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teckno

14/03/2006, 10:25 AM

Wales told to bid for Euro finals

Wales have never qualified for the European Championships
Uefa president Lennart Johansson says Wales should enter a joint bid with Scotland and Ireland to host the European Championships.
"I think it's a good idea," said Johansson. "They have the same culture, understand each other and travelling is easy between countries. So why not?"

Johansson also believes Cardiff's Millennium Stadium could soon host one of Uefa's major showpiece cup finals.

"I'm sure it will be considered to host a final," Johansson told BBC Sport.

Last year, the Football Association of Wales decided to ditch a bid to host a Uefa Champions League or Uefa Cup final because of problems meeting strict contractual obligations.

They concluded that the Millennium Stadium's city centre location means there is not have enough surrounding space to accommodate such things as the hospitality tented village.

"That was a big disappointment," FAW secretary general David Collins told BBC Wales Sport.

Uefa reveals Euro 2012 shortlist

"But very few stadia in Europe can generate that sort of facility, so maybe Uefa will relax their requirement in the future, particularly for the Uefa Cup final.

"If so, then we would certainly look into that again, especially after this year with the FA Cup, the Community Shield and Championship play-offs moving back to Wembley."

Scotland and Ireland failed in a joint bid to host the 2008 European Championships, which were eventually awarded to Austria and Switzerland.

Joint bids from two countries are becoming ever more popular and successful - there are two such bids in the shortlist for the 2012 European Championships.

A Nordic bid from four countries failed to win the right to host Euro 2008, but Johansson said Uefa would not object in principle to a bid from three nations.

"The Nordic countries tried with four, but that was too much. Next time they will have three," Johansson told BBC Wales Sport.

If we could bring four stadia up to 30,000 seats... we could then make a joint bid

FAW's David Collins

"We are not going to the same places all the time so there are good opportunities. That gives people hope, and also the opportunity to work together in partnership with other countries."

Wales' biggest hurdle to overcome to stage the 16-team tournament would be the shortage of suitable stadiums.

All bids must have eight stadiums with at least 30,000 seats. The Millennium Stadium is currently the only such venue in Wales.

That could change with the planned new stadium for Cardiff City, but Collins says the FAW would have to look into the possibility of developing Swansea's Liberty Stadium or Wrexham's Racecourse Ground.

Collins also revealed the FAW's preferred option would be to enter a joint bid with just Scotland to host the European Championships.

"We would seriously consider bidding," Collins said. "We seriously considered that with Scotland and the Republic of Ireland; unfortunately they decided to go on their own.

"But we believe it makes more sense to have the tournament within the island of the United Kingdom itself.

"So if we could bring four stadia up to 30,000 seats, together with Scotland we would certainly have eight stadia so we could then make a joint bid."

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4802224.stm

Lads,
this is starting to arouse interest once again, UEFA are practically begging us to put in a bid for these championships, and they have no problem with 3 countries putting in a bid,
We would have

Millenium Stadium
Croke Park
Lansdowne Road
Murrayfield
Hampden
Ibrox
Parkhead
Swansea Liberty Stadium.

There you have, we better not miss out this chance and allow Wales and Scotland to host it together or else we can never get these tournaments again!!

shedite

14/03/2006, 12:24 PM

I think the major problem is that there's too few cities. There's never more than one stadium in a city used. In Euro 96 they used Hillsborough and Ellend Road rather than Highbury etc

Those 8 stadiums are great but there's 2 in Dublin, 3 in Glasgow etc.

We'd need to use places like Cork, Galway, Belfast, Aberdeen, Dundee.

