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Dashing Bob S
16-10-2009, 01:50 PM
Putting aside the fact that the coverage of this in Scotland is purely related to OF selfish interest, I think this structure is a good idea. The Scandinavian countries and Netherlands are proficient in English, so it would have appeal to broadcasters and sponsors. It could eventually rival the big leagues of Spain, England and Italy and Germany.

It needs a proper system of at least two leagues though, to ensure competition. I think it also needs a feeder system into regional (existing) national leagues.

We might see clubs from different countries being able to compete in the CL and Europa.

I have to admit, I'd rather see us playing Den Haag in the Atlantic League division 2 than St.Mirren in the SPL.

An AL would protect the integrity of the Scottish national team (should such a thing exist) and stop a murky political backlash/constitutional crisis when our national game is eroded.

davemcbain
16-10-2009, 02:26 PM
The Scandinavian countries and Netherlands are proficient in English,

If Steve Mclaren is still at FC Twente, I wouldn't be so sure of that. (should that be spelled schooor?)

CB_NO3
16-10-2009, 02:29 PM
The problem with this is who decides who is allowed to go into the league, is it set up with only the best 2 teams from each country that are invited e.g The top 2 in Scotland, Holland, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, Belgium or whatever. The problem for me lies in England again, teams like Leeds United, Leciester City and Derby County may all want a piece of the action because it is a tough task to get into the premiership these days and they could argue that they are bigger than any belgian or scandinavian teams.

Anyway I dont think it will ever happen. The old firm just have to accept they are part of a small country. If Sky never bombarded the premiership with billions of pounds no one would never be in this situation. You never here about Porto or Benfica wanting to run off to La Liga or Austrian and Polish teams wanting to join the Bundesliga.

I think football should change its rules where you are not allowed to spend outwith your income for the season before or something to that extent. Then teams like Chelsea etc would not be able to take out 500 million pound loans etc to give guys a 100k a week, they would have to cap their wages.

Viva_Palmeiras
16-10-2009, 03:26 PM
who decides who is allowed to go into the league,

The OF obviously :wink:

OF should put up or shut up.
They are devaluing our league and therefore sponsorhip moneys (conveniently at a time when they appear to be at their weakest!)

They are below contempt. Tactics of desperadoes looking to stave off rather than create competition in their own league.

How dare they assume they can just send out their "reserve teams" to the Scottish league.


That said if Hibs are included I'm all for it :greengrin

ScottB
16-10-2009, 06:37 PM
Were the other clubs mentioned actually involved in the chats about this or is it just an OF pipe dream?

I'm not convinced it would do that well, considering the Europa / UEFA Cup barely has a TV deal, would a collection of middling teams from around Europe be any more appealing? How does promotion and relegation work?

It doesn't seem workable.

Scorrie
17-10-2009, 08:30 AM
I cannae see this league happening. To be honest the leagues being talked about are just too lightweight to sway UEFA. The OF should now accept it and start trying to improve Scottish fitba. Constantly talking it down is not going to appeal to the potential sponsors. I dont like the OF but they are here to stay and as soon as all the organisations accept this and move on the better. Anyway, I think this season we have a real chance to split the OF as der hun are no great shakes...

haagsehibby
17-10-2009, 08:46 AM
Putting aside the fact that the coverage of this in Scotland is purely related to OF selfish interest, I think this structure is a good idea. The Scandinavian countries and Netherlands are proficient in English, so it would have appeal to broadcasters and sponsors. It could eventually rival the big leagues of Spain, England and Italy and Germany.

It needs a proper system of at least two leagues though, to ensure competition. I think it also needs a feeder system into regional (existing) national leagues.

We might see clubs from different countries being able to compete in the CL and Europa.

I have to admit, I'd rather see us playing Den Haag in the Atlantic League division 2 than St.Mirren in the SPL.

An AL would protect the integrity of the Scottish national team (should such a thing exist) and stop a murky political backlash/constitutional crisis when our national game is eroded.

Obviously you have never been to see ADO Den Haag. Some of it is like a throwback to the worst excesses of British football in the '70's.

Monkey noises at black players, skinheads galore, huge riot police presence for games against the big teams and in contradiction to the skinhead cohort you'll be pleased to know that the mullet is alive and well among a significant number of the remaining intellectually challenged "support".

Phil D. Rolls
17-10-2009, 08:57 AM
Obviously you have never been to see ADO Den Haag. Some of it is like a throwback to the worst excesses of British football in the '70's.

Monkey noises at black players, skinheads galore, huge riot police presence for games against the big teams and in contradiction to the skinhead cohort you'll be pleased to know that the mullet is alive and well among a significant number of the remaining intellectually challenged "support".

I have always had the impression that Dutch fans in general are complete idiots when it comes to "supporting" their team. They seem to have a humour bypass when it comes to any form of banter about their team. I also think they are quite pathetic the way they behave like 70s British fans. Am I being unfair?

norhfc
17-10-2009, 09:00 AM
No sure if it would work,a few years ago we had a Royal League here in Scandanavia.It was for the next 2 teams not in CL or UEFA cup.We had teams like Malmo and Copenhagen.They played the games at the end of the season (October/November)even had TV rights.It just didnt work,the fans didnt turn up and eventually the sponsors pettered out.You can only milk the fans so much,thing is we wont turn up to a mickey mouse game against medium/low standard teams,while our domestic league is in its present form.

hibbie02
17-10-2009, 09:20 AM
I have always had the impression that Dutch fans in general are complete idiots when it comes to "supporting" their team. They seem to have a humour bypass when it comes to any form of banter about their team. I also think they are quite pathetic the way they behave like 70s British fans. Am I being unfair?

