Euro 2012

[NorthernLights24]

SFA CHIEF executive Gordon Smith will put Scotland forward to host the 2012 European Championships if Uefa strips Poland and Ukraine of the tournament.

 

Preparations for the event are well behind schedule and unless there is substantial progress over the next five months alternative hosts will be sought.

 

This warning was issued at last week's Uefa congress in Zagreb, Croatia, and follows an independent report compiled by the director general of the 1998 World Cup, Jacques Lambert.

 

Smith, who was at the congress, stated: "If Poland and Ukraine pulled out we would put Scotland forward and say we wanted to be considered for it. In the meantime, we'd speak to the Scottish government and try to get a feasibility study done as to the costs and what's required in terms of stadium upgrades."

 

The first minister, Alex Salmond, is already on record as saying there was "absolutely no reason" why Scotland could not stage a bid for the 2016 championships. But by then, Uefa may have decided to increase the number of finalists to 20, or even 24, taking the tournament beyond Scotland's resources. If it became available for 2012, it could be Scotland's last chance to host the event. Last night, a spokesman for the Scottish government said: "If the SFA chose to investigate the possibility of staging the tournament and decided to apply to host it, it would have the full backing of the government."

 

The timing would also be convenient for the SFA, as the Olympics will be held in London that year. The association is resisting pressure to contribute to a British team in 2012, but public interest in that would fade in comparison to a major football tournament in Scotland.

 

Smith said: "We've had a lot of encouragement from the government, who said if we went for a European Championship they would be very supportive. They would have to be, because of the financial work required. We'd need to get more stadiums up to specification - in Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh."

 

Uefa chief executive David Taylor, the former SFA head who was involved in Scotland's failed bid- with the Republic of Ireland - to land Euro 2008, said of the Poland and Ukraine bid: "There has been some progress, but it needs to be accelerated. Over the next six months we need to see major steps forward, and there will be close monitoring by Uefa of the situation in that period of time."

 

http://www.sundayherald.com/sport/shfootba...2014921.0.0.php

 

Doubt it will happen, I could imagine even if Poland and the Ukraine were stripped of the Euros a nation with better infrastructure could be awarded it other then Scotland.

 

You need 8 stadiums and we have right now..

 

Hampden

Celtic Park

Ibrox

Murrayfield

 

Even then UEFA aren't keen on the idea of one city having more then 2 stadiums hosting games if I remember correctly.

 

Possible stadium locations...

 

Aberdeen

A second Edinburgh stadium

Dundee (hate to say this but replace Dens and Tannadice with one large stadium)

Inverness

[K-9]

UEFA only allow 2 stadiums in same city so just 2 out of Parkhead, Ibrox and Hampden.

[NorthernLights24]

UEFA only allow 2 stadiums in same city so just 2 out of Parkhead, Ibrox and Hampden.

 

Would be interesting to see which one would get rejected.

 

Ibrox and Hampden are both rated as 5 star UEFA Cup stadiums, Celtic Park isn't even a 4 star.

 

SFA would probably be desperate for Hampden to host games. Although during our bid for Euro 2008 UEFA indicated that if our bid had been successful they would have liked to see Murrayfield host the final.

 

Out of the other two do you go for the bigger capacity or the better rated stadium?

[K-9]

Would be interesting to see which one would get rejected.

 

Ibrox and Hampden are both rated as 5 star UEFA Cup stadiums, Celtic Park isn't even a 4 star.

 

SFA would probably be desperate for Hampden to host games. Although during our bid for Euro 2008 UEFA indicated that if our bid had been successful they would have liked to see Murrayfield host the final.

 

Out of the other two do you go for the bigger capacity or the better rated stadium?

I actually prefer Ibrox and Parkhead (although a bit of a sh*thole) as stadiums for atmosphere but not a chance Hampden would be left out.

 

Maybe UEFA would relax the rule if desperate for someone to stand in at pretty short notice!!

[Guest glasgowdon]

Ibrox and Hampden.

 

Hampden for final.

[K-9]

Ibrox and Hampden.

 

Hampden for final.

If Ibrox as planned expand to 70,000 ish then i would say that should be used for final!!

[Tord31]

First off we will be very unlikely to host a tournament EVER! EVER EVER. So any chat is hypothetical.

 

However if we did there is no doubt all three would be used.

 

Group 1: Hampden and Celtic Park

Group 2: Ibrox and Easter Road (need to build new stand opposite Main)

Group 3: Tynecastle (plans in place) and Murrayfield

Group 4: New Aberdeen stadium and New Dundee Stadium

 

Out of interest what stadiums were used for euro 1996? Did they only use two london grounds. What grounds are proposed for englands world cup bid does anyone know?

[gypsymuffin]

i reckon if poland and ukraine do get stripped of the tournament i think it will go to one of the contries that missed out originally.

 

Who were they again?

 

Italy were one, cant remember any othe the others.

[NorthernLights24]

Italy were one, cant remember any othe the others.

 

According to Wikipedia there were 3 bids for Euro 2012 - Italy, Poland/Ukraine and Croatia/Hungary.

 

Like I said before I could see it going to a country with the infrastructure more or less in place if Poland/Ukraine are stripped of the tournament. Italy would be a good shout in that case then.

 

Maybe we could ask the Irish to help us. Croke Park and Lansdowne Road could host a group and also a quarter final.

[gypsymuffin]

According to Wikipedia there were 3 bids for Euro 2012 - Italy, Poland/Ukraine and Croatia/Hungary.

 

Like I said before I could see it going to a country with the infrastructure more or less in place if Poland/Ukraine are stripped of the tournament. Italy would be a good shout in that case then.

 

Maybe we could ask the Irish to help us. Croke Park and Lansdowne Road could host a group and also a quarter final.

