International breaks can be a prime opportunity for players not involved in international squads to recuperate a little during a busy season. They can also provide a rare opportunity for players to properly let their hair down in the midst of a busy season.
Ex-Leeds United player Michael Bridges has shed light on some of the nights out which footballers can get up to as he detailed a crazy purchase he made at the end of one of these camps during his time at Leeds. "I went over to Ireland, to Dublin with Robbie Keane, my best mate and his best mate.
"We went out all day and night. The Irish know how to party," Bridges told Gegenpod. We had to train on the Monday morning – we had a good international break.
Read more: Bargain youngsters Leeds United could target in the summer from Europe
"Keano wasn’t playing for the Republic of Ireland and we had the weekend off. Fast forward to the Wednesday and I was at the training ground and I get a call from my wife saying ‘have you bought a fridge?’
"She said there was this unbelievable retro Coca Cola fridge outside the house and they had my credit card details. I asked where was it bought and she said ‘Dublin’.
"I’ve gone, ‘Robbie, did I buy a fridge?’ As soon as I said Coca-Cola, he said ‘There was a Coca-Cola fridge in a shop window and you went and bought it’. I’ve got no recollection of buying that bloody fridge!"
Bridges played for Leeds from 1999-2004 but made only 10 appearances for the club after 2000 following a serious knee injury. The injury affected his career at Elland Road so badly that the 19 goals he scored in his debut season goal for the club were never added to.
