Four Associations Tournament/Celtic Cup 2011

[shaneker]

In keeping with the txt generation...the Keltic Kup?

[sylvo]

Am I not entitled to my opinino on a website about my football team. I do not want to be playing other average teams who play the same sort of football as us. I also do not want to go to cities which culturally are not a million miles away from Ireland and in addition seem to be full of stag parties and hen parties and fast food joints etc.

Not my scene whatsoever, and I like travelling abroad to support Ireland. In fact I love it but I have an opinion here that is valid and I do not think there is anything to be got from this. There are only certain amount of international dates in the calender. These matches will not be in addition to what we have already but will replace, matches like the trip to Denmark in August or friendlies V Brazil in Croke Park or the friendly away to Poland a few years ago. We had an opportunity to use the renovation of Croke Park to get some good away friendlies that will help us heal our achilles heal and what do we do, we play N Ireland Scotland and Wales. There is so many reasons that this is not good for us. That is nothing against Wales, N Ireland or Scotland as, if i was a fan of theirs I would not be in support of a trip to Dublin either.

Its a close minded Cup for by a close minded organisations for close minded fans.

Couldn't agree more me old mucker, I thought Cardiff on that saturday afternoon was like all the chav towns outside London on a saturday night, can't say I was sorry to be on a bus at 5.30 after the match out of there and up to London, and agree can't see what the other teams will really get out of playing us end of season time also. Nobodys really going to get much out of it.

How you getting on, was looking out for you in Cardiff, but have to say was on a very quick visit there.

[dcfcsteve]

Agree with that. Sooner play Scotland in Britain than Ecuador in New York.

Or maybe play Scotand in Scotland.......?

[dcfcsteve]

We really need England involved to make the tournament sustainable. The Home Nations tournaments are nothing without a strong side. If the Republic ever reach previous form it should be a whitewash, but if England were involved it would make things interesting.

A bit pompous there Reb - ROI are not the be all and end all of Interbnational football ?

What if Scotland hit previous form and we don't ? Or hows' about the wee north - they're ranked higher than us at the moment. Again.....

Does anyone know were England invited to play in it and turned it down or what? Having all the Home Nations would induce Rugby like rivalry which would be great.

I can't see England - or, indeed, their fans - being interested in it. They are leaps ahead of the other 4 teams in terms of quality and would win it almost every year. Unlike the rugby, there's no French or all-island Ireland side to keep them in-check in this proposal.

Which 'Home Nation' does the Republic belong to by the way......?

I like the idea of this tournament. If only because it promotes Celtic solidarity.

[osarusan]

I can't see England - or, indeed, their fans - being interested in it. They are leaps ahead of the other 4 teams in terms of quality and would win it almost every year. Unlike the rugby, there's no French or all-island Ireland side to keep them in-check in this proposal.

Agree about England team and fans not being interested, although I'm not so sure they'd be quite so dominant as you think, even thought they are the superior side. Over just 90 minutes, to use a cliche, anything can happen. Drawing at home to Macedonia would be an example of that.

One concern I'd have is a "well, we beat the English" mentality, meaning that relative success in this "Celtic Cup" could become a barometer of success instead of European / World Cup qualifying, which should be the real benchmark.

I'd be concerned about this kind of mentality even without England's participation. Bragging rights over teams marginally poorer than ourselves means little.

[RogerMilla]

I can't see England - or, indeed, their fans - being interested in it. They are leaps ahead of the other 4 teams in terms of quality and would win it almost every year. .

yeah like they win every tournament they enter.....

Great idea , bring it on , if it does nothing but bring some pride back to our jersey i will be delighted

[dcfcsteve]

yeah like they win every tournament they enter.....

Well - none of the 4 Celtic nations win any tournaments they enter either, and someone has to win this thing.

So who do you think would win it more often than not if England were included...?

[youngirish]

Well - none of the 4 Celtic nations win any tournaments they enter either, and someone has to win this thing.

So who do you think would win it more often than not if England were included...?

England would struggle to win it more often than anyone else because:

a) Everyone would try harder to beat them more than than the other opposition

and perhaps more importantly:

b) They are pretty sh*te

You must be English if you think they'd walk it.

[Lionel Ritchie]

I can't see England - or, indeed, their fans - being interested in it...

I agree up to here and furthermore if I was the incoming England manager and there was even a hint their participation might be on the cards -I'd want it written into my contract that I could not be sacked, have my contract "terminated by mutual consent" or be removed from my post by any and all other methods, known and unknown, foreseen and unforeseen ....within an asses roar of a "Celtic Cup" match.

