Have half the season as the Scottish league but cut it to 22 matches a year then have the second half as a European super league., with promotion and relegation. So all Scottish sides, including the old firm carry on playing in a reduced in number of games Scottish league but have a second half of the season as the European league.
So instead of the old firm joining the English premier league they could create a new league with countries in Western Europe outside of the big leagues in England, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. The league would consist of 3 divisions run in conjunction with Scottish league.
The number of Scottish sides would not be set it could 1, 4, 7. There is relegation and promotion to the league and up the divisions each year.
When I tell people about my idea of the western European league.
They often say that it would lead to old firm domination. What load of rubbish.
We already have old firm domination. My idea would enable a window for clubs to challenge the old firm.
Western european Super league
The old firm have won every title since 1985 because the current Scottish set up ensures only the old firm have the money. Oh by the way it is not due to SFA, or some conspiracy, that the old firm have so much money, it is due to the fact they have more fans and get higher attendances and merchandising.
In the present set up the old firm will get every league, every title. So do not give me some guff that the problem with my idea is that old firm will get more money and dominate the league. What a weak argument against my idea. That already happens.
Now the fact is my idea would make it far more likely the SPL can be won by a non old firm side.
Why?
Because if a non old firm side got into the European Super league premier, they would get the 5 - 9 million pounds TV money from being in the premier league. Suddenly they would be able to challenge for the title.
At present no Scottish side has the money to challenge the old firm. If we had a European super league that every club could gain promotion to, where they could get 5 - 9 million pounds a year, then even clubs like St Mirren, Airdrie United and Greenock Morton under good managers (of the Coyle level) gain promotion to this league then could get the money that could enable them to win the championship with a good manager.
That's right folks my idea would enable teams to realistically challenge for the SPL.
Bang! My idea is the best their is.
All the other ideas would never match my idea in gaining more success for the SPL sides, gaining the old firm the big league they want to play in while at the same time enabling other sides to challenge for the SPL.
A) A 16, 18, 20 team league would not make any difference to how dominant the old firm are in fact it would probably make them even more dominant.
B) The old firm leaving the league would destroy Scottish football.
C) The current situation is just rubbish as the Scottish sides cannot compete in European trophies, and the old firm win every league.
My idea would shake things up.
Western European Super league
My idea for football is the western European Super league.
So instead of the old firm joining the English premier league they could create a new league with countries in Western Europe outside of the big leagues in England, Spain, Germany, France and Italy.
Have half the season as the Scottish league but cut it to 22 matches a year then have the second half as a European super league., with promotion and relegation.
The wide area
A league in Western Europe could encompass teams from, Scotland, Holland, Portugal, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Faeroe Islands, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
Massive population region
This region has a combined population of 100 million, without the major Western European nations, that is larger than any country in Western Europe. OK I accept the likes of Andorra and the Faroes are unlikely to produce any teams to qualify for this league, but they could play in the qualification tournament. Nations like Portugal and Holland have plenty of large sides, for this set up.
Continue with both Domestic and the new League
The set up would be that each league carries on with their national league but cuts the number of games in half to 18 - 24 games per league. This would open up a new spot for another league for 18 - 24 games. Qualification for European trophies such as the Europa cup, would still come from performances in domestic trophies.
So for instance the Scottish league would be cut from playing eachother 3 - 4 times a year to just two times a year, to just 22 games a year, instead of the current 38. Opening up 16 more weeks, to play another league this would be the western European super league.
The first half of the year would be the Scottish league, the second the western European super league.
How to get extra games for Scottish sides not in European league
The Scottish sides that do not qualify to play in the Western European league could have extra competitions to make up for the loss of games such as an Anglo-Scottish cup, bringing back the group stages of the league cup bringing back the tennents sixes tournament, and they would have to play qualification tournament to gain promotion to the west European league anyway.
So you could have two leagues run over the year instead.
In Mexico they have a winter and summer league so you can run two leagues a year.
These countries have some massive teams which together would form a strong league. Yet it would enable to continue to run their own leagues to qualify for European competition from.
The Set up of the league
Premier 21 teams play eachother once a year. 4 teams relegated each year.
First division 21 teams Play eachother once a year. 4 teams promoted and relegated
Second division Play eachother twice a year. 4 teams promoted and relegated
A qualification tournament for sides to qualify for the league, to replace sides relegated from the second division.
There is no limit on the number of teams from each country in the league.
Some might say well how can you only play eachother once a year. Well they do that in the FA and Scottish cup in soccer, in the six nations in rugby, the NFL in American football against sides outside their conference. 20 matches would be enough games against big teams to determine the champions of the league. You do not need to play eachother home and way as there are plenty of big teams to draw in crowds for the home matches.
10 home and away matches a year is enough to make income but also prevent the tedium of a long season where you travel huge distances for mid table mediocrity as you would do if it was just a 40 game league.
Problems with joining the English League
My issue with joining the English leagues is clubs like Rangers and Celtic could go years without winning a trophy or qualifying for Europe. While by having both a Scottish league and European League they would gets the best of both, they would a domestic league to win trophies in and qualify for Europe from, and a major league with very large teams to play against. They could have their cake and eat it. Rather than watching somebody else (mainly Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool) eat the cake in the English league
Compare the worst that can happen in English Leagues to the worst in this set up
If Rangers got relegated to the English second division they would have no chance of winning major trophies no European football and no massive sides playing them. Plus if Rangers or Celtic were just middle table cannon fodder in the English Premier they might never win trophies or qualify for Europe. This is the entire genius of my idea. If Rangers were relegated to Second divsion of the European league they would still be playing in the SPL challenging for the title , cups and qualiftying for Europe. So you do not give the self defeating goal of joining the English league to do better in Europe but never qualifying for Europe because the side are not big enough to get a European place in the English league.
