The rhythm of the season just get’s broken up some how. My Saturday habits are put on hold for national glory(\s). Maybe watching a game, following the goal reports, he soothing monotony of Final Score, Match of the Day …all just gone.
Surely it is one of the levelers of the game. If you are a big enough club to have international class players, in the past you had to accept that those players would be missing for part of the season. You have a big enough squad, manage around it. Chance for the lower reaches of the table to make up some ground. Chance for some youngsters to get first team experience.
I already do, more or less for reasons you have explained. It completely destroys the rhythm of the season and the team. Not to mention most games end up being a boring 1-0 or 0-0 because most players can’t play worth a shit when they’re playing with their fellow countrymen. Then you have your favorite players getting injured from your favorite teams and it ruins their season since the backups never step up and win any silverware.