Risteard

14/03/2006, 12:45 PM

I'd say Easter Road and Hearts stadium or even Ninian Park would be more hassle-free in the minds of the FAW. Nonetheless, i wouldn't view it as a pipe dream seen as there is far less choice for countries to host the European Championships.
It will probably happen eventually but Wales and Scotland might feel safer going it eh, "alone together".
I thought the 4 country bid was ridiculous.

hamish

14/03/2006, 5:20 PM

Just noticed it on the BBC website today. Sorry Risteard if I'm repeating your posts.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/4802224.stm

Bald Student

14/03/2006, 5:38 PM

We probably wouldn't have Croke Park.

It'd be a good opertunity to build a stadium in Cork I think, probably going halves with the rugby.

jbyrne

14/03/2006, 6:07 PM

We probably wouldn't have Croke Park.

It'd be a good opertunity to build a stadium in Cork I think, probably going halves with the rugby.

couldnt agree more. this country lacks decent regional all-seater stadiums that can hold crowds of 25,000 - 35,000 people. most current regional stadiums are just blobs of concrete shaped into terraces with little or no style, comfort or imagination. the odd qualifier or friendly out of dublin in a decent stadium would be welcome by many i would suspect

Risteard

14/03/2006, 10:53 PM

Don't know anything at all about it and never been there but what about Thomond Park?

Forever Dreamin

14/03/2006, 11:03 PM

crc

15/03/2006, 7:03 AM

Eight stadiums is the minimum. Portugal offered 10! And all of them were either built from scratch or seriously renovated. If there's two countries, each one should provide at least 4 each, and if there are three countries, we should definately be looking at having at least 10 stadiums in total.

Thomond will hold 22,000 (mostly standing) when its redevelopped, but there is potential to improve this.

I also think that its shocking that there's no 30,000 seat stadium in Cork. Cork is big enough to have such a facility for: big Cork City games, Munster rugby, concerts, even the GAA if they'd ever take their heads out of the sand.

Block G Raptor

15/03/2006, 9:13 AM

jbyrne

15/03/2006, 9:35 AM

Surely Celtic Park is a more obvious choice as it's bigger etc. or am I missing something

parkhead = celtic park

Armando

15/03/2006, 12:54 PM

One of the reasons the last Scot / Ire bid failed was 3 stadiums in one city, Glasgow. Uefa said no more than 2 in a city.

Once the GAA get used to the money Im sure they will be tempted, but anyway how about..

Murrayfield
Aberdeen or 2nd Stadium in Edinburgh
Ibrox
Parkhead
Lansdowne
Thomond Pk (IRFU looking at increasing to 30K)
Millenium Stadium
Swansea

And if Croke Park was available for only one game it would be either the first or final game!

Hampden would be 100% definetly used. Its the SFA's stadium, so there'd be no chance in hell of it not being used. It would be like the English FA not using Wembley for a tournament. This means they would have to make a choice between Ibrox and Celtic Pk. as the city's 2nd stadium.

Personally I don't see the problem with using 3 stadiums in one city if thats were 3 of the top 8 stadiums are. They'd just have to make sure one of the 3 got no more than 2 games during the tournament

Risteard

15/03/2006, 1:35 PM

I also think that its shocking that there's no 30,000 seat stadium in Cork. Cork is big enough to have such a facility for: big Cork City games, Munster rugby, concerts, even the GAA if they'd ever take their heads out of the sand.
Well the GAA already have a 30k+ stadium in Cork and the concerts go there.
Despite the efforts of Musgrave Park, Limerick is the home of Munster rugby.

jbyrne

15/03/2006, 2:56 PM

Well the GAA already have a 30k+ stadium in Cork and the concerts go there.
Despite the efforts of Musgrave Park, Limerick is the home of Munster rugby.

no offence to cork people but Parc Ui Chaoimh is a dump. It is open on three sides and facilities are poor. What have the GAA got against providing roofs over their stadiums?
the stadiums for the euros in Portugal where modern, comfortable and colourful. exactly what Parc Ui Chaoimh isn’t!

pete

15/03/2006, 3:39 PM

I know most eL grounds are poor but almost no GAA grounds would pass Uefa Licencing. Parc Ui Chaoimh is spartan to say the least. I think the GAA skip on roofs cos mainly played in the summer - maybe they remember a time when Ireland had sun in the summer? ;)

BTW The SFA/FAI do not deserve a European championship. What have the FAI ever done for football in europe compared with other countries that have hosted championships & invest in their leagues...?