No not at all. Dutch football is like something out of the land that time forgot. Never seen scraps like it over here for donkeys years. It's seems to be the way they get rid of their aggression, then they get back on the skunk and wait for the next match.

Perspective
17-10-2009, 09:36 AM
I would hate to see any of the touted 'solutions' come to pass, be it the Old Firm defecting to England, some mish-mash cross-border Cup competition or the Atlantic League.

If that happens the history of our clubs is an irrelevance and we become a franchise.

We're Scottish clubs who should focus on how to improve the Scottish game. Even if the Old Firm were to leave and we'd be up there challenging, I think it would be a hollow win if you know at best you're just the third best team in the country.

Moulin Yarns
17-10-2009, 09:49 AM
The OF obviously :wink:

OF should put up or shut up.
They are devaluing our league and therefore sponsorhip moneys (conveniently at a time when they appear to be at their weakest!)

They are below contempt. Tactics of desperadoes looking to stave off rather than create competition in their own league.

How dare they assume they can just send out their "reserve teams" to the Scottish league.


That said if Hibs are included I'm all for it :greengrin

Out of curiousity, do Cardiff and Swansea, who play in the English Leagues, have reserves that play in the Welsh leagues?

If a club are a member of a national F. A. would that not preclude them from playing teams in another national competition? I would have thought so.

In other words, if clubs join a league set up other than the one in their home country, how or why should they expect to have representation in their home country as well?

OF go, and don't come back with your tails between your legs if it doesn't go the way you expect.

Phil D. Rolls
17-10-2009, 09:53 AM
Out of curiousity, do Cardiff and Swansea, who play in the English Leagues, have reserves that play in the Welsh leagues?

If a club are a member of a national F. A. would that not preclude them from playing teams in another national competition? I would have thought so.

In other words, if clubs join a league set up other than the one in their home country, how or why should they expect to have representation in their home country as well?

OF go, and don't come back with your tails between your legs if it doesn't go the way you expect.

I know they used to qualify for Europe via the Welsh FA Cup, as did Shrewsbury Town.

Moulin Yarns
17-10-2009, 10:02 AM
I know they used to qualify for Europe via the Welsh FA Cup, as did Shrewsbury Town.


Taken from Cardiff City Wiki page

In recent years, with Cardiff on the verge of a place in the Premier league, doubts have been cast on the opportunities for Welsh clubs playing in the Football League to qualify for European competitions. The FA (http://www.hibs.net/wiki/The_Football_Association) had previously stated that they would not nominate Cardiff for a place in Europe should they earn one on the grounds that they don't have the option. However their words were contradicted by a UEFA (http://www.hibs.net/wiki/UEFA) spokesman saying that Cardiff could play in Europe as European countries are allowed to nominate teams even if they don't play within its boundaries, UEFA president Michel Platini (http://www.hibs.net/wiki/Michel_Platini) later pledged his support to Cardiff should the FA refuse them entry to European competition, commenting: "If England don't do anything, we will."[13] (http://www.hibs.net/message/#cite_note-12)
Following Platini's statement the FA announced that they would be reviewing their stance on the situation.[14] (http://www.hibs.net/message/#cite_note-13) UEFA also commented on the possibility of the club being given a wild card entry into Europe,[15] (http://www.hibs.net/message/#cite_note-14) but the FA eventually backed down from their previous statement and confirmed that it would allow the club to play in Europe should they win the FA Cup final.[16] (http://www.hibs.net/message/#cite_note-15) However, Cardiff lost the FA Cup final (http://www.hibs.net/wiki/2008_FA_Cup_final) 1–0 against Portsmouth (http://www.hibs.net/wiki/Portsmouth_F.C.), who hadn't already won a qualification place.


In other words the OF can play in Outer Mongolia and the SFA can still 'nominate' them to represent Scotland :grr:

Steve-O
17-10-2009, 10:05 AM
I think the Atlantic League sounds like an absolutely pish idea. It might be ok for a couple of years, but 5-10 years down the track? Boring I reckon. No away games for the fans? Crap.

Moulin Yarns
17-10-2009, 10:13 AM
Out of curiousity, do Cardiff and Swansea, who play in the English Leagues, have reserves that play in the Welsh leagues?

If a club are a member of a national F. A. would that not preclude them from playing teams in another national competition? I would have thought so.

In other words, if clubs join a league set up other than the one in their home country, how or why should they expect to have representation in their home country as well?

OF go, and don't come back with your tails between your legs if it doesn't go the way you expect.


Reserves play in England as well.

Scorrie
17-10-2009, 11:50 AM
And the Huns have just gone 1 doon to the Saintees! North Atlantic league ma erse!

judas
17-10-2009, 07:23 PM
Putting aside the fact that the coverage of this in Scotland is purely related to OF selfish interest, I think this structure is a good idea. The Scandinavian countries and Netherlands are proficient in English, so it would have appeal to broadcasters and sponsors. It could eventually rival the big leagues of Spain, England and Italy and Germany.

It needs a proper system of at least two leagues though, to ensure competition. I think it also needs a feeder system into regional (existing) national leagues.

We might see clubs from different countries being able to compete in the CL and Europa.

I have to admit, I'd rather see us playing Den Haag in the Atlantic League division 2 than St.Mirren in the SPL.

An AL would protect the integrity of the Scottish national team (should such a thing exist) and stop a murky political backlash/constitutional crisis when our national game is eroded.

I agree. I like this idea.

SRHibs
17-10-2009, 07:34 PM
European football is a rarity for us at the moment which makes the games all the better.
If we're playing teams from the continent week in week out it just wouldn't be the same.

I would much rather a British league tbh, although that would most likely mean sacrificing European football completely.