I know there is a lot of debate about teamGB right now, but that aside who would be up for a UK League system being set up for the home nations? I've put it as a blind vote for a week to guage the thoughts of people. Also for the sake of argument let's assume that FIFA has stated that there is no risk of losing our national identities on the world stage.
i'm up for it. I think the league system as it is has gone a little stale. I'm not sure about the breakaway league for the super rich clubs though.
I presume you are meaning for leagues team and not national sides? Gut reaction is - hell no BUT, big but - if for example Norwich were still in the top flight (and in your case, Swansea), I would not want to see the likes of Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen etc effectively take our place in any kind of competition or be under any threat of that happening. For me, they would have to start at the bottom and work their way up, but of course if it were to happen those two would probably not want any part of it unless they got top flight status. Just wouldn't be right for me.
I'm with Thai here. With a UK league, the top flight is likely to have only 18 - 20 teams. How would you share them out ? 16 English, 2 Scottish, 1 Welsh & 1 N.Irish ? Can you imagine the problems with Linfield V Celtic. Bad idea IMO
I would assume the system will be setup on merit, so you could have more than one or two Scottish sides there. If for example it was setup, there would be more than 4 leagues like there is now, and there would be the ability for every team to get into the premier league, well promotion and results depending.
Hi Jager. You bring up what I think is an interesting point - merit! Based on what though? I think perhaps no matter how it was decided there would be an almighty fuss made by at least one club that feel they missed out somewhere. Some examples of merit and arguments against those teams based on that merit. Trophies won - From what date? Blackburn, Bolton, Huddersfield and several others won cup/leagues many decades ago and could feel worthy on that basis. Attendances All well and good and that would be Celtic & Rangers happy, but smaller clubs like ours could miss the gravy train under that criteria - Would you be happy? I know I wouldn't Wealth The worst criteria of the lot. What constitutes wealth? Man Utd, the biggest club in the world are in huge debt as are Chelsea. Southampton are probably one of the most financially stable clubs currently. On this basis, probably many of the current PL clubs would struggle to meet the criteria. Can you think of any other criteria that could be used?
I would increase the league sizes temporary , so for example 3 or 4 teams from the Scottish premier league would go into the barclays premier league with relegation the first season at 5 teams, with promotion to it set at 3 teams, year 2 the same. This would set the merit part of the game, if they are good enough to stay up they will, and the same for the rest of the leagues, I would say that 6 leagues of 20 teams each with progression up to the sixth league on regional leagues like it is now. I know it's radical and I simply don't have the answers to all the questions and problems involved, I just think that eventually it will come to pass as things move on. Simply if rangers and celtic were to leave the Scottish system it will destroy the league up there. We as in football need a grass roots system that brings on players from all parts of the UK, having a league system that spans all leagues and brings in money to encourage this will only help the game in the country.
Like Jager says, kick-starting such a British super league is going to be a nightmare. How would you establish who enters initially. How would you manage promotion / relegation thereafter - I would be against any league that becomes an Ol'Boys club without the possibility of turnover and no incentive for lower level clubs to improve. If Celtic was demoted they would drop into the top level of the Scottish Leagues, but would a Scottish team need to be promoted to replace them or what. How would you determine the relative merits of the feeder leagues for on going promotion - clearly the English/Welsh Champions league is generally superior to the current Scottish Prem League (well I think so!). I think this idea however novel dies on the vine.
OK what about the top four highest placed Scottish clubs over the last five seasons, the top four highest placed clubs, and the top four highest placed N.Irish placed clubs mixed in with ALL the Premiership and Championship clubs. 54 clubs in all, (Cardiff and Swansea having taken two of the Welsh places) drawn, with no seeding into three 18 team divisions top four in each division to make up the "new" premier league........the other eight places being decided by a playoff system, top four from each division, and the four with the next best records, (no matter what division) drawn out of the hat for a home and away tie (away goals counting double) winners to go through................it would be "fair", but it will never happen..............because for clubs outside the top six or eight in the PL..............well it would be like turkeys voting for Christmas, and even a top 10 PL side could find themselves out in the cold, with a couple of freak results.............nice idea, but it will never happen...........we are more likely to see a European Super League.
the premiership wants to cut down its numbers as it is and teams like rangers and celtic are not premiership standard anyway, they should start in league 3 if anything at all
My one and only thought is that it should be earned (promotion to the premier) not given otherwise let us know when this is happening and CCFC will just slip into the welsh Premier league to be able to slip into the premier league. Basically what i am saying is a lot of clubs have worked hard to get there or put them self in a place to get there, any team joining should also earn that place from Rangers and Celtic to Linfield and TNS. Not happy then your league is obviously good enough than a few years sacrifice to play in one of the best leagues in the world!!
Don't want it. If Celtic and Rangers want to join our league, they would have to join in the Championship at best and qualify for the Prem. Any Irish team would have to start even lower and that would put a financial burden on established clubs already struggling due to the travel arrangements..
I am not so sure it would. If the two Glasgow clubs were to vanish then that would leave the likes of Hearts, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, Hibs etc with a chance of winning silverware. If those clubs start winning things it may well start attracting bigger crowds for those clubs. As it is now, because of the Old Firm dominance, the SPL is stale and the main thing the remainder of the clubs are fighting for is to avoid relegation. Create a more level playing field and maybe, just maybe Scottish football would be given a new lease of life (for a few decades at least).
Are you sure Musty? You want to check back on his older posts ! There`s some in the dim & distant past.
You're right there Dai, the big 6 wants more and more of the Sky money Two out of two there Dai, they are just the best of a poor lot. Spot on again Dai, you're getting good at this. Any team who wants to join the league should start at the bottom.