 

thats a good shout actually, as landsdown road is being redeveloped at the mo isn't it, and crome park is a fine stadium.

[NorthernLights24]

thats a good shout actually, as landsdown road is being redeveloped at the mo isn't it, and crome park is a fine stadium.

 

Aye and it should be ready by 2010 and will have a capacity of 50,000. Also the GAA who weren't exactly that positive about Croke Park being used for non-Irish sport during the 2008 bid have relaxed their rules now. Irish football and rugby sides are playing there till the new Lansdowne Road stadium is ready.

[OneZanderDiamond]

Out of interest what stadiums were used for euro 1996? Did they only use two london grounds. What grounds are proposed for englands world cup bid does anyone know?

 

Only 1 London ground was used, Wembley obviously.

Villa Park, Old Trafford, Anfield, St James' Park, Hillsborough and Elland Road were all used and I think the other one was the City Ground in Nottingham but not sure

[vanderark14]

i know it would never happen but having a tourney in scotland would be magic.

 

i was really surprised they gave it to thes 2 countries in the 1st place.

 

some crazy hooligan elements out there.

[gypsymuffin]

Only 1 London ground was used, Wembley obviously.

Villa Park, Old Trafford, Anfield, St James' Park, Hillsborough and Elland Road were all used and I think the other one was the City Ground in Nottingham but not sure

 

yup, those were the stadiums used.

 

another positive is scotland were the hosts of tournament, we wouldn't have to qualify

[K-9]

First off we will be very unlikely to host a tournament EVER! EVER EVER. So any chat is hypothetical.

 

However if we did there is no doubt all three would be used.

 

Group 1: Hampden and Celtic Park

Group 2: Ibrox and Easter Road (need to build new stand opposite Main)

Group 3: Tynecastle (plans in place) and Murrayfield

Group 4: New Aberdeen stadium and New Dundee Stadium

 

Out of interest what stadiums were used for euro 1996? Did they only use two london grounds. What grounds are proposed for englands world cup bid does anyone know?

Would argue no point in making 30k stadiums in Aberdeen and most certainly not in Dundee. Would have to be some kind of temporary stands which could be taken down afterwards and stadiums completed later on.

[JC1903]

According to Wikipedia there were 3 bids for Euro 2012 - Italy, Poland/Ukraine and Croatia/Hungary.

 

Like I said before I could see it going to a country with the infrastructure more or less in place if Poland/Ukraine are stripped of the tournament. Italy would be a good shout in that case then.

 

Maybe we could ask the Irish to help us. Croke Park and Lansdowne Road could host a group and also a quarter final.

 

That said, aren't most Italian stadiums in a poor state?... i.e. they're fairly old and not the ultra-modern superdomes that UEFA are keen on.

 

Also, Scotland will have earned brownie points with UEFA over the two Hampden cup finals - they were very well organised with transport etc. as far as I could see and they must have been impresed to offer two big games in quick succession. I do think it's unlikely we'll host anything soon, but far from impossible.

[Rico]

yup, those were the stadiums used.

 

another positive is scotland were the hosts of tournament, we wouldn't have to qualify

 

Thats the first thing that crossed my mind. And surely the SFA have that at the forefront of their minds aswell when trying to host a tournament. Remember sweden 92? If they can host it, then surely we can do even better. Things have changed I spose in the last 15 years, safety'n'all that but still I'm sure we could do it.

[zander]

Maybe try use St James Park in Newcastle if we need a spare stadium

[dj_bollocks]

hang on a sec - the italians have just recently come off the back of a betting and corruption scandal - they're lucky they're still allowed in uefa and fifa... frigg 'em...

[paulkaneatemyhamster]

UEFA have a funny idea of what is a 5 star stadium, the vicente calderon in Madrid is a 5 star stadium and well it's a bit of a dump.

 

as for Scotland hosting a tourney well we simply don't have the stadia to meet the criteria, ad noted else where, there's no need for 30k + stadiums outside of Edinburgh & Glasgow and with only 1 stadium per city we're donald ducked I'm afriad.

[bland_flabbis]

Given that they awarded it to a joint bid the first time round, it would make sense to get Ireland on board if they did this. The whole Irish/Scottish Celtic Braveheart nonsense would go down very well I reckon.

[johnstrac]

They should do away with split bids for both this and the World Cup.

[K-9]

They should do away with split bids for both this and the World Cup.

Don't agree - everyone should get chance to host. But should do away with hosts automatically qualifying. Or 1 place between the 2 teams. Play off and losers have to go through qualifying.

[bland_flabbis]

Or they could just raise the number of teams entering the tournament. I think 16 is too small given the amount of depth in Europe now, you could have easily had another 4 or even 8 teams without the tournament looking much weaker.

[uni_don]

Given that they awarded it to a joint bid the first time round, it would make sense to get Ireland on board if they did this. The whole Irish/Scottish Celtic Braveheart nonsense would go down very well I reckon.

Wales as well? Getting all the Celtic nations involved - Ireland could contribute Lansdowne Road and Croke Park; Wales the Millenium Stadium and Cardiff's new one. I also seem to remember there being talk of Northern Ireland building a new stadium too. Such a complicated bid would unlikely work for 2012, but could well have some merit for 2016, even if the tournament is expanded.

 

Scotland - 7 stadiums to choose from - Hampden, Ibrox, Parkhead, Murrayfield, expanded Tynecastle or Easter Road, new Aberdeen community stadium, new Dundee shared stadium.

 

N. Ireland - new national stadium.

 

Ireland - Lansdowne Road, Croke Park.

 

Wales - Millenium Stadium, new Cardiff stadium, potentially expanded Swansea/Ospreys ground.

 

Should be enough, no?