Celtic and Rangers could finally quit Scottish football...

[Frankie 8,200]

People might like such a league to begin with but I bet they'd soon get just as bored.

 

I'd rather we stayed in Scotland and looked for ways to improve that competition internally as well as external competitions such as a British Cup.

[theboyharley 5]

People might like such a league to begin with but I bet they'd soon get just as bored.

 

I'd rather we stayed in Scotland and looked for ways to improve that competition internally as well as external competitions such as a British Cup.

 

Feels like as long as they've got their 4 old firm games a season then they are happy. This across the board hatred of Rangers might even be driving attendances up as well, albeit it at our games

 

 

 

[ranger_syntax 3,875]

People might like such a league to begin with but I bet they'd soon get just as bored.

 

It would just increase the magnitude of every problem with the current system.

 

The structural problems that football has will not go away until we return to something more unpredictable . . . like a knockout cup in Europe!

 

That won't happen while the existing format remains popular with T.V. viewers.

[pete 2,499]

They can dress up the champions league all they want but unless we are in it I won't be watching it. Especially Spanish and Italian teams I have totally no interest in them. I have Sky de. but I have never watched a football game on it. Although German football is probably the best around at the moment.

[boabie 230]

"PLANS for an Atlantic League involving Celtic and Rangers have been given a big thumbs down by fans of Danish side FC Copenhagen.

 

Copenhagen director Anders Hørsholt revealed yesterday that discussions have been taking place regarding a European league involving teams from Scotland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Sweden.

Hørsholt suggested that the Danish side would consider quitting the Superliga to take part in the multinational tournament if the new European league was to come to fruition.

But Lars Thor, the president of FC Copenhagen’s official fan club, FCKFC, believes proposals for an Atlantic League won’t go down well with the fans.

Talking to Danish newspaper BT , Thor said: “From an economic perspective and a development perspective, I can see what the club’s intentions are, but as a fan, it becomes a ‘no thanks'.

“It may well be that there will be many fans at the home games, but I also have to think of the people who enjoy taking away trips.

"You would regularly see empty away sections at the home games, whereas at the moment we can afford to save up for big European matches.”

Meanwhile, some of the clubs linked with being involved in the new set-up have had their say on the idea of breaking away to a new set-up including Dutch giants PSV.

Toon Gerbrands, the CEO of the Eindhoven-based club said: "We have discussed a number of plans with our foreign colleagues. Currently we are not in negotiations for a new league."

Malmo chief Nicklas Carlnen also admitted that many discussion have been taking place throughout Europe about the future of the game but refused to be drawn on Hørsholt's suggestions about an Atlantic League saying: "I have no comment on the specific topic, but because of UEFA's decision to change the Champions League format, there are many discussions in Europe.

"For us it is important that there is an opportunity for countries like the Scandinavian to continually compete in European tournaments."

 

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/atlantic-league-involving-celtic-rangers-9044353?

Edited October 14, 2016 by boabie
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[JohnMc 2,531]

As I see it there are two issues that need addressed; the quality of football and the interest in our club. The question is does an 'Atlantic League' address one, or both, of those issues.

The quality of football in the league we're currently in is poor. Scottish sides are regularly knocked out of Europe in the early, early rounds, even Celtic qualifying for Champion's League has resulted in their heaviest ever defeat this season. In my lifetime Scottosh club sides were competitive on the highest level, today we're simply not. The quality of player we, as a country, produce is also sub-standard. A succession of international managers have been unable to make a silk purse out of the sow's ear that is the Scottish international side, the SPFL and it's predecessors are largely responsible for that. Part of the reason for this is a lack of vision, organisation and strategy, further hindered by self-interest and a lack of finance.

 

The interest in our club is also a concern for me. True, we're still regularly playing in front of sell-out crowds, but have a look around you next time you're at Ibrox, take in the average age of the fan present, it's 40plus. The next generation of football supporter, the kid brought up in multi-channel, hi-definition, super sunday EPL/La Liga/Bundesliga Live get's t watch Real Madrid, Messi, Aguero any time they want. Why is that person going to pay good money to go to Ibrox to watch sub-standard football played by ordinary players? At my north Glasgow primary school every boy in my year, without exception, supported Rangers or Partick Thistle. My sons today go to a different Glasgow primary school but one with much in common with the one I attended. In their class there might be half a dozen boys who identify as Rangers supporters. The 10 year olds today support Chelsea, Man City, Barcelona as their first team. They can see these clubs anytime that like, every match is live. Their players are glamourous, famous and pretty good at football as well. Local sides don't get much of a look-in.

 

I've lived in Ireland, I've seen first hand what happens to local football when an entire population supports club sides in another country. If you don't think that can happen here then you've not being paying attention.

 

Can the Atlantic League help address these issues; maybe. But it has a better chance than the current set-up does.

 

The big risk to the Champion's League isn't the Atlantic League, it's the English Premier League. It already attracts more money than the Champion's League. There's an inevitability that an NFL style football league will emerge in Europe. Broadcasters want it, advertisers want it and certain clubs want it. Rangers currently have no chance of being invited to that. If an Atlantic League helps our club grow it's profile again, attract better players, play better football against sides also playing better football then we need to seriously consider it.

 

There was a time in our history when the Glasgow Cup was a big tournament, it carried prestige, attracted big crowds to derby matches and was looked forward to by the fans. Times change.

 

I think there will be a 'land grab' in football soon. Clubs will break ranks with UEFA, they'll decide to go it alone and to hell with the consequences. Something like the Atlantic League might just be the spark. I'd prefer us to join the English League but that's not likely as things stand, so the Atlantic League needs considered.

 

Something has to change or, frankly, in a generation's time we'll be Linfield.

[Frankie 8,200]

Enjoyed that post mate.

 

Fancy fleshing it out into an article for the main site? We could use it at the start of next week?

[Gribz 743]

 

I'd rather we stayed in Scotland and looked for ways to improve that competition internally as well as external competitions such as a British Cup.

 

Thats probably a load of peoples preference but even after a public survey they didn't opt for change. The changes they do make are terrible like the group stages in the league cup and panning the competition over a long period.

 

The Tennents Sixes could be brought back during a long winter break yet they would still probably split it after the first round.

 

There was not much money around in the 80s but teams still played the same amount of games with strong teams in such competitions in the Tennents sixes.

[Bearman 9]

From a personal point of view.

 

I like the CL because it presents quality football, even if it's the same teams competing it still throws up surprises.

 

Regarding the EPL...I love this league with all it's celebrity managers and fine footballers, admittedly it too can get a little boring but still throws out yer Payets and Ozils. I enjoy watching Aguero and Costa and upstarts like Rashford (who reminds me of Dodoo if he gets the chance!) and Iheanacho making the breakthrough.

 

I would never watch, as a Bear another game in Scotland which didn't involve Rangers. The BBC Scotland production of Sportscene presents an awful highlights programme which is enough to make you boak. These cretins live off our license fee would you believe!

[der Berliner 3,366]

Could well be that this Atlantic League stuff is an attempt of a threat by the clubs involved in opposition to these closed-doors CL ...

 

In any case, it would be interesting to see the actual viewing figures of CL games Europe-wide, so one gets a more clearer picture with regard to the ways how TV money is actually generated and where. Which could help either side, of course.