Celtic: Future British league set-up remains ambition

[calscot 0]

There is an argument that UEFA may have to either be pro-active or less opposed to cross border leagues. The situation they have helped create is killing football across all the smaller nations in Europe and reducing the diversity of cup winners down to 4 or 5 countries out of about 50.

 

The trouble is the appeal of "Atlantic" type league amalgamation might not be that great when you really look at it. Imagine our league joining with Eire, NI, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium and Netherlands. That would give a rich TV population of about 60m. But can you really imagine people getting exited about Aberdeen vs Oostende, or Linfield vs Heracles, or Rangers vs Norrköping, or Celtic vs Stabæk or Midtjylland vs Dundalk etc, etc?

 

There would be some more attractive games mainly with Rangers, Celtic, Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV and Anderlecht and maybe some interest with Brondby, Brugge, Rosenborg, Gothenburg, Vitesse and Alkmaar, but I can't see it getting ratings and making money like the EP or Bundesliga. Then there's the possibility of all the teams of one country being relegated - especially the Irish, Swedish and Danish, unless some sort of rule stays in place to prevent it.

 

I would reckon the "super-zone" would be recognised as one "country" and the European places allocated accordingly which would put the smaller countries off. Maybe it would need two or three tiers but that might still kill off your local teams.

 

There is also the relevance of the leagues left behind with just one to a handful of teams leaving and the supporters that would rather view these games on telly.

 

It seems too difficult to work.

[Scott7 6,168]

"Forest, Derby, Sheff Wed, Leeds, Charlton, Middlesboro, Fulham, Bolton"

 

Add Wolves, Sheffield Utd, Burnley and that would be a decent league to play in

[der Berliner 3,808]

...

 

The other route down south has to be arguing the case than Swansea, Cardiff and Newport ply their trade in England so why are Scottish teams not allowed.

 

Belongs to the same football-stone-age rulings that have England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland playing as seperate nations in Europe. If a British Premiership double tier would be whipped up, some teams from the respective countries (*not leagues) would cry foul if they weren't given a proper chance too. And I doubt that the current English Championship teams would welcome the part-timers from Wales or Friday night trips to Belfast.

 

* For I assume that the Welsh Leagues do not regard Swansea, Newport, or Cardiff as "their own".

[calscot 0]

The Welsh teams have the excuse of being historical as they joined the FA and FL before UEFA even existed. There are six of them and they joined the English system when they were founded. The Welsh national league was not founded until 1992.

 

Scottish teams could also have been part of it but travelling was too expensive in the 19th century and so all those who were members of the FA resigned and joined the SFA and the SFL.

 

Travelling was so expensive that Queens Park declined to attend a replay of an FA cup semi-final in London.

 

There is the same historic significance for Berwick Rangers being in the Scottish leagues.

[Bearman 9]

Rangers and Celtic are bigger than any club in England.

 

If we entered their league Rangers would finish in first place and the mhanks would shade Man U for runners-up. Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool would fight out a place for a CL spot.

 

Of course we wouldn't win it every year, but we'd end up the most successful over the course of time.

[Scott7 6,168]

We couldn't finish first in the Scottish second tier last season.

[calscot 0]

We couldn't finish first in the Scottish second tier last season.

 

I really don't see the relevance of this. Under 20 years ago Man City were relegated to the THIRD tier, but that didn't stop them coming back and winning the EP.

[Scott7 6,168]

Bearman might be right - in twenty years.

 

I read it as happening straight away.

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

Rangers and Celtic are bigger than any club in England.

 

If we entered their league Rangers would finish in first place and the mhanks would shade Man U for runners-up. Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool would fight out a place for a CL spot.

 

Of course we wouldn't win it every year, but we'd end up the most successful over the course of time.

Jesus

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

I really don't see the relevance of this. Under 20 years ago Man City were relegated to the THIRD tier, but that didn't stop them coming back and winning the EP.

Billionaire owners are a wonderful thing.