In short, an England managers head would be on the block pretty much every time a ball was kicked in this thing.

[pineapple stu]

At least we have a chance of some silverware.

At present, it'd be a battle between us and Wales for the wooden spoon.

Or maybe play Scotand in Scotland.......?

Is it not going to be hosted in one country, so we could play Scotland in Wales? Thought I read that somewhere; maybe it was a pervious suggested incarnation.

[Serb]

Is it not going to be hosted in one country, so we could play Scotland in Wales? Thought I read that somewhere; maybe it was a pervious suggested incarnation.

Don't think so. From what I understand it was alternating home and away matches similar to how the Rugby 6 Nations works (i.e. If we play Scotland at home in 2009, we'll play them in Scotland in 2010 and so on). If we did one country hosting it, there probably wouldn't be a great turn-out at say, Scotland -vs- Northern Ireland in the Millennium stadium for example.

[gustavo]

b) They are pretty sh*te

You must be English if you think they'd walk it.

Ahh yes the other 4 teams really walked their groups in comparion didnt they.

Instead of a wooden spoon the booby prize should be the choice of Stephen Ireland's superman pants or a bottle of Regaine.

Jesus , can you let your Stephen Ireland obsession go.

[dcfcsteve]

England would struggle to win it more often than anyone else because:

a) Everyone would try harder to beat them more than than the other opposition

and perhaps more importantly:

b) They are pretty sh*te

You must be English if you think they'd walk it.

1) I never said they'd walk it - I said they'd win it majority of times. Big difference.

2) England would likewise lift their game - especially against the Scots.

3) Over the longer-term, England will be the stronger of the 5 nations mentioned. They may be "sh!te" as you put it now - but all bar Scotland are currently no better. And over anything bar the short-term, England would inevitably prove the strongest, for a variety of reasons.

4) Under the old 'Home Natioons' tournament, England won the most titles. They had a 47% success rate - even though the gap between the teams involved was much narrower then than it is now (particularly in relation to Scotland and, on occassion, the North). I doubt adding the Republic to that mix would've changed the winners table by much.

I'm not English, but you must be blinkered if you can't accept the above.

[pineapple stu]

If we did one country hosting it, there probably wouldn't be a great turn-out at say, Scotland -vs- Northern Ireland in the Millennium stadium for example.

Might be better if Wales v Ireland was on straight after. Three games each over five days in one week in the summer would be a decent-ish tournament; would be OK crowd-wise too.s

[CollegeTillIDie]

Northern Ireland v Ireland in Belfast in July!!!

It will be in the Maze with the Southern fans seated in Block H

[WembleyGreen]

Should be named 'Sceptic Cup' given the amount of S****e you'll have to watch especially if recent Ireland/Wales games anything to go by, although in fairness the one in Cardff was an improvment. Will there really be enough interest in these games from both players and supporters? I don't think so, had they done it this summer maybe but Nov.? Feb? I'm not a big fan of friendlies at any time and as much as people go on about this adding a bit of 'competition' 'friendly rivalry' etc I don't recall anyone I know really, really wanting to play Scotland or Wales, OK there's a few out there who are desperate for a game against NI but sadly I think that may well be for reasons other than football! Not all of them of course but you know who I mean! My other big worry is that Delaney has been involved in it and we know what happens when he puts his grubby mits on things, be afraid, be very afraid!

[backstothewall]

If the stadium wasn't even half full for Ireland v Wales in a competitive qualifier (even if it was a dead rubber), whats the logic that they will attract more people to glorified friendlies?

[lopez]

If the stadium wasn't even half full for Ireland v Wales in a competitive qualifier (even if it was a dead rubber), whats the logic that they will attract more people to glorified friendlies?

Wrexham it is then?

[eekers]

play all the games in one weekend in the isle of man

[Cymro]

If the stadium wasn't even half full for Ireland v Wales in a competitive qualifier (even if it was a dead rubber), whats the logic that they will attract more people to glorified friendlies?

It was empty precisely because it was a dead rubber. The fact it was 'competitive' didn't really matter, in my opinion.

Our crowds in such a competition as the CC would depend on our form, but I'd expect 35-40,000 at least if we played you in it. Of course, it depends if we're still in with a shout by that time. At the start of our campaigns crowds are usually a lot higher, then by the time we're knocked out they dip to the harcore of about 15-20,000.

And yes, the games could also be moved to Swansea or Wrexham.