BREAKS IN SERIOUSLY GOOD NICK

FOR the many people rubbishing the UEFA Nations League, talk to Scotland boss Steve Clarke (below) – whose team won promotion to the top level – if he thinks it is useful.

Or even ask Gareth Southgate, who found out certain things about certain players as they played matches against serious opposition in a serious competition.

People seem to forget how dull the proliferation of friendlies was, that players would cry off in their droves and people seem to forget how full-blooded tackles were avoided.

If the Nations League was to be scrapped, international breaks would still not be.

And they would go back to being entirely pointless.