And so the time has come once again for international football to make yet another of its rude interruptions so that a bunch of teams that interest us far less than our club sides can take centre stage. It’s time for the press to indulge once more in some over-hyped hysteria over a bunch of muppets who have to rely on others to qualify from a group which shouldn’t have been that hard to qualify from anyway. And of course it’s a time when our players can potentially get crocked in all four corners of the world. So let’s take a look at which NUFC players are where.

We start with the afore-mentioned bunch of muppets, England where Michael Owen seems certain to feature in the starting eleven for both tonight’s friendly against Austria in Vienna, and then in the final qualifier on Wednesday night against Croatia at Wembley. Alan Smith also features in the England squad.

Shay Given has recovered from injury and is in the Republic of Ireland squad that faces Wales tomorrow in Cardiff.

David Rozehnal is part of the Czech Republic side that entertain neighbours Slovakia in Prague tomorrow, before travelling to Cyprus on Wednesday evening.

Emre should start for Turkey tomorrow when they face Norway in Oslo. The Turks then play Bosnia-Herzegovina at home on Wednesday in Istanbul.

Obafemi Martins should play in Nigeria’s two European-based friendlies this week, as the Super Eagles take on Australia at Fulham’s Craven Cottage tomorrow, before travelling to Zurich for Wednesday’s game against Switzerland.

Habib Baye also remains in Europe for Senegal’s French-based friendlies against Mali at the Stade Colombes in Paris. The Senegalese then move across the city on Wednesday night to face Morocco at the Stade Dominique Duvauchelle in the Parisian suburb Créteil.

On the Under-21 front, both James Milner and Steven Taylor are involved for England as they play Bulgaria in Milton Keynes this evening and the Portuguese on Tuesday in Agueda.

Charles N’Zogbia is in the French U21 squad that play Armenia tonight in Colmar and Wales on Tuesday in Cardiff.

Finally, James Troisi plays for Australia’s Under 23 side in the Aussie’s Olympic qualifier against Iraq tomorrow in Gosford, near Sydney. They continue their campaign to reach Beijing on Wednesday when they face North Korea in Pyongyang.