In the most significant development towards the regionalisation of European leagues yet, Russian Premier League chief executive, Sergei Pryadkin, has announced plans to merge the Russian and Ukrainian leagues. The plan has been driven by CSKA Moscow, Zenit St. Petersburg and Anzhi Makhachkala, who have formed a foundation committee.
Russian clubs already deal with the rigours of playing across a vast geographical area, so adding a huge nation like Ukraine would present further challenges, but top sides from Russian and Ukraine know that if they are to become genuine top tier clubs they will need to play in as strong a league as possible. The plan is likely to involve feeder national leagues working below the confederated league.
Uefa president Michel Platini has already given the green light to the regionalisation of leagues. The most important question for Scottish football fans, is whether SPL clubs would like to feed into a confederated British league.
The hoary old claim that SPL clubs need Celtic and Rangers has been shown to be a complete falsehood this year. SPL clubs didn’t need Rangers and they don’t need Celtic either – if only those running our game had the balls to ask fans their views on this matter they might reinvigorate our game, instead of managing inevitable decline.
We are not wanted or needed by fans of Motherwell, Hibs, Kilmarnock, Inverness, Aberdeen or Dundee United. These clubs are competing in the best SPL ever with only one problem, a bloated club from Parkhead.
If Scottish football wants a way forward which will see a well-attended and competitive top league, ask the fans, do they need or want Celtic? Do they want an opportunity to feed into a regional league? Any reorganisation which fails to take the views of the paying customer into account will be a disgraceful failure.
Ordered the CQN Annual yet? It is a product of literary brilliance. Get it here in time for Christmas!
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Rascar Capac, I often thought the same as you re a North Atlantic Regional League encompassing 6 Countries. This though would probably entail just 3 Clubs from each Country and would only allow for 2 domestic away games per season. Odds are that , Holland & Belgium, would be our best bet with 6 teams from each Country participating giving us 5 of the 17 away games in Scotland. Having said that my preference would be to join with the EPL but to be honest I can’t see them letting us in unless Sky force their hand.
Skyisalandfill
I am a sb holder and go to all cup matches and a few away games. They are my first love..i go in a huff for a very short time when they crap on me / us
But if they recognise sevco as part of the ” old firm”. Or any other lie… I would think i would wipe my feet on the way out and not return
Another truly dreadful game of football from the EPL. This time between Spurs/Swansea
Spurs look lost in an attacking sense without Bale
I suspect the MSM will be full tomorrow of the usual ‘it will never happen’ , and , in many ways I agree with them.
If we sit back and do nothing, it won’t happen.
Alternatively, our profile south of the border now, and in Europe is higher than it has been in many a year.
After our success in Seville, and the game against Man Utd , our profile outside Scotland peaked, and on both occasions, we failed to capitalise on them ( for clarity, bringing out a £9.99 video of Naka’s goal / Henrik’s goal isn’t capitalising)
I believe getting into a better league is achievable, but, it will be time consuming and expensive. The strategy we have been working on to date ( ie DD popping up on Radio 5 every year saying its inevitable) hasn’t worked.
We need a breakthrough strategy.
Right now, with clear daylight between us and Rankers, coupled with the potential record turnover, we have an opportunity to properly lobby and promote ourselves south of the border and across Europe. It will take more than a £9.99 video of Tony Watt’s goal, and may involve taking a few high profile advisors on our profile as consultants.
We can learn from successful strategies such as London hosting the the Olympics, and failed strategies e.g. the football world cup .
This may be costly , and without guarantee , but , with our current turnover, I think we could easily afford to set £400 / £500 k aside to get some real professionals on board, set out a strategy and convince the power brokers of the value we could add.
Thoughts ?
The EPL doesn’t need us right now,when diddies like Gareth Barry get £ 106,000 a week, you know it has too much money.
Gene and tictaewin
I fully understand their rational and craving for sponsorship and revenue at uefa.
Its not the tournament of champions any more now… Times and traditions have changed
Real Madrid v AC Milan in perpetuity sounds like a perfectly fascistic dream….
….if that is uefa’s ideal, then it must be worrying to contemplate the guardians of the game.
The Boy Jinky.
That is a position that does you credit sir!
