Monday 9 August
19.30 Stevenage Borough v Portsmouth, Carling Cup, Sky Sports 3/HD3
An early season Carling Cup clash between two teams that have entered the Football League from opposite ends. Can hard up Portsmouth with their depleted squad get past the Conference Champions Stevenage? Would it be a tremendous upset if they didn't.
Tuesday 10 August
19.00 England U21 v Uzbekistan U21, Friendly Football Match, ESPN
The Mouse is back for a second season covering football in the UK and is ramping up its coverage with more international football and England Under 21 games which may or may not have been bundled with the FA Cup rights that they have also bought for the next three seasons. Alas, for them, this doesn't make up for the loss of the Monday Night Premier League fixtures which have gone to Sky.
19.30 Chesterfield v Middlesbrough, Carling Cup, Sky Sports 3/HD3
A chance to see the Spirites' brand new B2net Stadium which is barely out of its wrapper and has a lovely new stadium smell(whatever that is). The home side are unbeaten in competitive matches at their new home and welcome the already under pressure Boro who lost at the weekend to Ipswich. The two teams met in a classic FA Cup Semi Final in 1997 when Middlesbrough were a Premier League team. Pretty certain that this game won't hit those heights but don't let that stop you watching it.
01.00 USA v Brazil, Friendly Football Match, ESPN
I'm all for the predominance of international football but this round of international fixtures does seem somewhat ill-timed.
Wednesday 11 August
19.00 Sweden v Scotland, Friendly Football Match, ESPN
I mean I'm the last person to jump aboard a Sky Sports approved bandwagon but most senior domestic seasons in Europe have yet to kick off with the effect that most senior international player will be ring rusty.
19.45 Republic of Ireland v Argentina, Friendly International, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Obviously, European teams and managers need to prepare for the qualifiers in early September ahead but pulling players away from their squads at the beginning of the season seems pointless and serves only to irritate clubs.
19.45 Wales v Luxembourg, Friendly International, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Seems to me that those qualifiers could do with being staged a little later in the year.
20.00 England v Hungary, Friendly Football Match, ITV1/HD
After all, there is that huge gap between November and March where no qualifiers are played. Why not schedule one round in there?
00.30 NY Red Bulls v Toronto FC, MLS, ESPN
Or maybe I'm missing something. If so, perhaps someone could point it out.
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