Briton 394 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Rangers Porto Ajax Benfica Feyenoord Sporting Anderlecht PSV Bruge Gothenburg Alkmaar FC København Rosenborg Standard Liege Haka Celtic I think that would be a great competition and that we gave up on the 'Atlantic League' idea too easily. What would be the combined population of those countries, 50,000,000? There would be problems sorting it out with home FA's but I don't think they are insurmountable. A pipe dream? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBoyBlue 0 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Good idea but that its just another UEFA cup draw! It will never happen! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 505 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 The idea of an 'Atlantic League' is an interesting one but there are lots of hurdles to consider... 1. Sponsorship/Finance 2. Rules 3. Promotion/Relegation 4. European competition qualification 5. Participation in domestic leagues Personally I'm happy with our club competing in Scotland. Yes, that means we're restricted financially so, yes, we should be exploring other workable alternatives which can run in parallel with our continued domestic competitions. In the meantime we need to concentrate on improving our club before considering anything else. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briton 394 Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Good idea but that its just another UEFA cup draw! It will never happen! Probably not but I think the alternative is for the big clubs from the smaller countries to accept their fate. Something like this could generate a lot of TV money if done well. You could even cut out the Scandanavians, (they have the Royal League after all), and bring in the Greeks and Turks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBoyBlue 0 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 The idea of an 'Atlantic League' is an interesting one but there are lots of hurdles to consider... 1. Sponsorship/Finance 2. Rules 3. Promotion/Relegation 4. European competition qualification 5. Participation in domestic leagues Personally I'm happy with our club competing in Scotland. Yes, that means we're restricted financially so, yes, we should be exploring other workable alternatives which can run in parallel with our continued domestic competitions. In the meantime we need to concentrate on improving our club before considering anything else. Good points mate! Personally i would like to see the SPL/SFA plough money into the league with the possability for expantion! It would be more attractive to players, more competitive and make teams stronger in Europe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briton 394 Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 The idea of an 'Atlantic League' is an interesting one but there are lots of hurdles to consider... 1. Sponsorship/Finance 2. Rules 3. Promotion/Relegation 4. European competition qualification 5. Participation in domestic leagues Personally I'm happy with our club competing in Scotland. Yes, that means we're restricted financially so, yes, we should be exploring other workable alternatives which can run in parallel with our continued domestic competitions. In the meantime we need to concentrate on improving our club before considering anything else. Points 4 and 5 are easy. I'd continue to play the national leagues as they are now (except we'd only play each team twice in our case) and that would count towards Euro qualification. That way UEFA would be kept sweet. Don't think point 1 would be a problem when there is such a huge potential audience. Don't see a problem with 2. Straight league. Promotion/relegation and who gets to partake is a difficult one for sure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 505 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Briton: I don't doubt initial interest would be enough to ensure reasonable sponsorship and TV interest. However, the longevity may not be as easy to secure and neither would you find that many teams eager to give up their mono/duopoly's to take part in what would be seen as a second tier European league. For what it's worth I think such a league is inevitable - especially given the G14 (or whatever it's called now) happenings of the last 12 months. I just worry that the grass may not be as green on the other side. Such a move may interest any potential buyers of course but even they will see the risks involved. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briton 394 Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Briton: I don't doubt initial interest would be enough to ensure reasonable sponsorship and TV interest. However, the longevity may not be as easy to secure and neither would you find that many teams eager to give up their mono/duopoly's to take part in what would be seen as a second tier European league. For what it's worth I think such a league is inevitable - especially given the G14 (or whatever it's called now) happenings of the last 12 months. I just worry that the grass may not be as green on the other side. Such a move may interest any potential buyers of course but even they will see the risks involved. What has happened with the G14 over the last 12 months? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 505 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 What has happened with the G14 over the last 12 months? IIRC, the G14 format was binned and another agreed - with Rangers as part if it. I'll try and find a link. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 505 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Club_Association Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briton 394 Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Right...remember that now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandSuckMaster 1,775 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Haka As a fan of HJK Helsinki I am offended. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briton 394 Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Haka As a fan of HJK Helsinki I am offended. Sorry DD. That was just off the top of my head. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
