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Reluctant Hero · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:05 pm Post subject: Scots to bid for Euro 2016?

At least we will qualify Very Happy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7109057.stm

SLG · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:45 pm Post subject:

Still can't see how this can happen - we just don't have the stadia nor the geographic spread of the stadia that we do have nor the money to rectify the situation. Think it really has to be a joint bid to have a hope.

sgmillerton · Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:48 am Post subject:

SLG · Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 9:03 am Post subject:

Tartan Tam · Finding Ma' Way Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 3

Irish didnt let us down, they were McConnell's scapegoats to ensure the Euro2008 bid failed. Union Jack couldnt have us getting Euro2008 and risking a Scottish feelgood factor so he had to sabotage the bid.
His predecessor Henry McLeish was all in favour of a solo bid and that was proved feasible, its was Union Jack who turned it into a Joint bid and doomed it to failure.

SLG · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 7:09 pm Post subject:

Fair enough, McConnell should have seen it coming. I'm still not convinced that a solo bid is feasible though. Have UEFA ever made the decision to reduce the number of teams involved?

Tartan Tam · Finding Ma' Way Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 3

Decision about the number of Teams is not made till next year I think, but I had a word with Mr Platini earlier this month to plead with him to leave it at 16 teams.
Good news is he is not actually in favour of increasing to 24 as he doesnt see the value in a tournament where 1 in every 2 teams qualifies.

Cymro · Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:32 am Post subject:

I'm sure you could look at using the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. Cardiff City are also in the proccess of developing a new stadium in the city. Swansea have built a new one and Wrexhams ground was used for the 1999 Rugby World Cup and is regarded as one of the best grounds outside the English Prem (well the Championship anyway, with the likes of Southampton having new stadia along with the likes of Sheff Weds and Leeds now being in the lower leagues). Also Wrexhams training facilities are regarded as one of the best in the English Football League with the England team training on it when the play in Northern England. Lots of European teams coming over to play Man Ure, Liverpool etc have also been using it.

Might also enable us to qualify for a tournament for the first time since 1958!

Corby Boy · Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:31 pm Post subject:

There are worse ideas than that Cymro. But then I live in Cheshire so I am gonna be all for it.

Happy Xmas all!

SLG · Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:29 pm Post subject:

Even with a 16 team competition, we'd need a lot of work done to get enough stadia up to scratch. Too much IMO.

Here's the stadia being used in Switzerland/Austria: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008...pean_Football_Championship#Venues

Eight stadia in eight cities all with over 30k seats. At the moment, we have four, although three are in Glasgow, I don't think we'd be able to use more than two in the same city. So that leaves us with three stadia. A new Aberdeen stadium is doable, just requiring a bit of a modification on plans being taken forward anyway. Beyond that, a shared Dundee stadium and upgrading Rugby Park and Easter Road/Tyncasle are possible but would require a lot of money.

I think we'd need at least two stadia to come from outside Scotland. In Wales, only the Millennium Stadium would meet the criteria, Wrecsam and Swansea might have fine stadia, but they'd need expanding before they could be used.

Cymro · Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:33 pm Post subject:

Wrecsam are looking at some more redevelopments in the near future. The newest stand is built in a way which would allow expanding to be done at a reletively low cost, the same goes for Swansea. In fact given the fact that Swansea's ground has a load of space around it, it would be even easier.