Home Nations 'Celtic Cup'

[Stuka]

so in 2012 there's going to be a new Home Nations Cup- Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nations_Cup_(football)

I'm kind of sorry England aren't involved but then they may well join in a future tournament. Even playing the home nations has got to be better practice for major tournaments than endless ties against former eastern-block countries.

[Magnus]

England have not commited due to fixture congestion, but I wonder if hooliganism has played a part too.

[Stuka]

England have not commited due to fixture congestion, but I wonder if hooliganism has played a part too.

But you'd think Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland would have at least the potential for a policing headache, although I understand Derry City played Linfield a couple years ago without much trouble.

[PEARCEY]

Pointless competition.

[Magnus]

England have not commited due to fixture congestion, but I wonder if hooliganism has played a part too.

But you'd think Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland would have at least the potential for a policing headache, although I understand Derry City played Linfield a couple years ago without much trouble.

Yeh that one could get pretty "tasty", as they apparently say in Bromley.

[Ark Royal]

so in 2012 there's going to be a new Home Nations Cup- Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nations_Cup_(football)

I'm kind of sorry England aren't involved but then they may well join in a future tournament. Even playing the home nations has got to be better practice for major tournaments than endless ties against former eastern-block countries.

I can see crowds turning up in their dozens for this.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Pointless competition.

More pointless than any friendly England play?

International football is dump because there aren't any decent games on home soil, only friendlies and qualifiers that are either pointless or mis matches

The annual England Scotland game was scrapped because of hooliganism. a problem thats long gone.

Bring back home nations football and play them on dates previously allocated for friendlies.

[Hoop Blah]

Even playing the home nations has got to be better practice for major tournaments than endless ties against former eastern-block countries

We won't learn to much playing the same duffers they play against week in week out. At least by playing different eastern block countries and all the rest we get to play against different types of teams with different approaches.

Home nation games might be a bit more interesting to watch though.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

We won't learn to much playing the same duffers they play against week in week out. At least by playing different eastern block countries and all the rest we get to play against different types of teams with different approaches.

When most of the players play at European club level anyway, I just dont see what there is to gain by playing friendlies. Other than warm up games.

Its just for revenue, which will be more for home nations games anyway.

[Hoop Blah]

You surely see the need for trying things out and blooding new players into a proper team outing rather than a debut or new combinations in what can be a vital qualifier. Obviously that can't always be the case but get togethers and friendlies are important for building a squad.

I do think there is a difference between playing, for example, a couple of Croatians or Russians in a league or European game for their club side and playing against their national teams. That difference is magnified when you play South American or African opposition.

I'd agree that we haven't used them to their best since Svens day and that warm up games in the build up to tournaments are more valuable still.

[roadrunner]

As a half Paddy myself I'm obviously looking forward to this, especially when watching over paid self loving tossers playing for England has become so underwhelming in the last 14 years, but I have to ask why is the Republic of Ireland classed as a 'Home Nation'? It's not in the United Kingdom.

The annual England Scotland game was scrapped because of hooliganism. a problem thats long gone.

Not true. It's never gone away, it's reduced a lot over the last 20 years but it's been steadily increasing again in recent years but the FA and Police do their utmost to keep it out of the papers so as not to draw attention to it.

[Magnus]

As a half Paddy myself I'm obviously looking forward to this, especially when watching over paid self loving tossers playing for England has become so underwhelming in the last 14 years, but I have to ask why is the Republic of Ireland classed as a 'Home Nation'? It's not in the United Kingdom.

Because it used to be.

[Hoop Blah]

As a half Paddy myself I'm obviously looking forward to this, especially when watching over paid self loving tossers playing for England has become so underwhelming in the last 14 years, but I have to ask why is the Republic of Ireland classed as a 'Home Nation'? It's not in the United Kingdom.

Because it used to be.

Not to mention half their players are British as well!

Not as many as there used to be of course.

[Mr Optimist]

Think when the idea was first muted a couple of years ago the greedy English FA wanted more than an equal split of the revenue pie. £ngli$h FA.

[Stuka]

Ireland is still classed as a 'home nation' in sporting terms, to say nothing of political terms (Irish citizens still have the right to vote in UK general elections). St. Patrick's cross remains a component of the Union Jack.

I agree with Tony and that Home Nations Cup is better than regular friendlies for blooding younger players and it's a good competition for fans to watch.

[Magnus]

On a tangent, does Celtic just mean "Britsh but not English" now?

[papereyes]

I have a book about what Celtic means.

The definition 'sort of indigineous British' is apparently 99 % bollocks.

[Stuka]

On a tangent, does Celtic just mean "Britsh but not English" now?

Kind of feels like that sometimes, even though biologically I imagine we're all fairly indistinguishable by now.

[Hoop Blah]

I agree with Tony and that Home Nations Cup is better than regular friendlies for blooding younger players and it's a good competition for fans to watch.

It might be better to watch but you won't learn as much about their ability to play international football because they'll just be playing against 'British' players they come against week in week out.

The good thing is that there would at least be a bit more pressure on the games because of the bragging rights on the line etc.

[Stuka]

The good thing is that there would at least be a bit more pressure on the games because of the bragging rights on the line etc.

This is it. On balance it would be more for the benefit of us spectators than a useful international test run. I bet every game would sell out.