'Celtic Cup' set to start in 2009

[Baaheeduk]

Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have agreed "in principle" to play a series of three biennial "Celtic Cup" tournaments.

An agreement signed on Monday commits the countries to arranging the tournaments on a league basis.

Home and away games will be rotated from one tournament to the next with each team playing three matches in each of the competitions.

Last week England distanced themselves from involvement in the tournament.

Commercial arrangements and fixture dates are now being finalised.

The old Home Championship, which included England but not the Republic of Ireland, was staged every year until 1984.

But matches between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were eventually scrapped because of increasing fixture congestion.

Last week Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would welcome the revival of home internationals to ease the pain of Euro 2008 misery for the four home nations.

England's defeat by Croatia, following the failures of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales triggered calls for the sides to face each other in 2008.

It is the first time since 1994 that no home nations have qualified for a major tournament.

The Republic of Ireland did qualify for the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

Scotland battled valiantly but finished third in a group including Italy and France, while Northern Ireland's fate was sealed when they were beaten in Spain on Wednesday.

Wales's campaign was in tatters after a string of early defeats.

Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7114148.stm

Published: 2007/11/26 20:37:55 GMT

© BBC MMVII

 

[jaffa]

Can't see it being as good without England but better than nothing I suppose. Setanta maybe have a hand in it.

 

[witchy]

Last week England distanced themselves from involvement in the tournament.

I wonder why they did this, do they think they're too good for it?

It'll be a blast anyway, it should get some good old fashioned footy banter flowing

(especially as Scotland will hump the lot of them )

 

[Baaheeduk]

Update:

England have not ruled themselves out of the competition.

It had been widely assumed that England would not participate, with the Football Association looking to generate greater income from summer tours and lucrative friendlies.

But an FA spokesman told BBC Sport: "We will just have to wait and see where our involvement lies next year and beyond."

The FA had been planning on the basis of England qualifying for the finals of Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland - and the spokesman added: "There is no Plan B for next summer at the moment. Everything is up in the air."

 

[witchy]

ahh, that's good news.

It would be crazy for them to leave their fans with fook all to do whilst the rest of the UK were all placing bets and screaming at their tv's.