Rascar Capac explains @14:51 “Ntassoolla
I left them out because their just the bit further away from my cosy North Sea muckers with their Match of The Day program presented in beautifully accented English by an exotic Dutch hottie.”
There’s no way out raspar.
Even now I hear the Finns demanding to know “‘n whit’s wrang wae oor wummin?”
Nothing I say. Bring then on.
Corkcelt
I posted about this before, and at that time counted up the total population involved, but I can’t be bothered doing it again.
Anyway, I think its about 50 million.
This is important because it dictates the size of the TV deal.
So six countries better than three for me.
Clashcity
Speculate to accumulate… And with the money generated this season it makes sense to invest in an expert in that area… Possibly on a bonus payment dependant on results… Note… Not an ebt :).
Surely the proposal to merge the Russian and Ukrainian leagues is effectively a move towards restoring the league that previously existed? I’m not convinced that there’s anything in that suggestion which has a direct bearing on the situation in Scotland and England which have always had separate league structures.
Just back from hell, or rankersmedia as it is known. On the thread where they are raging (nowt new there then) about the Montrose programme, one thick hun adds to the debate.
Posted Yesterday, 08:26 PM
Looks like the same bitter taig is responsible for their website too.
Sad, obsessed little scumshite can’t even bring himself to mention our team in alphabetical order – he’d rather have us last – prick!
Stupid stupid huns
All you ghuys complaining already about the content of a Celtic programme against the mankies at some time in the future.
If Celtic start playing the Sash before our home games I’ll never go back!
Well, you started it!
Jeezo.
Jonny the Tim
The sunday Mason, like it’s weekday brother the Daily Ranger, has a strict anti-Celtic policy. They employ people like Keevins to make sure it stays that way.
A British league maybe?
Skyisalandfill
Im a sad man…. Celtic run through my blood and my history.
My first game with my dad… Then taking him when he was elderly and infirm. Taking my son to his first games… Then as adults hugging each other in the lisbon lions stand after the valencia game.. The last time we went anywhere together.
So it would bust my heart wide open to walk away… But i dont think i have the stomach to accept our club colluding with the zombies like that
I agree that both Celtic and the rest of Scottish football would benefit if the SPL could carry on while Celtic played elsewhere, I would very much prefer that our future was in a North Atlantic set-up rather than see us through our hand in with the English set-up.
It’s not a subject which gets much mainstream publicity (there’s a surprise!) but I firmly believe that the EPL is the most corrupt league in the world where match-rigging is pretty much the norm and money-laundering underpins the entire operation.
Probably a discussion for another day!
Philboy
The question of celtic having a decision to make re the sash will never arise
We will play sevco at celtic park within the next few years.
Its a valid discussion
I am of the opinion that Celtic would be welcomed with open arms into either a European Regional or Super League. We have one of the best fan bases on the continent – indeed the world.
Many players and coaches freely admit that the atmosphere at CP on a European night is second to none.
Just dont take my word for it.
http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/Quotes+-+About+Celtic
HH!!
Sigurdsson (sp?) of Spurs just produced the type of pass for Defoe we can’t make with the personnel at Celtic Park. Class.
Glendaly………etc @ 15.06
I agree, there was no substance to the story, no specific issues mentioned, (apart from his visit across the water, which we ALL knew about!). So, no news, but we’ll print it anyway to give our MSM readership something to feel better about.
As you say, no change there then!
HH
We used to sing the `sash` way back in the early 60s, along the lines of
`It was green white & gold with St Patrick on the fold`
On another note, we could (in any other country in the world) have had FIVE penalties in the first half. At least three were stonewallers. The Sunday Heralds take was `Hooper had a decent claim for a penalty turned down. This just sums up the collusion (A secret agreement between two or more parties for a fraudulent, illegal, or deceitful purpose) between the MSM and Scottish football. Lets see if Sportscene will have an in depth look at all the contested decisions. MOTD seems to do this, why does it very seldom happen north of the border? Rhetorical, somewhat.
A Northern European league, fed from the champions of the national leagues via a play off system, initially comprising teams from Scotland, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden & Norway. Top 4 from Holland & Belgium, top 3 from Scotland & Denmark and top 2 from Sweden & Norway. Top 4 clubs in new league get CL qualification, next 4 get EL qualification and bottom 3 play off with 3 national championships for relegation/promotion.
Not interested in us in EPL, we’re not English and we’re not wanted.