BTW feck all chnace the GAA would allow Croke park to be used. I could see Scotland & Wales trying it themselves. In fact Scotland would be better off going it alone as they can almost enough stadia.

Risteard

15/03/2006, 4:18 PM

no offence to cork people but Parc Ui Chaoimh is a dump. It is open on three sides and facilities are poor. What have the GAA got against providing roofs over their stadiums?
the stadiums for the euros in Portugal where modern, comfortable and colourful. exactly what Parc Ui Chaoimh isn’t!
You're dead right jbyrne.
Dive of a place in general but suited to the big hurling match in the summer.
Thurles would be easier to develop but what is Thomond like lads?

Schumi

15/03/2006, 4:39 PM

what is Thomond like lads?
1 stand and uncovered terracing on the other three sides afaik. GAA-esque I suppose.

Poor Student

15/03/2006, 4:48 PM

Murrayfield
Aberdeen or 2nd Stadium in Edinburgh
Ibrox
Parkhead
Lansdowne
Thomond Pk (IRFU looking at increasing to 30K)
Millenium Stadium
Swansea

You think the SFA will put Celtic Park forward ahead of Hampden?:confused: Any bid involving Scotland will have Hampden at its centrepiece. Even though its capacity is not that big, it has excellent facilities and is the famous home of Scottish football. Celtic Park is not a 5 star stadium and does not have the facilities to host a European final, Ibrox however is a 5 star stadium.

Soko

16/03/2006, 12:52 AM

Thomond will have 25,000 with its new capacity, thats the best area to target if you want a bigger stadium down south before they build it. It'll be done soon too as the IRFU want to play the WC warm ups in Limerick before the 2007 WC.

deadman

16/03/2006, 12:24 PM

forget the stadiums

i wouldn't listen to Johansson - i couldn't see 3 automatic qualification places given out to host nations ... way over the top, would restrict general qualification too much

remember, this is a guy who wanted to market "sweaty, lovely looking girl playing on the ground, with the rainy weather"

as it currently stands, Wales & Scotland would probably have a better chance on their own

pete

16/03/2006, 12:28 PM

Scotland and wales could bid for quiet easily.

Hampden
Celtic Park
Ibrox
Murrayfield
5th 30k stadium (updated Dundee, Hearts etc...)
Millennium Staium
Swansea
Wrexham

Why bother with Ireland...

jbyrne

16/03/2006, 12:51 PM

Scotland and wales could bid for quiet easily.

Hampden
Celtic Park
Ibrox
Murrayfield
5th 30k stadium (updated Dundee, Hearts etc...)
Millennium Staium
Swansea
Wrexham

Why bother with Ireland...

theres a lot more to it than just the stadiums. anyone here ever tried to get accommodation in Cardiff when there is a match on?? absolute nightmare! i can only imagine what wrexham and swansea are like if the biggest city in wales is so difficult!!

brine3

16/03/2006, 1:19 PM

The FAI, IRFU and GAA should really get together and build a proper stadium in Cork, possibly rebuilding the Parc from scratch (it's in a great location). Unfortunately there are too many small-minded people running the various sporting organisations in Ireland to ever pool resources properly.

Soko

16/03/2006, 5:05 PM

Number9

16/03/2006, 6:22 PM

Scotland and wales could bid for quiet easily.

Hampden
Celtic Park
Ibrox
Murrayfield
5th 30k stadium (updated Dundee, Hearts etc...)
Millennium Staium
Swansea
Wrexham

Why bother with Ireland...

