The Atlantic League: A European Not-Quite-Super-But Still-Quite-Good-League for Celtic, Rangers and Others
By: Daryl | October 12th, 2009
There were some pretty bold claims made in Glasgow late last week. First, Celtic chief exec Peter Lawwell had this to say:
“We’re looking for an opportunity to participate in an environment that gives us that global exposure. And hopefully, through time, that will come. We need someone to want us. And, if that benefits Celtic and its supporters, then we’d be delighted to take part. For certain, things won’t stay the same. There are so many dynamics in world football at the moment and the world is getting smaller.”
Rangers chief exec Martin Bain was quick to agree:
“I do. I say that because there are a number of like-minded clubs like Rangers and Celtic throughout Europe, big, big clubs in smaller leagues and as Uefa look to continue to improve their game, I think there will be a wind of change.”
The obvious debate about Rangers and Celtic joining the English Premier League ensued. As it always does. But based on the comments above, it seems the Glasgow giants actually have something else in mind. Are we about to hear about the Atlantic League again?
For those unfamiliar, here’s a quick rundown of the Atlantic League, which borrows heavily from said league’s Wikipedia entry:
The basic idea is that there are too many big teams in Europe that are stuck in smaller leagues. They earn money by regularly qualifying for the UEFA Champions League but are hindered by the lack of quality, lack of competition and – to be blunt – lack of money in their domestic league.
First proposed in 2000 by PSV Eindhoven suits Peter Fossen and Harry van Raaij, the idea behind the Atlantic League was for the top clubs in leagues like Scotland, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark (and maybe Norway) to form their own not-quite-Super-League.
The result would be a team like Celtic playing against Ajax and Benfica week in, week out, instead of against Falkirk and St. Johnstone. So the Atlantic League has the potential to elevate the standing of all involved.
It’s getting a little depressing seeing the same names dominate the Champions League every year and grow ever richer, while big big Dutch, Scottish, Portuguese etc clubs get relegated to the second tier. So the indirect effect of this could be a more competitive Champions League too. Though I can’t decide if UEFA would see that as a good thing or not.
The obvious downside would be the damage done to the domestic leagues, who would lose their big teams. In 2008 Walter Smith suggested that maybe Rangers could field a reserve team into the Scottish Prem, and a full team into the Atlantic League and the Champions League. Not the best solution, but still a solution.
It’s not all about Rangers and Celtic though. Their situation is arguably the most extreme in terms of their size vs the size of their domestic opposition. But such a big change as the Atlantic League would require consent and co-operation from all the leagues involved, plus UEFA. Can you see that happening? Can you see this working? Maybe, maybe not. But I’m definitely in favour of anything that shakes up European football and provides a little more interest and excitement.
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Seeing how England and Scotland have 2 cups and 1 league while most FAs have 1 cup and 1 league. I would rather have every European countries FA to team up with a neighboring countries FA to form a more interesting Cup. So their would be a UK cup and the Carling Cup would go away. Netherlands and Belgium would for a cup. Spain and Portugal. Austria Switzerland. etc… sometimes maybe 4 countries, sometimes 2, sometimes 3. if it was 2 countries a format would be: a cup until the quarterfinal where they join the other country for a round of 16, with the highest place team of a country playing the fifth highest placed team of the other country and the 2nd highest place team of a country playing the 6th highest place team of the other country. The format would be so that it would be difficult for clubs of the same country playing in the final. The winner of these cups would join to form another cup of 16 clubs from a certain area of Europe, say Eastern Europe. and the winner of Eastern Europe and Western Europe meet for a final. This competition would be a more competitive Uefa Cup sort of tournament and teams that made the round of 16 of the CL would not be allowed and would only play in the League, CL, and a domestic-only cup.
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also in the Atlantic League, the problem with the relegation promotion system is that it if one team from a country was relegated… what are the chances that the winner of that country’s league from also being relegated? this would make more countries dominate and become bigger while other countries would become even smaller
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FIFA announced that it would be “theoretically” for Celtic and Rangers to join the EPL, but I’m not so sure they’d be as understanding about an Atlantic League. An Atlantic League would also seem to cost the Champions League some of it’s luster, as it would become an even more elite tournament will an even bigger gap between the have’s and have not’s with the Celtic’s, Porto’s, Ajax’s, etc. removed.
Celtic and Rangers leaving Scotland would be the biggest effect though. The SPL would fall onto a League of Ireland tier pretty quickly. I’m not sure how I feel about Celtic possibly leaving the SPL for a wide number of reasons, but it is absolutely HILARIOUS to see the rest of the SPL squirming and shitting it on the possibility the Celtic and Rangers possibly leaving the SPL. They’re usually full of tough talk about how the “Old Firm” is ruining the SPL and how it should just leave, except when there is talk about the Old Firm actually leaving, then it becomes a disgrace and all that.
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Matt, the only people I see squirming and shitting it in Scotland at the prospect of Celtic and Rangers is the old firm fans themselves. They will get found out when they and they know it.
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Get found out of what? What Celtic or Rangers fans think they are on the same level as the top 4 of the EPL? No one. However, they are bigger than the SPL, but whether they should remain or not is still up for debate. I don’t think anyone would argue the fact that the SPL is holding Celtic back and going to the EPL would give Celtic a chance to compete with the mid table EPL teams with the obvious financial benefits the EPL provides (or a possible Atlantic League). No one is expecting Celtic to win the EPL it’s first year if it were to move there, but it would be signing a lot better quality of player.
Don’t worry, St. Johnstone might have a chance at staying up if Celtic leave though.
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Celtic and Rangers would struggle to win promotion out of the Championship in my opinion.
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LOL at the previous comment. I’d like to see Preston North End play in the Champions League.
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