[BrianCappellieri]

SoccerNet

Gerard Houllier has bemoaned the 'burden' of international friendlies.

Liverpool provide four players for England's friendly against Portugal at Villa Park on Saturday, while most of the rest of Houllier's squad are involved in European qualifiers.

[prk166]

Liverpool has lots of quality. It'll affect them but the world isn't going to end for the club.

[Lanky134]

At least he's allowing them to go, as opposed to some managers who claim their players have injuries yet still put them in the squad.

Dave

[dcc134]

Hey if a club doesn't want to have its players play international matches, maybe they shouldn't sign internationals. I have little patientence for managers who are always complaining about this, provided of course, the international managers are also respectful of the club schedule.

[Matt Clark]

Well, I can totally get with him on this, but then I am a strict club before country type of chap. International football is a cute enough little sideshow and all that, but let's not forget where the bread and butter is to be found.

As to the problems that international friendlies land clubs with, you cannot argue against anything Houllier says - especially at Liverpool. How many times have they handed our players back broken? Jamie Redknapp more or less made a career out of GETTING injured with England and BEING injured with Liverpool.

If Steven Gerrard aggravates his ankle in a pointless friendly against Portugal and misses our opening Champions League game aginst Valencia (for instance) then how much patience will you have for Houllier's complaints about this.

[655321]

Club before country...always.

If Gerrard, Owen, Murphy, etc come back with an injury that keeps them out of even ONE match for LFC...

[usscouse]

I can understand World Cup qualifiers and World Cup warm up friendlies.
But not...
"Let's have a meaninglesss game against Portugal at the begining of the EPL season"

[RedKnight]

An excerpt from Gerard Houllier’s post-match press conference following the 2:2 draw with Birmingham City:

“We didn't deserve not to win tonight and I'm very disappointed. I hate these games after an international match. We had Emile Heskey, Sami Hyypia, John Arne Riise and Stephane Henchoz playing full games. This drains the players.”

Source: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/match/last_match/press_conf/