McLeish wants Old Firm in England

[therockbox]

Alex McLeish believes pressure from television could force English football's power brokers to allow the Old Firm to play in the Premiership.

McLeish says Rangers and Celtic should both be playing in England.

He says that television bosses can pave the way if they threaten to withdraw cash unless they are allowed south.

"Global television could dictate an immediate change of direction if they were to threaten to withdraw financial support," said the Rangers boss.

"Rangers and Celtic are still a tremendous attraction to Europe's top players.

"When we bring the big names to Glasgow and they see Ibrox and Murray Park they can hardly believe their eyes," added McLeish.

"But the questionable strength of the domestic league is what prevents the very best of them from opting to take the gamble on a move to Scotland. That is the weakness of the Scottish Premier League.

"Talking about the Old Firm getting into the Premiership has always been a pipe dream, and maybe it is to some."

But he believes the Premiership would have no choice other than to allow Rangers and Celtic in if satellite television threatened to pull the plug on millions of pounds unless they were granted entry.

[fineintent]

They'd get wanked on in the Premiership. You know when the only players they sign are Division 1 quality or from Serbia, they're ballbags.

Let Hibs come down - they've actually got some ok Scottish players.

[Different Cloud]

Why don't people realise that the only reason we are around mid-table Premiership Standard is beacuse of fucking TV money.

The Old Firm have massive supports and great stadiums, aswell as very good Marketing etc. For the first few years we might not do so well, but the MASSIVE difference in the revenue would have us easily in top 5/6 AT LEAST.

But, I am sick hearing the rumours of it happening, if they are going to do it, actually follow through with it instead of talking about it forever.

Anyone know when Sky's current Premiership deal expires?

Edited July 22, 2005 by Viper.

[Guest Booker T & The MG's]

I recall posting something about this at EWB III.

As a Partick Thistle fan I would'nt mind seeing them fuck off down south, for the simple fact that Scottish football can't get any worse than it already is. Nearly all the clubs in the SPL are in debt, clubs have gone out of buisness (Airdire & Clydebank) or been very close (Livingston & Dundee) the money non old firm clubs pay for wages to trying to be competive filters down the leagues. Partick Thistle are an example of a club who paid wages which are within there budget, and that's one of the reasons why we are now in Division 2.

Life without The Old Firm would be difficult, clubs would be forced to turn far more to youth development, this would also help the national team in the long run. I don't believe that the Scottish leagues would turn into the Irish or Welsh leagues, it would be very competitve and clubs like Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen do pull in good gates today (in excess of 12,000) even with The Old Firm's shadow over them, this could have the potential to rise with a competive league.

If The Old Firm did move down south, then assuming they went straight into the PL then they would be very competitive within 2 or 3 years, in the PL only probably Man U & Liverpool have bigger global fanbases than Rangers or Celtic. The revenue and prestige gained from playing in the PL would help attract top quality players.

The one problem is I just don't think it will happen, because if The Old Firm moved down south what happened if in 10-15 years time Scotland comes closer to independance? It's far fetched now but in the future it could happen, if it did then what's to stop Ajax, PSV, Benfica or Porto moving to more competitive leagues?

[RawIsWar]

What a bag of crap

They wouldn't hack it in the big boys league, teams like Spurs, Bolton and Middlesbrough could beat them IMO. They should just stay in Scotland and like it

[Different Cloud]

Read the last 2 posts again.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

They'd be alright in Division 1 I suppose.

[therockbox]

Why don't people realise that the only reason we are around mid-table Premiership Standard is beacuse of fucking TV money.

The Old Firm have massive supports and great stadiums, aswell as very good Marketing etc. For the first few years we might not do so well, but the MASSIVE difference in the revenue would have us easily in top 5/6 AT LEAST.

But, I am sick hearing the rumours of it happening, if they are going to do it, actually follow through with it instead of talking about it forever.

Anyone know when Sky's current Premiership deal expires?

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[Guest Booker T & The MG's]

Why should you be allowed to stroll into the Premiership?

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[MDK]

So who gets kicked out of the prem so they can come in? Can't add two extra teams without adding even more fixtures and lord knows I won't be able to hack Wenger et al complaining even more.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

I wouldn't say Rangers and Celtic are on par with Boro and Spurs at all, Boro have a pretty strong side, and Spurs have a decent mixture of youth talent and experience.

You'd probably be hovering above the relegation zone.

[lanky316]

I'm still kind of offended for Scottish football that there are some teams who'd rather make money then take pride in their nation (ok it's Scotland there can't be a lot there to begin with ). Scottish football is in a fairly low state both domestically and internationally and the two biggest teams from one of the biggest cities decide they want to pull out, and people support this notion?

English football could survive if Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea left. There is depth here in that you've got plenty of big clubs on the global scale, there are people in Argentinian villages without televisions who have heard of teams like Liverpool, Everton and Spurs. Top class players are happy to come to the premiership and not just the top one or two clubs either, Klinsmann, Kluivert and Zola all were prepared to come over here and play for teams not enjoying any success (Zola being the beginning of an Era for Chelsea they've not seen since the 50's).

Would Scottish football do this? Would players like Larsson be prepared to come and play for such legends of the game as Kilmarnock? I doubt it and as a result Scottish football would only decline, look at the Welsh league, the three biggest Welsh sides are in the English league, and Welsh games get attendances of a few hundred if they're lucky, less then the average Forest Green game in the Conference. The same would happen to Scotland. But who cares, Celtic and Rangers will make a few quid...

[TMM]

Scotland don't produce good enough players for the country or any of the teams to mean anything. The only players that are interested in going to Scotland are the people who are past it, unheard of (and will be any good), or not good enough for the top league anywhere. Players like Stanislav Varga, Paul Telfer, John Hartson and Chris Sutton are shite and couldn't hack the Premiership, so Celtic or Rangers in the Premiership would be stupid on the front.

Also, as The Rock Box said, Celtic and Rangers have no right, no right whatsoever to even think they should be aloud into the Premiership. If they ever did (and by god I hope they don't) they should be entered into League One at most and work their way up.

[MDK]

they should be entered into League One at most and work their way up.

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And once again, what unlucky two teams have to give up their places? Or two teams that get promoted, but have to give up their place. And so on.

[Different Cloud]

There are a few decent Scots coming through at Rangers and with the setup at Murray Park (probably one of the best training grounds in Europe), there should hopefully be a lot more coming through in years to come.

I agree that it would be unfair for us to just walk into the Premiership, but just relegate an extra 2 teams one season, it would the Relegation battle more interesting.

On a side note, I'd love for Rangers to move for English people to see how good Barry Ferguson actually is.

Edited July 22, 2005 by Viper.

[TMM]

they should be entered into League One at most and work their way up.

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And once again, what unlucky two teams have to give up their places? Or two teams that get promoted, but have to give up their place. And so on.

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Oh, no one should give up their places. What I was saying is IF, IF the FA were fucking stupid enough to put them in, I'd be massively pissed if they were put in anywhere above League One, even though I'd still be pissed if they got in.

[King Ellis]

I bet Cardiff and Wrexham are hoping for this to go through. Then they can go into the Welsh league and ask to be brought into the Prem.

[botchedpiledriver]

They would be Midtable relegation hoverers. Celtic have just signed Paul Telfer, doesn't that sum it up?

[Summers]

Send Birmingham City to non league football, and Rangers can come over. Then kick.. uhh.. Spurs/Bolton/Middlesbrough down too for Celtic to come in.

[fineintent]

Send Birmingham City to non league football, and Rangers can come over. Then kick.. uhh.. Spurs/Bolton/Middlesbrough down too for Celtic to come in.

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