EGiHD

— 888sport (@888sport) March 12, 2018

His successor, Roy Hodgson, inherited a difficult start to life as Palace manager, and by October, his team’s record was played seven, lost seven, scored zero.

Then, in mid-October, Palace stunned the reigning champions Chelsea 2-1 at Selhurst Park, thanks to a goal after a great solo run from Wilfred Zaha.

Although an amazing result, Palace would not really kick into gear until December, with back-to-back wins before Christmas edging them gradually further away from danger.

Finishing 11th after such a dismal start was nothing short of a miracle for Hodgson’s men, and it is a tale that gives hope to any team seemingly bereft of it.

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Naomi Osaka created history at the 2018 US Open when she became the first-ever Japanese winner of a Grand Slam tournament. She is also one of the youngest-ever Grand Slam victors at the age of twenty and has an extremely bright future in the game.

Savvy tennis betting followers have been predicting big things for Osaka over the past 12 months and after beating her childhood hero Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4 at Flushing Meadows, she has been catapulted into the spotlight.

As a result of her success in New York, she's already been installed in the top five of the betting for the 2019 Australian Open.

It is likely that Osaka will continue her rise up the rankings over the next couple of years. She is one of a number of young Grand Slam winners who have graced the court and made an instant impact.

Today, we take a look at some of the most memorable victors who burst onto the scene whilst displaying plenty of youthful exuberance.

 

Who Is The Youngest Ever Grand Slam Winner?

Martina Hingis

Martina Hingis burst onto the scene in the mid-1990s to become the youngest-ever winner of a Grand Slam in the Open Era. She made her debut on the WTA tour at the age of 14 and it wasn't long before the Swiss player was making a name for herself.

She quickly sent records tumbling and became the youngest-ever world number one and the youngest-ever Grand Slam champion when teaming up with Helena Sukova to clinch the 1996 Wimbledon doubles title.

It wasn't long until a singles title followed and at the age of 16 years and 177 days, Hingis came out on top at the 1997 Australian Open. She'd also previously been victorious in the warm-up event.

She beat Mary Pierce 6-2, 6-2 in Melbourne and continued her successful 12 months by capturing the Wimbledon and US Open titles later that year.

Unfortunately, Hingis' promising career was curtailed by ligament injuries and after wrapping up the Australian Open for the third successive year in 1999, she failed to secure another singles Grand Slam title.

 

Other Notable Youthful Grand Slam Winners

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova was just 17 years and 75 days old when she burst onto the scene and secured an unexpected Wimbledon title in 2004.

The Russian eased through the early rounds of the tournament before shocking Lindsay Davenport in the semi-finals and booking her place in the SW19 final alongside defending champion Serena Williams.

Despite the odds being stacked against the teenager, she somehow managed to defy all expectations and beat the American in straight sets.

She later added an Australian Open title and two French Open successes to her collection, but failed to repeat her heroics on the grass courts.

Sharapova reached the final for the second time in 2011 but was defeated by Petra Kvitova. Sharapova is still competing on the WTA circuit and is 25/1 to be victorious at Wimbledon 2019.

 

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal, known as the 'King of Clay', first burst onto the scene in 2005 during his inaugural appearance at the French Open.

The second slam of the year has been particularly kind to the Spaniard, with 11 triumphs at Roland Garros, including his latest success in 2018.

2018:
? Australian Open - Roger Federer
? French Open - Rafael Nadal
? Wimbledon - Novak Djokovic
? US Open - Novak Djokovic

2019:
? Australian Open -❓
? French Open -❓
? Wimbledon -❓
? US Open -❓

Let us know your 2019 Grand Slam tennis predictions! ? pic.twitter.com/3rIWOrDM8g

— 888sport (@888sport) September 10, 2018

During his first trip to the French capital, he cruised past Mariano Puerta at the age of 19 years and three days to become the first player since Mats Wilander to wrap up a Grand Slam title at the first time of asking.

Nadal rarely puts a foot wrong at this venue and boasts a win percentage of over 95% at the French Open. As a result, he begins each tournament as the favourite and is currently available at EVENS to make it three on the bounce in 2019.

 

Michael Chang

Michael Chang was just 17 years and 110 days old when he secured his one and only Grand Slam title. The American was a runner-up on three different occasions, but he was never able to replicate his early-career success.

His victory over Stefan Edberg helped him become the youngest-ever male player to win a Grand Slam. The Roland Garros showpiece was a thriller, with the teenager eventually emerging as the 6-7, 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 winner after it went the full distance.

He became the first American to prevail at the tournament since 1955 and just four months later, he managed to break into the top five.

 

Monica Seles

Monica Seles is regarded as one of the most successful female tennis players of all time, with her first Grand Slam win coming at the tender age of 16 in the 1990 French Open.

The left-hander beat Steffi Graf at Roland Garros and their fierce and well-documented rivalry continued throughout the 1990s.

Following her successful debut in France, the Yugoslavia-born player went on to secure seven of the next nine Grand Slam titles, but her upward curve was halted by an on-court incident which saw her stabbed in the back.

Following a full recovery, she returned to the tour but wasn't able to recapture her earlier form.

 

Who Are The Oldest Grand Slam Winners?

Ken Rosewall

Ken Rosewall is generally considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, and the stylish back-hander broke many records during his illustrious career.

The Australian became the oldest player to clinch a Grand Slam title in 1972 when securing the Australian Open for the fourth time.

Admittedly, it was a depleted field with many big-hitters having been forced to withdraw from the tournament, but Rosewall was able to capitalise, a whole 19 years after wrapping up his first title down under.

