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With regards to England I have been on about home nations over a two year period for "friendlies" for some time. To give us that bit of competitve practise as opposed to playing Hungary, Slovenia etc. Litter that with games against the continents best, Germany, France, Ghana, Brazil.

 

That isn't a bad idea - I feel that every year would be too much but stretching it out could work. I don't know how the game was received in England, but here in Scotland there was a lot of enthusiasm; and pleasant surprise at how Scotland coped! Everyone was up for it but there was a nagging fear that England could run away with it.

Of course, for Scottish supporters the trip to Wembley to play England is akin to a footballing pilgrimage. One member of the Tartan Army, contributing to a radio discussion programme, suggested holding it in London every year as an International Charity Shield (in addition to the club one). 

The only problem I can see with reinstating the championship, and one reason why it was scrapped in the first place, is that the home nations will get practice at playing teams that play the 'British' style of football. Not necessarily good preparation for dealing with those nations who successfully play a more patient style.

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It was enjoyable (apart from the obvious :) ) - now for the eternal problem of getting Scotland to show that much commitment and belief in a world cup or Euro qualification match, in some remote eastern European country, on a wet Wednesday in February!

And still lose

 

Well done Villa at the weekend, I was staying at my Partners family in Finsbury Park, and I went to see the Lowry retrospective at the Tate Britain, and as I came out of Finsbury Park tube*, the crowd were dispersing from the Emirates, I couldn't help but grin when I asked two Arsenal supporters the score, it really did feel like I was behind enemy lines.

 

*Note for the thicko's, I know Tate Britain isn't near FP Tube, my GF is from there, Tate Britain is near Pimlico tube.

Edited by Bleep1673
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It was enjoyable (apart from the obvious :) ) - now for the eternal problem of getting Scotland to show that much commitment and belief in a world cup or Euro qualification match, in some remote eastern European country, on a wet Wednesday in February!

You are NOT Scottish !  :tongue:

Looks like it wer' organised by't Pennine League

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And still lose

 

Narrowly, away from home and against a team 14th in the FIFA rankings (I'm sure England were higher than that, they must have slipped recently). My point is that if they play like that more often they'll have a lot more success against most European teams than in recent years.

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Really?

 

Well, they were the first British side.  That's an actual fact as opposed to a FACT.

 

Also, they're not actually in the Champions League proper, just the qualifying rounds.  It's like saying that Holmer Green FC have no right to enter the FA Cup.

 

But in really important news, Chalfont Wasps beat Chinnor 4-3 in a cracking game in the gloom (no floodlights) up at Crossleys last night.  The crowd of 41 were mightily entertained.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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Former England international Becky Easton on Hope Powell "If you questioned, disagreed or in any way upset her... you would be banished for life. She had her pool of players (aka favourites) whom she would select... despite injury, fitness, form or whether they have one leg".

That's either some epic sour grapes or, finally, an explanation for the 73(!) caps won by Eniola Aluko, who's kicked more footballs over the crossbar than Jonny Wilkinson.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Former England international Becky Easton on Hope Powell "If you questioned, disagreed or in any way upset her... you would be banished for life. She had her pool of players (aka favourites) whom she would select... despite injury, fitness, form or whether they have one leg".

That's either some epic sour grapes or, finally, an explanation for the 73(!) caps won by Eniola Aluko, who's kicked more footballs over the crossbar than Jonny Wilkinson.

 

There are quite a few ex-England internationals lining up to say the same and it was openly stated as being the reason why during the Euros she brought on injured players with 100 caps rather than healthy youngsters with none - something she also did in the World Cup.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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Former England international Becky Easton on Hope Powell "If you questioned, disagreed or in any way upset her... you would be banished for life. She had her pool of players (aka favourites) whom she would select... despite injury, fitness, form or whether they have one leg".

 

 

Interesting.

 

There'll be a vacancy coming for coach of the England men RL team after the World Cup and she sounds like she has just the right management approach.

English, Irish, Brit, Yorkshire, European.  Citizen of the People's Republic of Yorkshire, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the European Union.  Critical of all it.  Proud of all it.    

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Why are Celtic and Ranger's not part of the English Football set up like Cardiff and Swansea.

 

Because several Welsh clubs took one look at the FAW set-up and ran a mile.

 

These days they'd probably be blocked from doing so - that's why Rangers & Celtic would struggle to be allowed to move, and why in the women's set-up Glasgow City can't - but back in the day there was no issue.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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Rangers and Celtic (until Rangers' financial implosion) were to all intents and purposes guaranteed participation in European competition every year. This earned big bucks.

 

To join the English League would be financial foolishness ...

 - both sell their grounds out every week so there would be no gate receipt rise.

  - they would not be guaranteed to be offered a place in the Premiership

  - they would win fewer trophies

 - they might well not get back into Europe for at least 3 years.

 

The Welsh League is a pretty low standard, about on a par with the English Conference. About twenty years ago, Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Wrexham and Merthyr refused to secede to it and stayed in the English pyramid system.

 

Strangely, if a Cardiff or Swansea player gets sent off, he is disciplined by the Welsh FA.

 

Swansea have had to have special permission to play in Europe this season.

Under Scrutiny by the Right-On Thought Police

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Rangers and Celtic (until Rangers' financial implosion) were to all intents and purposes guaranteed participation in European competition every year. This earned big bucks.

