which is better? international or club football?

i like internationals because of the emotions they stir up. listening to the national anthems prior to teh game is always interesting. although i appreciate friendlies because they allow for experimentation, tournaments like the world cup and euro champs are the real deal. it is like a 400m race. not too long, not too short, in a category of their own. in that one month, the squad you bring must have quality and depth. i think it is very interesting to be a national coach, because you spend most of your time watching players and thinking of who to pick, who to play where. and when the anthem plays, with all the fans singing along, i think it is an inspiring moment. the kind of all-ready-to-go feeling.

i like club football because week in week out, you play. and the fans are usually lifelong supporters; the club's in their blood. okay, this applies to national teams as well, but i guess club football has a much more complicated bond to the fan, because the team plays very regularly, relative to the national team. maybe international football is the occasion whereby rivalries are temporarily put aside for the sake of a 'greater cause'. so club football is everyday. and european nights are always special.

but i still think the most interesting and in a way gratifying job of all is to work with the youngsters, be it at country or club level. that is why i appreciate what ajax and arsenal are about.