At the age of 37, it was unsurprisingly Rosewall's last Grand Slam success, although he did reach both the Wimbledon and US Open finals 12 months later.

 

Roger Federer

Roger Federer is one of the most iconic tennis players of the modern era and despite his advancing years, he is still able to glide around the court with plenty of grace and style.

At the age of 36, the Swiss maestro was able to secure the Australian Open title for the sixth time. It was his second successive triumph in Melbourne, ending any rumours of an imminent retirement from the game.

Since turning 35 in 2016, Federer has clinched three Grand Slam titles, bringing his total to 20.

Roger Federer has just won his 98th (NINETY-EIGHTH) singles career title. ?

If Federer wins in Halle this coming week, he will have the chance to win a 100th tour title at #Wimbledon. ?

Written in the stars? pic.twitter.com/tYqE4jL5rb

— 888sport (@888sport) June 17, 2018

He has already been priced up as third-favourite for the 2019 Australian Open and will break Ken Rosewall's long-standing record if he is able to land his 21st Grand Slam next year.

Tennis can be an unpredictable sport at times and although the likes of Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic and the aforementioned Roger Federer have dominated the game for the last couple of decades, it is still capable of throwing up a few surprises.

Young players rarely have anything to lose when they enter a Grand Slam and that lack of pressure and expectation can often help propel them to success.

Naomi Osaka is far from the youngest-ever Grand Slam winner but she is continuing the long-standing trend of outsiders springing a surprise in the final.

The US Open is the tournament most likely to throw up an unexpected result and we can expect plenty more up-and-coming teenagers to make an immediate impact and announce themselves on the biggest stage.

 

Visit 888 Sport, where you'll find the latest bets and markets for the French open

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The controversial UEFA Nations League is back. UEFA’s attempt to make international breaks vaguely interesting has worked so far.

The best players and best teams are trying more than they would in friendlies and that’s good to see. Some heavyweights face-off over the next few days. Below are a few thoughts and tips on the best matches…

 

BELGIUM vs SWITZERLAND

Switzerland’s negotiation of the FIFA ranking system has earned them a favourable group.

Facing Belgium is far from ideal, but Switzerland already have three points and six goals on the board after thrashing Iceland in the last international break.

Their star man, Xherdan Shaqiri, is well rested too, having played a supporting role for Liverpool during the early stages of the season.

Belgium are 4/1 to win the whole competition. Kevin De Bruyne is still out with injury, but Roberto Martinez has plenty of talent at his disposal.

Eden Hazard is playing as well as anyone in the world right now and could blow the Swiss away.  Goals are to be expected with Belgium involved. The hosts should win this one comfortably, but it’ll be entertaining.

TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 8/13

PREDICTED SCORE: Belgium 3-1 Switzerland (Priced at 10/1 with 888sport)

 

Croatia vs ENGLAND

This rematch of the World Cup semi-final is pivotal. Both teams lost to Spain in the opening round of matches.

England, however, gave a better account of themselves, and were perhaps unfortunate to lose 2-1, while Croatia were thrashed 6-0.

Gareth Southgate has an inexperienced squad at his disposal for this international break and the England boss may use this match to take a look at some different players.

Is anyone else excited to see a front three of Sancho, Sterling and Kane against Croatia on Friday night? ?

Make us dream again, Gareth. ?#ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/GatvH0pX6a

— 888sport (@888sport) October 8, 2018

The Three Lions were outplayed by the Croatians in Russia, but England are a team in the ascendency and Croatia are, potentially, on the decline.

England to avoid defeat is a decent price given the relative performances of the two teams since the World Cup.

TIP: England to win or draw @ 13/25

PREDICTED SCORE: Croatia 1-2 England (Priced at 10/1 with 888sport)

 

Netherlands vs GERMANY

The Netherlands are in a period of transition. Having missed the World Cup, they were handed a group with Germany and France.

Defeat to the world champions followed, but their chances are better against a Germany side that struggled horribly in Russia.

Germany played out a 0-0 draw with France to start their Nations League campaign. Jogi Loew’s side are the favourites in this one and have the midfield – led by Toni Kroos – to control the match.

Loew has options aplenty in the front line. Germany should have the firepower to win this one.

The visitors have the better players and that should show here. There are some good players in the Netherlands squad, but they’ve got a long way to go to compete with the best.

TIP: Germany to win @ 11/10

PREDICTED SCORE: Netherlands 0-2 Germany (Priced at 21/2 with 888sport)

 

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND vs DENMARK

Ireland had a terrible start to their Nations League campaign with a 4-1 defeat to Wales.

Martin O’Neill’s side look the weakest team in their group and are in desperate need of a result against Denmark this weekend.

Crucially for Ireland, though, Christian Eriksen is set to sit out for the Danes.

14 goals in his last 18 international appearances.

Christian Eriksen is a beast when he puts on that Denmark shirt.#DENWAL pic.twitter.com/QqAdyBpXLE

— 888sport (@888sport) September 9, 2018

Eriksen would have been by far the best player on the pitch and is the heart of this Denmark side.

The visitors will still be hard to beat but can be stopped if O’Neill’s side are disciplined defensively.

Ireland will look to keep this one tight. Denmark will not be gutted with a draw, having taken three points against Wales in their first match. Under 2.5 is a short price, but it is the best way to go.

TIP: Under 2.5 goals @ 1/2

PREDICTED SCORE: Ireland 1-1 Denmark (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*