Scotland could almost go it alone - if 3 stadiums were allowed in 1 city
3 in Glasgow - Hampden plus Ibrox and Parkhead
2 in Edinburgh - Murrayfield and a redeveloped Meadowbank (owned by Edinburgh City Council it is the biggest sporting complex in Scotland)
Aberdeen - Pittodrie upgrade
Dundee stadium - built from scratch & rented afterwards to the 2 Dundee teams - talked about for at least a decade
Re-developed Rugby Park in Kilmarnock OR 3rd stadium in Edinburgh - new stadium shared by Hibs/Hearts.

anto eile

16/03/2006, 8:28 PM

theres a lot more to it than just the stadiums. anyone here ever tried to get accommodation in Cardiff when there is a match on?? absolute nightmare! i can only imagine what wrexham and swansea are like if the biggest city in wales is so difficult!!
experienced that twice in the last 6 weeks.been to cardiff 3 times since xmas.seen cardiff city v southampton, stoke and sheffield wed. not a spare room in the city for the last two games becasue of A: wales v scotland and B: powergen cup double header in millenium stadium. slept in cardiff arms park after a heavy night of drinking after bluebirds v stoke

wales and scotland should not even consider a joint proposal with ireland.remember the last one?we made a mockery of scotland.uefa delegates were brought on a tour of a crumbling lansdowne, an unavailable croke park and an empty field!

Forever Dreamin

16/03/2006, 10:01 PM

Surely Celtic Park is a more obvious choice as it's bigger etc. or am I missing something

Celtic park holds a lot less than Croker does!

I agree with the SFA having to use Hampden and the problem of picking between Celtic Park and Ibrox, as regards Celtic Park not being a 5 star, that I dont know but its a lot better than Hampden, never been to Ibrox to have an opinion on it.

ccfcman

17/03/2006, 12:09 PM

that is only going to be 26,000 seater on completion, I say only, ofc in referance to the 30k mimmum : >

livehead1

18/03/2006, 2:18 PM

that is only going to be 26,000 seater on completion, I say only, ofc in referance to the 30k mimmum : >
why were you not in the pub? !

brine3

19/03/2006, 12:51 PM

I hope that was being sarcastic

I wasn't being sarcastic. If the FAI, IRFU and GAA had all gotten together 20 years ago then we'd have a 40,000 all seater in Cork, 30,000 seater in Limerick and Croke Park would be even nicer than it is already.

There was a time when the IRFU wanted to redo Lansdowne, the GAA were building Croke Park, the FAI had plans for Eircom Park on the table and Bertie wanted to build his Bowl. Yes, at a point in time there were four stadium projects in Dublin all taking place simultaneously, to satisfy the ego of four different organisations. This is hardly an example of good resource management. Imagine what could have been done if these people had put their differences aside and all went into business together.

Soko

19/03/2006, 1:53 PM

I wasn't being sarcastic. If the FAI, IRFU and GAA had all gotten together 20 years ago then we'd have a 40,000 all seater in Cork, 30,000 seater in Limerick and Croke Park would be even nicer than it is already.

There was a time when the IRFU wanted to redo Lansdowne, the GAA were building Croke Park, the FAI had plans for Eircom Park on the table and Bertie wanted to build his Bowl. Yes, at a point in time there were four stadium projects in Dublin all taking place simultaneously, to satisfy the ego of four different organisations. This is hardly an example of good resource management. Imagine what could have been done if these people had put their differences aside and all went into business together.

Sarcasm on the location of Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Its right next to the river and causes the biggest traffic jams you could possibly imagine.

pete

19/03/2006, 2:17 PM

The GAA will never join forces with the other associations. The FAI & IRFU should be following the formula of the Lansdowne Road project of stadium sharing run by an independent stadium company.

brine3

21/03/2006, 7:28 PM

Sarcasm on the location of Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Its right next to the river and causes the biggest traffic jams you could possibly imagine.

ah right, fair enough. i always walk to it