 

To join the English League would be financial foolishness ...

 - both sell their grounds out every week so there would be no gate receipt rise.

  - they would not be guaranteed to be offered a place in the Premiership

  - they would win fewer trophies

 - they might well not get back into Europe for at least 3 years.

 

The Welsh League is a pretty low standard, about on a par with the English Conference. About twenty years ago, Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Wrexham and Merthyr refused to secede to it and stayed in the English pyramid system.

 

Strangely, if a Cardiff or Swansea player gets sent off, he is disciplined by the Welsh FA.

 

Swansea have had to have special permission to play in Europe this season.

 

The Welsh League is very low standard.  You mean the League of Wales, or as it is now, the Welsh Premier.  Its establishment in 1992 led to the original 'irate 8' staying within the English system instead of (re)joining the Welsh one.  Clubs such as Barry Town (RIP hahahahahahahahahaha) and Bangor City left the English system to join the newly national Welsh one.  When I was watching it week in week out I'd have put the LoW on a par with the upper divisions of the Southern/Northern/Isthmian leagues - these days I'd say it might not be quite that strong but that's more because the English non leagues have become more professional.

 

Swansea and Cardiff players are now disciplined by the FA as they are in the FA Premier League.  I don't know if they would go back to being sanctioned by the FAW if they returned to the Football League.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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I have more chance of winning miss world than celtic have of winning the champions league, how many years have they played in it just cos the rest of scotlands club teams are 3rd rate, year in year out, along with rangers till recently making up the numbers until the enevitable ko

Edited by bedlam breakout

the inside of a 3star halex table tennis ball smells much like you'd expect it to.

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Rangers and Celtic (until Rangers' financial implosion) were to all intents and purposes guaranteed participation in European competition every year. This earned big bucks.

 

To join the English League would be financial foolishness ...

 - both sell their grounds out every week so there would be no gate receipt rise.

  - they would not be guaranteed to be offered a place in the Premiership

  - they would win fewer trophies

 - they might well not get back into Europe for at least 3 years.

 

 

I read somewhere that top clubs, from this season, receive close to £100 million by competing in the English Premier League.

Celtic, more than capable of being the second best supported club in the English competition were they to be admitted, received about £2.5 million for being in (and winning) the SPL. If they fail to overcome last night's 2-0 defeat then they stand to lose £20 million by missing out on the Champions League group stages.

Even without European football they would benefit massively in financial terms by being part of the English Premier League, and I'm sure Celtic would be confident of qualifying even against the usual English qualifiers.

There are reasons, however, why the English football authorities would be crazy to admit either of the Old Firm.

 

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1 I read somewhere that top clubs, from this season, receive close to £100 million by competing in the English Premier League.

 

2 Even without European football they would benefit massively in financial terms by being part of the English Premier League, and I'm sure Celtic would be confident of qualifying even against the usual English qualifiers.

 

 

 

1. I think it's £60million, which is a big rise apparently.

 

2. I think, at that money, no English Premier League team outside Man U would vote to allow Celtic or Rangers in. The cost of joining the Championship (if it was offered) might still be worth it if they expected to be promoted within a couple of years.

 

 

I think their best chance is a European Super League. With the government making Sky share coverage with other broadcasters, it might suit Sky and the big clubs to break away. I bet UEFA would love to stick one on the English FA by supporting the idea.  

Under Scrutiny by the Right-On Thought Police

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1. I think it's £60million, which is a big rise apparently.

 

2. I think, at that money, no English Premier League team outside Man U would vote to allow Celtic or Rangers in. The cost of joining the Championship (if it was offered) might still be worth it if they expected to be promoted within a couple of years.

 

 

I think their best chance is a European Super League. With the government making Sky share coverage with other broadcasters, it might suit Sky and the big clubs to break away. I bet UEFA would love to stick one on the English FA by supporting the idea.  

 

1. I think it's £60million, which is a big rise apparently.

 

2. I think, at that money, no English Premier League team outside Man U would vote to allow Celtic or Rangers in. The cost of joining the Championship (if it was offered) might still be worth it if they expected to be promoted within a couple of years.

 

 

I think their best chance is a European Super League. With the government making Sky share coverage with other broadcasters, it might suit Sky and the big clubs to break away. I bet UEFA would love to stick one on the English FA by supporting the idea.  

 

I don't think there's any chance they'd be voted in. With the support they have they'd be candidates to expand the 'big four' (or is it five these days) but would that be in the interests of the current top-dogs?

Some sort of elite European league would be interesting, but they've been talking about it for years and I'm not sure it would be possible with the politics inherent in UEFA. From a footballing point of view I always fancied the Atlantic League, which would have brought together clubs from Scotland, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal and, possibly, Scandinavia. The idea was that the clubs that had outgrown those leagues could come together and attract the type of revenues associated with the big leagues of England, Spain, Italy, etc.

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I don't realistically think that, but if he is bagging a team, at least choose one that hasn't won the thing

 

I'm taking GJ's advice about feeding-time but bagging Celtic, of all the clubs that have ever entered the Champions League (or qualifying rounds) seems strange. Given the handicap they have by not being part of one of Europes wealthier leagues, Celtic are credible performers.

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