UEFA need t
BobbyRussell
15:21 on 16 December, 2012
—
It was green & white with a golden stripe,
Was the sash my father wore.
That was a popular version in my own young days.
The Bhoy Jinky,
The Champions League was created the year after Galatasary beat Man U in the 1st round of the original European Cup. Granada had paid a fortune for the TV rights, fully expecting their team to go places, not eliminated immediately They and other broadcasters demanded and got change. Corruption on an enormous scale.
I see Bristol Rovers sack Mark McGhee – bottom of 4th tier in Engerland – probably last job in engerland
TV revenue rather than size of support will drive any change. UEFA care not a jot about supporters. We could fill any ground in Europe if we ever to got to a CL final, but UEFA could also fill any ground in Europe for a CL final with corporate sponsors who would rather see the so called big team, Barca, Real, Man U, Milan etc.
The proposed format for Euro 2020 shows they don’t care about supporters who will travel to cities and fill stadiums. They want to play in cities all over the continent as its easier to fill with ‘premium’ paying customers.
Kayal 33-good post.
Clashcitybhoy
I disagree – spending 1/2 million quid on a marketing campaign is pointless. I think the thinking at CP remains about making money and not about the football and this gives us the somewhat jaundiced point of view espoused by Paul as part of the campaign to get us thrown out of the league in Scotland.
If the club spent its energies trying to fix some of the elements of Scottish football that could be made better and we stop behaving like the sevconians by disregarding our fellow scottish supporters, the world would be a better place.
I was out last night and I was listening to some Dundee Utd supporters talking about the huns – the are disgusted by their actions. Nothing was said about celtic – but are we really just like them?
There some easy things the Board at celtic could do right now
– Get behind the Green Brigade and defend supporters from police victimisation and harrassment. This is easily done and will cost nothing and start to put a spotlight on quite awful behaviour. The support and the club would look united (for once).
– Start giving us something back – for example if we get a home draw in the Scottish Cup put it on the season books. Sure it will cost some money but given how much we have earned this year they can afford it.
– Start trying to entertain us at home (please NL – learn to adapt to SPL teams at home) – its dead easy to do and we literally have nothing to do.
– Dont sell our best players when we dont need the money and go and get a playmaker to make us tick (and a blooming striker please)
– Reduce season book prices next season and reintroduce the £50 kids season book. Reinvest some of the profit this year in the support.
– Tackle the SFA properly – deal with the Ogilvie situation, be a leading light in any restructure, show some leadership for all of scottish football
– Show the support some respect full stop
Do that and it will get better.
NA
parkheadcumsalford-We have a good squad with reasonable depth,but we do lack a midfielder who can spot an early forward pass.I think NL and JP will be on the case.
Oh yeah – and speak up against the pathetic rantings of Green and stop being cowardly
Bobby Russell
Is that ur Sunday best language?? Must be the company you keep!! tut tut!!
Parkheadcumsalford 15:30
The Champions League was created two years before that game.
Leeds were Englands first representative in the Champions League, in 1992-93.
When Man Utd played in the 1993-94 Competition, for the first time in 25 years it was already the Champions League.
However, I’m sure the Galatasary result lead to an expansion of the Champions League, and automatic entry into the group stages for the English Champions.
I believe that regional leagues throughout Europe will become the norm over the next few years, but I do not think that there will ever be a British league. This will then, possibly, lead to the creation of a Super league which will be driven by the major clubs and broadcasters like Sky.
I have no idea in what league – regional or otherwise – Celtic will be a part of in the future, but I think we will have to make do with the SPHell for some time yet.
HH!!
Neganon,
Your numerous suggestions and my proposal are not incompatible.
We can multi task :-)
Last year, we lost £2m , and with the absence of Rankers , on a like for like basis this year we would probably lose £ 5 m +\-.
But , the success in Europe is a game changer. Allowing for the Champs League income and the Ki money , we will probably have a minimum of £12m profit, which would allow for a couple of signings, and the chance to speculate to accumulate in more than one initiative.
The Boy Jinky
14:57 on 16 December, 2012
I’m exactly the same.
Hope our board are aware of the strength of feeling among our support on this matter.
old firm no more!
Pcs
Fifa corrupt
Uefa … Corrupt
Sfa … Fn corrupt