Connor1874 Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Apologies if i've missed discussion on this elsewhere, but the FA's of both nations are in advanced talks to merge and have an 18 team Superleague, possibly ready for next season. Would be a cracking league I think, and perhaps a good way for Dutch and Belgian clubs to keep hold of their promising talents if it takes off. I assume only the 'Superleague' would be mixed, and leagues below would be regionalised, essentially staying all Dutch and all Belgian leagues. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernLights Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Obviously driven by the EU as another step towards a Federal United States of Europe IMO. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason King Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Only Field Marshall Farage can stop this abomination! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nowhereman Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 So the new format of the Challenge cup was justified after all if its now leading to this 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 So the new format of the Challenge cup was justified after all if its now leading to thisCross-border cup competitions have been allowed for a long time. The Challenge Cup was far from the first. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Ferguson's Hat Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 The Challenge Cup was the first. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernLights Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 (edited) 43 minutes ago, Barry Ferguson's Hat said: The Challenge Cup was the first. The Texaco Cup, The Anglo-Scottish Cup, The Setanta Cup, The Anglo-Italian Cup are a few I can think that easily pre-date the Challenge Cup in its current form. Edited October 23, 2019 by NorthernLights 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Moomintroll Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Interesting article in the Daily Fail (I know, I know) today regarding the same thing potentially happening with the two Irish FAs forming a Combined top division over there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Ferguson's Hat Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 The first was the Challenge Cup. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 1 hour ago, Barry Ferguson's Hat said: The first was the Challenge Cup. 6 hours ago, NorthernLights said: The Texaco Cup, The Anglo-Scottish Cup, The Setanta Cup, The Anglo-Italian Cup are a few I can think that easily pre-date the Challenge Cup in its current form. You sure about that, BFH? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahemps Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 This is a great idea to attempt to make their leagues more competitive and interesting. It is refreshing to see 2 FA's looking into new ideas and not just settling for the status quo. Currently both these leagues are behind Portugal and Russia in the UEFA coefficients. Portugal currently the last team getting 3 CL places however between Belgium and Netherlands they get 4. What would happen with the European competition allocation? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairWeatherFan Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 9 hours ago, sjc said: You sure about that, BFH? Not to mention the Royal League for Scandinavian countries. Think the baltics also had something as well. These were of course leagues in the Champions League sense of course. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nowhereman Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 18 hours ago, craigkillie said: 19 hours ago, Nowhereman said: So the new format of the Challenge cup was justified after all if its now leading to this Cross-border cup competitions have been allowed for a long time. The Challenge Cup was far from the first. Yeah i know but happy to take any opportunity to get a wee dig in about the mess the spfl have made of the Challenge Cup 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Which leagues could feasibly be merged? Everyone seems to assume Spain and Portugal but I bet most supporters of Portuguese Diddy teams would be of similar opinion to that of Scottish diddy team fans in terms of the Scottish leagues merging with the English leagues. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthernLights Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 2 hours ago, sjc said: Which leagues could feasibly be merged? Everyone seems to assume Spain and Portugal but I bet most supporters of Portuguese Diddy teams would be of similar opinion to that of Scottish diddy team fans in terms of the Scottish leagues merging with the English leagues. I'm sure there were murmurs of a Balkan Super League a few years ago. https://gameofthepeople.com/2013/03/24/balkan-league-sounds-like-a-crazy-idea/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bully Wee Villa Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 4 hours ago, ahemps said: This is a great idea to attempt to make their leagues more competitive and interesting. It is refreshing to see 2 FA's looking into new ideas and not just settling for the status quo. Currently both these leagues are behind Portugal and Russia in the UEFA coefficients. Portugal currently the last team getting 3 CL places however between Belgium and Netherlands they get 4. What would happen with the European competition allocation? Maybe they could run it along conference lines? So all eighteen teams play each other home and away but you still have two separate league tables of nine teams to decide European qualification. This could also be used to relegate teams to the national leagues which, you assume, would sit under this league. I'm in favour of the move, it has the potential to make European football more competitive. Boring if only the Spanish/English/German/Italian clubs and maybe PSG have a chance of winning things. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 They did this in womens football but it collapsed a few years ago after a couple of seasons... Obvious problem is that if (say) Dutch clubs end-up dominating the Belgian teams feel they're being taken for fools especially when it comes to European slots. As noted there have been plenty cross-border cups down the years before the Challenge Cup invitees - not only in Britain or Ireland historically but the Royal League and numerous iterations in the Baltic right upto the present. Must say that I'm not in favour of full-blown international leagues, Atlantic League, "European Superleague", etc. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bully Wee Villa Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 I'm in favour so long as you can get into them, and be relegated out of them, on merit. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Having any European prize monies (UCL/UL) go into the League prize money would stop a dominant Club from pulling too far away from the rest. Wastecoatwillies head would explode too! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor1874 Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 17 hours ago, Bully Wee Villa said: Maybe they could run it along conference lines? So all eighteen teams play each other home and away but you still have two separate league tables of nine teams to decide European qualification. This could also be used to relegate teams to the national leagues which, you assume, would sit under this league. I'm in favour of the move, it has the potential to make European football more competitive. Boring if only the Spanish/English/German/Italian clubs and maybe PSG have a chance of winning things. Think that would definitely be a good way of doing it. Plus, the Belgians and the Dutch have had no problems with playoffs for European spots so that could tie in well. Would imagine the KNVB Beker and Beker van Belgie would still exist too, so there'd be European places up for grabs there too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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