minstral 5,375 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 i would just be happy to win our own league. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_RFC87 761 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 As long as the tims don't get in Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLUE CYCLOPS 26 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I always thought that UEFA squashed the Atlantic League idea because it was something outwith their control. I think that if the idea was resurected and pitched in the right way they might be willing to listen. The whole football world is moving inevitably towards a European super league and if the Atlantic league was suggested as a trial run for an eventual super league then UEFA might listen. The Atlantic league could be used to iron out the problems and when the system was proved to be running smoothly it could be incorporated into the super league as a second division. This obviously won,t happen overnight but I believe the idea has merit. A european Super league is inevitable someday and Rangers could raise their profile dramatically by suggesting the scheme to UEFA. Last season showed us that we are second choice as far as the SPL are concerned. The announcement of Setanta sponsorship (an Irish company) with Celtics interest at heart is unlikely to do us any favours in the long term. Certainly Rangers pushing the Atlantic league idea would be a shot across the bows of the SPL of where their long term interest lies.Anyone else think that it might be in our interest to let the SPL see we MIGHT be looking at alternative arrangements? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ofb1988 61 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 the way i would do promotion and relegation is if say ajax finished bottom and williem II won the dutch league. ajax would go back to holland and williem II up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briton 394 Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 I always thought that UEFA squashed the Atlantic League idea because it was something outwith their control. I think that if the idea was resurected and pitched in the right way they might be willing to listen. The whole football world is moving inevitably towards a European super league and if the Atlantic league was suggested as a trial run for an eventual super league then UEFA might listen. The Atlantic league could be used to iron out the problems and when the system was proved to be running smoothly it could be incorporated into the super league as a second division. This obviously won,t happen overnight but I believe the idea has merit. A european Super league is inevitable someday and Rangers could raise their profile dramatically by suggesting the scheme to UEFA. Last season showed us that we are second choice as far as the SPL are concerned. The announcement of Setanta sponsorship (an Irish company) with Celtics interest at heart is unlikely to do us any favours in the long term. Certainly Rangers pushing the Atlantic league idea would be a shot across the bows of the SPL of where their long term interest lies.Anyone else think that it might be in our interest to let the SPL see we MIGHT be looking at alternative arrangements? I don't see how UEFA could complain as long as it worked around their competitions. Remember....there is the Royal League that the Scandinavian clubs compete in so a precedent has been set. Actually we could join up with them, the Dutch and the Belgians and join the 'Royal League'...wouldn't Celtic love that! I don't see this ever becoming a 2nd division of a European league. I see it as a part solution to the problems the bigger clubs from the smaller nations have with the status quo. If the clubs decided on a full on Euro league then there would be no need for an 'Atlantic League'. You could simply have 2 or 3 divisions of a Euro league and every club find their level within that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLUE CYCLOPS 26 Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I always thought that UEFA squashed the Atlantic League idea because it was something outwith their control. I think that if the idea was resurected and pitched in the right way they might be willing to listen. The whole football world is moving inevitably towards a European super league and if the Atlantic league was suggested as a trial run for an eventual super league then UEFA might listen. The Atlantic league could be used to iron out the problems and when the system was proved to be running smoothly it could be incorporated into the super league as a second division. This obviously won,t happen overnight but I believe the idea has merit. A european Super league is inevitable someday and Rangers could raise their profile dramatically by suggesting the scheme to UEFA. Last season showed us that we are second choice as far as the SPL are concerned. The announcement of Setanta sponsorship (an Irish company) with Celtics interest at heart is unlikely to do us any favours in the long term. Certainly Rangers pushing the Atlantic league idea would be a shot across the bows of the SPL of where their long term interest lies.Anyone else think that it might be in our interest to let the SPL see we MIGHT be looking at alternative arrangements? I don't see how UEFA could complain as long as it worked around their competitions. Remember....there is the Royal League that the Scandinavian clubs compete in so a precedent has been set. Actually we could join up with them, the Dutch and the Belgians and join the 'Royal League'...wouldn't Celtic love that! I don't see this ever becoming a 2nd division of a European league. I see it as a part solution to the problems the bigger clubs from the smaller nations have with the status quo. If the clubs decided on a full on Euro league then there would be no need for an 'Atlantic League'. You could simply have 2 or 3 divisions of a Euro league and every club find their level within that. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think your idea has a few points worth considering. Before any "Super league" can be formed then the individual national leagues have to be in favour. I,m sure UEFA would not accept a breakawy (illegal) set-up. Some arrangement re:- promotion and relegation would have to be negotiated to ensure that the national league would accept a relegated team back in. At the moment, Rangers (&Celtic for that matter) would get hammered playing against the big boys every week. That is why I suggest the Atlantic league could be used as a test bed which would give us the opportunity to build up to full particapition rather than have our confidence shattered too soon. The main point of my post, however, concerned the Setanta sponsorship and how a lot of Irish money into the SPL coffers might affect us at some point in the future. We saw last year how the SPL treats us, and with Setanta money being held as a threat (of withdrawal )in support of any plan Celtic might have puts us at even more of a disadvantage. Any threat from Setanta need not be specific. It can just be dangled above the SPL head as a "safeguard for the integrity of the league". Obviously, I,m not suggesting that will happen but we have seen that, where Celtics intersts are at stake moral/ethical considerations are non-existant. Certainly the Setanta money changes everything and for Rangers to ignore the possibly that it might be used to influence the SPL has to be considered. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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