THE modern football calendar means that just three days before the start of the Premier League season, six possible Swansea City starters are away on international duty.
One of those is Ashley Williams, who will lead Swansea out against Manchester United this weekend after wearing the armband with Wales against the Republic of Ireland tonight.
An experienced, unflappable centre-back, Williams is well accustomed to coping with the dual demands of club and international football.
He has been a near ever present for both Swansea and Wales, after all, for the last five seasons.
Yet what does appear to have irked the 28-year-old and his team-mates a little is the timing of this evening's friendly.
"You work for four or five weeks in pre-season building up to your first game, which for us is Manchester United, and we've had two Europa League games as well," said Williams.
"Then you leave that for three or four days before the game and you're away from your team for three or four days.
"It's not a great time to play. It's not my job to pick when, but there's got to be a better time."
International friendlies in August have long been a source of consternation for managers and players — of clubs and international sides alike — but this is expected to be the final year in which friendlies are played at this time of the season.
If the change does happen, it would come as a relief for players such as Williams, who are always eager to play for their country but simply wish the fixtures could fall on more appropriate dates.
"Every game you play for your country is a massive game," he added.
"There is always something to play for such as the rankings.
"Every international game means so much to everyone. There are no friendlies, especially tonight. I'm sure it won't be friendly."
The build-up to tonight's game has been dominated by a story involving a player who won't even be taking part, Gareth Bale.
The Tottenham Hotspur winger's potential world-record move to Real Madrid, which could be worth more than £85 million, has commanded countless column inches and hours of airtime this summer.
As is ever the case during the close season, transfer speculation is rife, and Swansea have not been exempt — Williams has been continually linked with a move to Arsenal.
But there has been no bid as yet, and the Wales skipper is not concerned about the continued gossip.
"It's very flattering, but you take it with a pinch of salt because you see a lot written and you never know what to make of it," he said.
"I just take it as a compliment. You must be doing something right, whether it's true or not. I try to leave it there.
"If I sat here and said I didn't want to play in the Champions League, that'd be a lie. But at the same time, I'd never disrespect a team I play for and say 'that's it, I'm desperate to leave' just after a story in the paper. I'd never do that or think that."
As he has done for the last few months, Williams will put the transfer conjecture to one side and concentrate on the job in hand tonight.
"We know it's going to be a tough game," he said.
"Ireland have qualified for a lot of tournaments and I think they're going to be physical — that's the British way.
"They're a good team and they're having a good campaign. It's a game we're looking to win."
