HibeeJibee

To be accurate: NL games are worth 1.5x what friendlies are, and 3/5 of what qualifiers & playoffs are. ('Finals Tournament' games are worth same as qualifiers & playoffs). Unsurprising tbh... only UEFA + CONCACAF operate 'Nations Leagues'. I'd only do minor alterations. 'Finals Tournament' should be group with top 2 contesting Final. Division D should be single group playing 3 home/3 away with top 2 promoted (or 4 into inter-divisional playoffs?). Qualifying playoffs being 1-legged should be in single nations/cities, not home advantage seeded or drawn. It helped us to Euros but I'm also no fan of playoff pathways ringfenced for lower divisions/etc.

Early days those favouring it were a minority. It was widely derided and seen as over-complicated. I think increasing sections to 4 - and so virtually cutting it from 4 divisions to 3 - made it fairer and gave extra credibility. What pleases most is that it's already being taken seriously in and of itself e.g. results and promotion/relegation 'matter'. It's not just seen as a kickabout with some back-up playoff places. I think adding South Americans may be retrograde tbh.

Soccer Nostalgia: April 28, 1993 Portugal 5-Scotland 0 -Switzerland and Italy qualified from this World Cup Qualifying Group. -Scotland’s Eion Jess missed this match with a broken ankle. -Portugal’s only foreign-based players were Barros and Oceano. Scotland’s players were all British based. -Ally Mc Coist was carried off in the 83rd minute with a fractured leg. Scotland having already made both its substitutions was forced to play with ten men. -This was Scotland’s worst defeat since losing to England 0-5 in 1973 and 3-9 in 1961. This was Scotland’s worst defeat vs. non-British opposition since losing 0-7 to Uruguay during the 1954 World Cup. -At the post-match analysis, Scotland manager Roxburgh said 'a team died out there!' -Scotland Captain Richard Gough quit the Scotland team in disgust after a bitter dispute with the manager over the tactics for the game. He ended his national team career after 10 years after this match. He claimed Scotland’s tactics for this match were decided following a conversation the coaching staff had with a Lisbon taxi driver.

We played Switzerland at Euro 96 (and in WC 94 qualifying), plus friendly under Walter Smith. Romania in Euro 92 qualifying, plus friendly under Vogts which crippled John Kennedy. Sweden in friendlies since millennium, including at Easter Road with Tommy Burns deputising. Bosnia-Herzegovina in Euro 2000 qualifying. Bulgaria in Euro 92 qualifying, and Kirin Cup 2005. We've played Estonia numerous times since 'One Team in Tallinn' e.g. Euro 2000 qualifying, friendly under Vogts, another at Pittodrie around 2013. Greece and Finland in Euro 96 qualifying, also friendly at Tynecastle v Finns late 1990s. Hungary away in a friendly only a few years ago. Northern Ireland in WC 82 qualifying, and 2011 'Nations Cup'. Norway in a friendly in Molde under Strachan. Portugal battered us in WC 94 qualifying and contested friendlies since e.g. in Braga under Vogts.

If the expansion to 24 proceeds they'll probably institute relegation playoffs in March 2024 e.g. Austria v Czech Rep and England v Wales. There are already Division C relegation playoffs scheduled then.

It also rewards the 1st and 9th clubs drawn with home ties every single round... locks the 8th and last clubs drawn into away ties every single round... etc. etc.

These are Sweden's next 3 league weekends (KO's = BST i.e. 1hr behind): Is this seriously what Scottish fans want i.e. to televise every match? Play more Monday evenings than Saturday afternoons!

Well with 5 weeks having passed Berwick drop to 12th and 'Shire to 18th while Cowdenbeath 'rally' to 15th. All exited Scottish Cup in R1.