Just an Idea - An Epl Alternitive

seriously why would we want to join up with such poor footballing countries. This would be no improvement on the status quo at all. In fact many games would be far worse and involve fans travelling vast distances. We do not want to touch these countries with a barge pole. A better standard would be an atlantic league with the top 2 or 3 from Scotland, Portugal, Holland, Belgium and Denmark. That would be a tough leaguem probably similar to Europa standard or even a little higher. I think most of these countries apart from maybe Portugal would be interested and Holland, Belgium and Denmark are not too far from Scotland.

 

Don't think this will ever happen, but it would be a very interesting league and would attract TV money. Imagine Celtic v Benfica, Ajax v Rosenberg, Anderlecht v Porto. Would be a cracking league.

 

Yep I think these teams are our natural peers. All big teams in small countries trapped in small 2 or 3 horse races. The deciding factor would be money. If its good enough, even if the teams have to give up a CL run every couple of years to form this league then who cares. Do our own thing in the Atlantic League. The local teams are too small and the bigger CL teams are way beyond us. This sort of league would be our natural position in football. To be honest too I do think UEFA would with some negociation allow the Atlantic League CL places. Otherwise the CL would be full of the left behind mid table teams of these countries. If there is a will and there is big money I think this could fly.

Another compromise is an August to December Atlantic Leage followed by automatic rejoining of the local national leagues after they all do a mid season 'split'. Essentially after the split take the upper halves of rhe leagues back to zero points and play a half season league. This may seem unfair but in reality all of those Atlantic League teams would be in the top half half way through the season anyway had they not been away in the Atlantic league. This will allow us to play both in the Atlantic league (1st half of the season) and SPL (2nd half).

Another option is a normal season long Atlantic League but as part of the deal we pay the SPL some money each season to make up the losses to the wee clubs incurred by the loss of the OF.

 

Gunt, fair point about trying to avoid Irish/Welsh leagues. That would be a backwards step and not the forward one with more competition we want.

An Atlantic League would be difficult though. Players would be flying every second weekend and only a few hundred away fans would make the journey to see their team every other weekend as well. Far too expensive for supporters to fly and pay for accommodation. Plus it would take the buzz out of playing in the CL away in my opinion as we would effectively be facing European opposition every weekend.

And who is to say that the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, etc don't team up and create a super league of their own with MUCH more financial clout than any Atlantic League could ever hope for...

 

Uefa are against such moves.

 

Aye but who's to say these guys have to stick with UEFA :confused1:

I think if an Atlantic League was to eeeeever happen, it would infringe on G14 type clubs, the status quo, who would end up losing their various advantages.

Which brings me to an even further development that the big teams of England, Spain, Italy, Bayern/Lyon etc, would feasibly begin their own Atlantic League which would effectively be an AL1 to our AL2.

This would pretty much defunct the UEFA CL, and relegate the domestic leagues to nothing more than reserve leagues.

O.K. so that's all fanciful *what-if" scenarios.


But what is a fact, is that in these money and status quo orientated times, the romance and history of clubs and competitions will take a back seat. It's not feasible for us to defiantly stick with the SPL as our European position - conmpetitively and financially - will become weaker and weaker.

The SPL, in whatever size, shape or form; with whatever grass-roots upheaval can never sustain us as a European power. Whether you're happy with the Scottish backwaters or not, our board and management would not be doing their job if they were to not actively seek out developing our club. If this means moving to the EPL or the Atlantic League or beyond then so be it.