Euro 2012 Scotland Ireland?

**GavinZac** · 19/06/2008, 9:25 AM

Originally Posted by elroy

And on a separate point, what is this talk of a 20k stadium for cork city?? how is this going to be viable?

European games, high profile friendlies, finals, underage internationals. Oh, and the plan is to be in the CHampions League groups within 15 years. Seems on the reasonable side of ambitious.

augmented by concerts, events and corporate hospitality. At the moment Cork's only concert venue is a meagre 5000 seat capacity, smaller than Turners Cross itself

**osarusan** · 19/06/2008, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by GavinZac

European games, high profile friendlies, finals, underage internationals. Oh, and the plan is to be in the CHampions League groups within 15 years. Seems on the reasonable side of ambitious.

When is it due to be completed? And what kind of finals are you talking about - it would be fine for an FAI cup final I think.

Also, it would be great if an Ireland international could be held there, even if it was just a friendly. I remember an Ireland - Wales friendly in Tolka park about 15 years ago, and the proposed new stadium would be a much better venue.

Out of interest, when was the last time an Irish home international was played outside Dublin? I've always been envious of other countries who have quite a few stadiums in different parts of the country where they can, and do, play international games. Cork's new stadium would be a nice option. And Thomond Park in Limerick wouldn't need too much improvement either.

**Dodge** · 19/06/2008, 10:39 AM

AFAIK there's only one Irish home international that wasn't played in Dublin. This was in the Mardyke in Cork. I'm not counting the english ones as home before anyone starts

**GavinZac** · 19/06/2008, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by osarusan

When is it due to be completed? And what kind of finals are you talking about - it would be fine for an FAI cup final I think.

No date yet but that's because we're busy hiring the guy who's going to be in charge of it. The site is pretty much decided upon, but there are a few options. Can't say much more

yeah, FAI Cup finals and Setanta Cup finals and such. Obviously it wouldn't get them every year but in a situation where its a case of 2 non-dublin teams in a final, Cork would be just as handy as Dublin.

Also, it would be great if an Ireland international could be held there, even if it was just a friendly. I remember an Ireland - Wales friendly in Tolka park about 15 years ago, and the proposed new stadium would be a much better venue.

Definitely. Situations like Ireland playing a home game in London, as earlier this year, shouldnt happen.

Out of interest, when was the last time an Irish home international was played outside Dublin?

Probably that Welsh game; I'd have estimated 25 years ago at least.

**pineapple stu** · 19/06/2008, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

AFAIK there's only one Irish home international that wasn't played in Dublin. This was in the Mardyke in Cork. I'm not counting the english ones as home before anyone starts

Hungary (1939) and Spain (1985) both played in Cork - rsssf.

Apparently we played Israel in Tel Aviv the day after the Spain game, so I don't know how serious that one was.

**gspain** · 19/06/2008, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Hungary (1939) and Spain (1985) both played in Cork - rsssf.

Apparently we played Israel in Tel Aviv the day after the Spain game, so I don't know how serious that one was.

The Israel game was earlier in the year. I think Lopez was there. I don't have the date to hand but definitely not the day after Spain.

Spain was a full International, full team etc. I was at the game. It was played a spart of Cork 800 celebrations.

**ifk101** · 19/06/2008, 4:06 PM

Euro 2016 Scotland Wales?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ls/7464150.stm

**Cymro** · 19/06/2008, 4:21 PM

ifk101, I wouldn't place too much stock on anything David Collins says. This sort of thing is talked about every few months or so but nothing is ever actually done. It's like the argument of moving the Welsh Premier to summer football, and the English pyramid teams back into the Welsh Cup. Basically, they just talk about these things so they can hold it up come 'election' (essentially just the same guys who've been in the job for 25 years getting their renewals rubber-stamped) time as an example of what good they're doing for Welsh football. All this, while they fritter away some �2m per year in expenses.

I know this makes me sound like a whiny c*nt and is rather off topic but I can't resist a good rant at the FAW. Well, you guys know the feeling with your own set of suits, no doubt.

There's more chance of me flying concorde to the moon than of us hosting a championship. We'd need to build or upgrade something like 5 stadia in addition to the two Cardiff ones which we currently have that would meet UEFA criteria. Those stadia have to be 30k capacity minimum as far as I'm aware and even rugby rarely draws those kinds of crowds. Swansea and Newport might get us two viable 30k stadia, Wrexham if they had a half decent team, but they don't and no-one plays rugby up there either. So basically, it's not gonna happen.

**pete** · 19/06/2008, 5:55 PM

Originally Posted by Cymro

There's more chance of me flying concorde to the moon than of us hosting a championship. We'd need to build or upgrade something like 5 stadia in addition to the two Cardiff ones which we currently have that would meet UEFA criteria. Those stadia have to be 30k capacity minimum as far as I'm aware and even rugby rarely draws those kinds of crowds. Swansea and Newport might get us two viable 30k stadia, Wrexham if they had a half decent team, but they don't and no-one plays rugby up there either. So basically, it's not gonna happen.

Scotland & Wales is a lot more plausible than Ireland-Scotland.

Wales - Millennium, Cardiff City, Swansea, Wrexham
Scotland - Hampden, Ibrox, Celtic Park, Murrayfield. (Might have to replace one of the Glasgow ones with Dundee or other)

If expanded to 24 teams then a bit more difficult.

**Cymro** · 19/06/2008, 8:10 PM

It's not that simple Pete, they have a rule that states you can't have more than 1 stadium per city, with one exception. So one city can have two stadia but all the others must have one. That rules out either one stadium or two in Glasgow and may also rule out one in Cardiff depending on which city gets the two stadia.

**pete** · 19/06/2008, 9:11 PM

Originally Posted by Cymro

It's not that simple Pete, they have a rule that states you can't have more than 1 stadium per city, with one exception. So one city can have two stadia but all the others must have one. That rules out either one stadium or two in Glasgow and may also rule out one in Cardiff depending on which city gets the two stadia.

True but whatever way you look at Wales offers Scotland a lot more than Ireland.

**pineapple stu** · 19/06/2008, 9:18 PM

If they don't have the grounds, they're as useless as us.

30000 capacity grounds - obviously Millennium Stadium. Where else? Liberty (shudder) Stadium is only 18000 or so, has awful parking facilities and was built only a couple of years ago. The Racecourse is obviously out. Ninian Park is 20000 - too small, as is the replacement. And that's it really.

**Schumi** · 20/06/2008, 8:34 AM

I'm surprised the Liberty is only 18,000; it looks bigger. There might be a possibility of upgrading Stradey Park or Rodney Parade as well maybe but I agree that Wales is unlikely to be able to host this either.

Would a Scotland & North of England bid be possible I wonder?