Celtic Cup

[cymrococh]

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2109096,00.html

 

Discussions are going ahead regarding a revival of the home internationals - without England but including the Republic of Ireland. Initial plans are to stage what has been called a 'Celtic Cup' every two years with a knockout round followed by title match and play-off.

The first semi-finals are being sketched in for August 2009 with a final and third-place play-off in February 2010. The Scottish Football Association, the Football Association of Wales and the two Irish associations are all understood to be keen on the idea.

 

"Things are provisional, but if we could pull this off, the interest would be enormous," said David Collins, the secretary of the FAW. "For the fans, the TV companies and potential sponsors, a Celtic Cup tournament would be huge. And for the managers of the respective teams it would be an opportunity to look at players in competitive friendlies.

"We are quite positive about the whole thing, although we appreciate a huge amount of work is needed before it could get off the ground. But the Celtic countries have had a meeting about it and we each decided to go away and work out ways whereby the tournament could be possible."

 

England have not been excluded from discussions but, with the Football Association cool on the idea, the Football Association of Ireland was asked to consider taking part. "[The] reasons for ending the old home internationals are well known," added Collins. "On the other hand, if we can get the tournament up and running and convince England there are practical solutions to the various issues, then they might want to become involved, anyway."

[Ostrich Man]

theres already been a letter sent to a local paper over here from a DUP councillor questioning the "Celtic" part of it and asking Jim Boyce (head of IFA) to justify the norths involvement in a cup with this name.

[Tosh]

First they get their own parliament

 

then they get their own damned footy competition

 

Give the buggers an inch....

[Cobs]

good idea

 

although they should do it in the 2008 & 2010 etc summers

 

give their fans something to do for the summer rather then just cheering on whoever England are playing

[jfogarty]

The Scottish clubs in Europe wont get involved so it will be 2nd rate Scottish teams against the rest. The Irish teams and Linfield would dominate the competition and in the end the best players will end up with Championship clubs

 

Waste of time

[Cobs]

Earth to jfogarty..........

[Extraordinary Swindle]

Discussions are going ahead regarding a revival of the home internationals - without England but including the Republic of Ireland. Initial plans are to stage what has been called a 'Celtic Cup' every two years with a knockout round followed by title match and play-off.

The first semi-finals are being sketched in for August 2009 with a final and third-place play-off in February 2010. The Scottish Football Association, the Football Association of Wales and the two Irish associations are all understood to be keen on the idea.

 

 

The Scottish clubs in Europe wont get involved so it will be 2nd rate Scottish teams against the rest. The Irish teams and Linfield would dominate the competition and in the end the best players will end up with Championship clubs

 

Waste of time

[jfogarty]

 

Ive just given you the reasons why it wont go ahead. These rumours have been going around since last season

Edited June 22, 2007 by jfogarty

[Gunga Din]

theres already been a letter sent to a local paper over here from a DUP councillor questioning the "Celtic" part of it and asking Jim Boyce (head of IFA) to justify the norths involvement in a cup with this name.

/

jesus wept. have the DUP got f*** all better to be at?

[Cobs]

EARTH.......CALLING J................ FOGARTY

 

COME IN JFOGARTY......................

[R A Softlad]

good idea

 

although they should do it in the 2008 & 2010 etc summers

 

give their fans something to do for the summer rather then just cheering on whoever England are playing

 

Exactly, keeps them busy when we're at the World Cup.

[jfogarty]

EARTH.......CALLING J................ FOGARTY

 

COME IN JFOGARTY......................

 

 

OK Im with it now but in my defence I had read this article minutes before I saw this thread but Im still thick

 

http://www.welsh-premier.com/news.php?ID=5506

 

WELSH CONSIDER SETANTA INVITE

 

THE Welsh Premier is considering an invitation for two of its clubs to participate in the Setanta Cup.

Currently the exclusive preserve of clubs in Ireland, the competition is sponsored by pay-TV channel Setanta, which provides prize money of €350,000 and sponsorship of €1.6 million over four years.

Last season, Carnegie Premier League teams Dungannon Swifts, Glentoran, Linfield and Portadown were joined by Eircom League sides St Patricks Athletic, Derry City, Drogheda United and Cork City in the competition.

The South Wales Echo claimed last week that the FAW was considering plans to invite cross-border teams from Scotland and Ireland to join the FAW Premier Cup, but Welsh Premier League chairman Alun Evans has clarified the story and says it is the organisers of the Setanta Cup who have made the initial proposals.

"At the moment the Setanta Cup is composed of four Eircom League clubs and four Irish League clubs playing in two groups of four with a semi-final and final to close the competition," explained Evans.

"The format being proposed by the Irish leagues is to have two clubs from the Eircom League, two from the Irish League, two from the Welsh Premier and two from the Scottish Football League.

"The matter was discussed at the FAW Council meeting last week and was handed over to the Welsh Premier League to act as it sees fit."

Once more information is forthcoming the matter will be referred to the clubs and Evans continued: "If the competition falls in place in the summer as what would be for Welsh Premier clubs a pre-Europe warm up tournament, then all well and good.

"However, if the competition runs during the season then both the League and clubs would have to consider the implications to League and Cup fixtures, especially if it coincides with the present Setanta Cup dates – running from early February to May."

This year's third final was contested by Linfield and Drogheda United, the only teams to have won the competition previously, and was the first to be played in Northern Ireland, at Windsor Park.

It is not clear whether Welsh involvement in the Setanta Cup would spell the end of the FAW Premier Cup but, if it did, eight Welsh Premier clubs would miss-out on the considerable financial benefits from the 10-year old, BBC-sponsored tournament.

21 June 2007

[Coyler]

good idea

 

although they should do it in the 2008 & 2010 etc summers

 

give their fans something to do for the summer rather then just cheering on whoever England are playing

Fans of eircom League clubs are pretty busy already during the summer.

 

(And ABE is far from being a mutually exclusive pastime anyway )

 

/

jesus wept. have the DUP got f*** all better to be at?

Thing is, without the Anglos it's the real Home Nations.

[Cobs]

Fans of eircom League clubs are pretty busy already during the summer.

 

fair play to them for taking the time out to hate England then

[Coyler]

The matches are on Friday nights. Ain't no thang.

[Ostrich Man]

/

jesus wept. have the DUP got f*** all better to be at?

Nelson McCausland.

 

c***.