FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce has said that he understands clubs wanting fewer international friendlies.

The European Club Association has proposed smaller qualification groups for international tournaments as well as not having friendlies at all.

"International football is still very important for countries, and it is also important for supporters to have the opportunity to watch their national teams play," said Boyce.

"There have been a lot of meaningless friendlies recently, played at times of the year when players don't really want to play and clubs don't want to release their players.

"I understand clubs feeling the way they do, but it is still very important that a compromise can be reached which satisfies them but still maintains the importance of internationals.

"Certainly some of the friendly dates have to stop but the clubs must also understand that for many associations the internationals are their lifeblood in terms of income."

Boyce said that that the European associations will be meeting this month to discuss the possible scrapping of the August friendly, a game which was heavily criticised recently when England were due to play the Netherlands just three days before the start of the new Premier League season.