This way even a poor Rangers or Celtic team will still challenge for trophies in the Scottish league and qualify for Europe, even when in the second division of the Western European super league.
Each team on a level playing field
If Scottish sides join the English league they will be playing a in a foreign league who will have a financial and nationalistic reasons to support the English sides over Scottish sides. Plus in the English league, all Celtic and Rangers previous history will be written off with them, starting off on zero trophies, compared to other teams starting off with 100 + years of history. How ridiculous is that? In the Western European Super league they would be starting off on zero league titles but so will every other team. Plus no one country will dominate referees or other ideas that could bias leagues going to one country. While if you just play in another countries league it is a bit naive to think they will give you the same treatment as their own sides.
Compare the teams in each league
A typical Premier might have
1 Ajax
2 PSV
3 Feyenoord.
4 Benfica
5 Porto
6 Sporting Lisbon
7 Rapid Vienna
8 Celtic
9 Rangers
10 Anderlecht
11 Club Brugges
12 Copenhagen
13 Grasshopers Zurich
14 Basle
15 Vittese Arnhem
16 Boavista
17 IFK
18 AIK
19 Rosenborg
20 Standard Liege
21 Slavia Prague
A first divison might have
1 Mechelen
2 Malmo
3 Hearts
4 Brondby
5 Sparta Prague
6 Brann Bergen
7 Austria Vienna
8 Genk
9 SC Braga
10 Vitoria De Guimaraes
11 Twente
12 SC Heerenveen
13 ADO Den Haag
14 Gronigen
15 Germinal Beerschot
16 FC St. Gallen
17 AZ Alkmaar
18 Roda JC
20 FK Teplice
21 Neuchâtel Xamax
Second division
1 Aberdeen
2 Stabæk
3 Vålerenga
4 Viking Fotballklubb
5 IFK Norrköping
6 Helsingborgs IF
7 BSC Young Boys
8 Sturm Graz
9 Haka
10 Odense Boldklub
More glamorous sides
In my view this league would not just be as big as the EPL but bigger plus would have more glamorous teams from more different nations and far more glamorous cities. Lets face it what is better a trip to Vienna or Birmingham, Copenhagen or Coventry, Lisbon or Swansea, Swindon or Amsterdam.
With all respect to those English and Welsh cities. Remember this league would have national capitals. The lower leagues of England are just provincial cities.
OK toward the bottom you do not get sides like Man Utd, but that is true of every league. Look at the 52nd the best team in England, or Italy, or Germany.
North East and South East leagues too
I would support a similar set up for North East Europe and a South East European league.
This league would give an opportunity for smaller countries to play in bigger leagues, while keeping their own national leagues running, so not destroying their own leagues.
Plus have a small Anglo Scottish cup too.
Also some will say well how can you decide who the Scottish champions are in 22 games.
1. Well we decide who the world champions are in far less games in a World cup.
2. The Scottish 1890–91 league title was just a 18 game season.
3. The 1891 - 92 Scottish league season was just a 22 game season.4. The 1892-93 Scottish league season was just a 18 game season.
5. The 1893 - 94 Scottish Division One and Division two seasons were both a 18 game league season.
6. The 1894 - 95 Scottish Division One and Division two seasons were both a 18 game league season was just a 18 game season.
7. The 1895 - 96 Scottish Division One and Division two seasons were both a 18 game league season was just a 18 game season.
8. The 1896 - 97 Scottish Division One and Division two seasons were both a 18 game league season was just a 18 game season.
9. The 1897 - 98 Scottish Division One and Division two seasons were both a 18 game league season was just a 18 game season.
10. The 1898 - 99 Scottish Division One and Division two seasons were both a 18 game league season was just a 18 game season.
11. The 1899 - 1900 Scottish Division One and Division two seasons were both a 18 game league season was just a 18 game season.
12. The 1900 - 01 Scottish division one season was a 20 game season while the second division was 18 games.
13. The 1901 - 02 division one season was just 18 games the second division was 22 games.
14. The 1902-03 Scottish division one and division two season were both 22 games.
15. The 1903-04 Scottish division two was just 22 games.
16. The 1904-05 Scottish division two was just 22 games.
17. The 1905-06 Scottish division two was just 22 games.
18. The 1906-7 Scottish division two was just 22 games, as was 1907-08, 1908-09, 1909-10, 1910-11, 1911-12.
So this drivel where people say but it has never been done before a 22 game season is rubbish. Tonnes of Celtic and Rangers and Hearts titles have been won in 22 games or less seasons. Will you start to discount those titles then.
20. Oh and Preston won the first English title 1888–89, and the second in 1889- 90 both seasons were won in a 22 game season. Oh and the second division of English football was 22 games in 1892- 93.
21. Oh by an example La Liga was a 18 game season for 1929, 1929-30, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1932–33. Plus it was a 22 team league in 1934–35, 1935–36, 1939–40, 1940–41.
But they you still stick to your argument that the league could never have been 22 games eh!.
Another weak argument against my idea.
Isle of Man Houses
