Does anyone else feel that shudder of despondency every time an international break comes along?
The most exciting Championship season in years has been put on hold and replaced by the monotony of yet another qualifying campaign.
It’s not a case of being ‘anti-England’ or not wanting the national team to do well. Some of football’s most treasured memories have come in international football.
But the timing of this particular stoppage in the domestic season has come at an irritating time for many football fans.
The Championship promotion race has never been tighter. Every weekend throws up something different - the unnerving unpredictability of the division is glorious.
But all of that now goes on hold as England host Lithuania tonight in Wembley’s latest dead-rubber, before Tuesday’s friendly with Italy.
I will be the first to cheer Roy Hodgson’s men on at the European Championships, and I know how the qualification process works. These matches have to be played at some time.
But does it have to fall at the most exciting part of the domestic season? It’s like a theatrical production leading up to the grand finale, and then cutting for a 15-minute break.
Boro are one of eight teams with a genuine chance of clinching promotion to the Premier League. There’s only seven games to go and fans are daring to dream.
But now we must put all of those emotions, those hopes, those dreams to one side. It’s all a bit inconvenient.
But make no mistake, Aitor Karanka and Boro will be delighted.
Three gruelling matches against play-off rivals inside a week has taken its toll. Boro are on their knees.
After grinding out the three points against Derby, you could tell Boro were struggling at Bournemouth. The Cherries were excellent on the day, but Karanka’s side were far from at their best.
When you speak to any Boro player this season, one thing is always consistent - what they say about Karanka.
The meticulous Spaniard leaves no stone unturned in terms of the team’s preparation.
“The manager prepares every aspect of the game and gives you detailed information and instructions,” George Friend recently revealed.
“He covers all the bases, all the possibilities. We watch clips and know what to expect from every player in every game, every set-play.
“He is the most meticulous manager I have ever worked with and that’s probably why he is also the best manager I have ever worked with.”
That preparation has been pushed to the limit in recent weeks with Boro having only a couple of days between matches.
But the international break has fallen at a perfect time for Boro’s walking wounded, and Karanka now has vital time to focus his troops ahead of the final push.
There’s arguably no better tactician in the Championship than Karanka. If you look at how Boro have fared after international stoppages this season, the trend is clear to see.
After back-to-back home defeats against Sheffield Wednesday and Reading in August, Boro had a fortnight on the training ground.
They won the next three games against Huddersfield, Cardiff and Brentford, scoring seven goals in the process.
The next stoppage was in October after the 2-0 home win over Fulham. Boro had an extra week of training at Rockliffe Park, and followed that up with a win at Brighton, and lost only one of their next six.
After that? The goalless draw with Bournemouth was the last match before another stoppage - and that extra little bit of time saw Boro go on an incredible run of only one defeat in 15, including wins against Derby, Brentford and Man City.
Boro’s recent so-called ‘fixturebomb’ saw them play nine games in 29 days, a run that brought four wins and four defeats.
The team received a much-needed seven days of respite after the 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest, and with a whole week on the training pitch, Boro came back firing and put Ipswich to the sword at the Riverside.
So this international break has come at the perfect time.
Daniel Ayala, Jonathan Woodgate and Patrick Bamford should all benefit from the extra time to shake off knocks, and be fit and firing for Boro’s home clash with Wigan on Good Friday.
But as fans settle down to watch England tonight, that familiar feeling of despondency will be there.
The international break has come at a good time for Boro - but certainly not for the fans.
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