The League Cup becoming a Nations Cup

[attack-hands]

I think i may have missed the initial report - but did Gerrard propose that making the League Cup into a Nations Cup where teams from the whole of the UK would play each other - much in the way that the Tunnock's Cup was this year.

I think it would be a great idea - interest in the cup is waining both here and in England and this would be a great way to mix it up and energise the competition. Im sure it would bring up some more interesting a juicy ties than St Johnstone V Hearts for the umpteen-thousandth time. Plus Rangers and them v the Big Premier League teams would be an attractive prospect to sponsers without merging the leagues.

The main moans seem to be that there would be potential travel involved - but in truth its as easy to get to most anywhere in England or even Northern Ireland as it is to get to Aberdeen or Inverness. Plus The smaller teams could qualify through local pyramids in the earlier rounds.

Sam Cosgrove on Off the Ball hated the idea, which is enough to make me think it would be great!

 

[justbrowsing]

If that donkey hated it, then it is probably a good idea.

 

[cooler_king]

I dont think the big clubs down south would field full strength teams...probably the weakened sides they do already

 

[RangersEasyOK]

Interesting for us definitely. Doubt English clubs would give a monkeys tbh

 

[Chenko]

Interesting idea. It would produce some bizarre fixtures which may increase interest in the competition.

 

[cooler_king]

Would the winners qualify for Europe?

 

[chablue1]

it would be great for scottish teams but the top teams in england wouldn't give a monkeys

 

[55co]

Could be good and a decent financial gain

 

[Tony75tfc]

Yes im all for it and make the final at wembley so we can take 50,000 plus down to london

 

[9inaBo]

Sounds like a pretty good idea, even drawing a smaller English team would be a good trip and day out.

 

[GarMckin]

I've always wanted this, I would have preferred if we had merged everything years ago and just had a UK league. That will never happen now though, I doubt there will ever even be an opportunity for the Old Firm to join the English set up these days, unless their league collapsed.

 

[turks]

we’d be playing u23 teams from england, non starter

 

[bedsblue]

Had something similar back in the 70's/80's,Anglo Scottish Cup and Texaco Cup and they were pish then.

 

[Chenko]

Had something similar back in the 70's/80's,Anglo Scottish Cup and Texaco Cup and they were pish then.

Why was it pish?

 

[GwRFC1992]

I think making the League Cup into a Nations Cup would be a great idea. Yes the big teams down south would field weak teams but that wouldn’t bother me. Would definitely increase the interest in it up here.

 

[Northampton Lodger]

Had something similar back in the 70's/80's,Anglo Scottish Cup and Texaco Cup and they were pish then.

My recollection of the 70's Texaco was that it was well supported - started to fizzle out in the 80's.

 

[Ter]

It would be great for us to test ourselves against some top English sides. Would definitely need to be regional in the earlier stages but at least mix it up from a decent stage like the last 64 or something to get a good mixture of ties.

 

[Tucker7]

That would be a great idea even tho the big English teams would play a weakened team after a year or 2 they would start playing full strength teams

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

If EPL clubs and their fans can't get excited by playing the top teams in their own league in the cup then I doubt they're going to be buzzing to play St Mirren and Alloa.

 

[ALASKA]

I remember watching us play Chesterfield in 80-81. Beaten 3-1 on aggregate.

 

[Hallers]

Only if the English teams fielded 1st teams

 

[TonySoprano]

I would be up for that. Most teams would be able to fly to local airports so not much hassle for the teams

 

[bedsblue]

Why was it pish?

English teams looked down on it,hardly ever fielded full teams and travelling to places like Southampton on a wet Tuesday/Wednesday night hardly really appealing.Having said that i must've been as stupid back then as i am now cause i'm still doing that,lol.WATP.

 

[napierblue]

In theory it would be brilliant but in reality the big guns down there would disregard it and then winning it wouldn’t be as high as you’d like to think

 

[Chenko]

English teams looked down on it,hardly ever fielded full teams and travelling to places like Southampton on a wet Tuesday/Wednesday night hardly really appealing.Having said that i must've been as stupid back then as i am now cause i'm still doing that,lol.WATP.

If it were to work it would have to be regional until the latter stages. Imagine Peterhead v Plymouth

 

[Sam English]

it would be great for scottish teams but the top teams in england wouldn't give a monkeys

Many top flight teams in England no longer give a feck for the FA Cup.

There's zero chance of them being interested in this idea.

 

[Hexham Blue]

The days of the Fairs cup games in 60s sounded amazing. But in Scotland we place much emphasis on the league cup as part of the clean sweep. A competition that’s been very good for us, until recently.

 

[a_weir]

Solihull Moors round 2.

 

[Uncle Albert]

Teams in England wouldn't give a monkeys, they dont even care about the fa cup anymore so no thanks

 

[Nikon]

I'd imagine there might even be a decent sponsorship deal in it as well!

 

[Grsmith]

interesting idea, would certainly make the league cup more interesting

 

[superallythe2nd]

A one-way interest. Scottish clubs might be for it but the top English sides will be indifferent to it.

 

[Hurleyreyes]

We'd enjoy it. Most other Scottish teams would as well.

But outwith us and them the English would not give a fack about the games.

Man City v Ross County. They would send the u16s and probably still win.

 

[LizzyDrippin]

Plymouth away would be some trip

 

[steveski]

Might be worth a go to try it out. Its old and dated as it stands just now.

 

[FergieNS]

Would love it to happen even if the big English teams played their reserves. Would be some cracking away trips

 

[necorner]

If it were to work it would have to be regional until the latter stages. Imagine Peterhead v Plymouth

That’s a good point actually. Can’t see it working any other way.

 

[Mr Dave]

Had something similar back in the 70's/80's,Anglo Scottish Cup and Texaco Cup and they were pish then.

Not necessarily. And it'd be betetr promoted these days.

 

[Dbbear]

If tied played at the wkend then make an open draw. Would give folks chance to see diff teams and diff parts of the country

 

[albertz85]

Something that would be great to see but only if teams played close to their strongest 11, it'll never happen though

 

[Chenko]

If tied played at the wkend then make an open draw. Would give folks chance to see diff teams and diff parts of the country

Where would it fit in an already congested calendar?

 

[djgarymc]

A better platform to watch if this happened.

 

[Chapman Billy]

I would certainly consider it for a couple of seasons on trial to see how it went.

 

[HenningBerg]

The police won’t allow it , English clubs couldn’t give a monkeys . Won’t happen . Next

 

[Staunch!]

we’d be playing u23 teams from england, non starter

With the amount of games English teams play & the lack of fan attendance for matches outside of EPL can't see this being popular.

 

[Number_9]

The English teams would not be interested they can even put out a full team for the FA cup

 

[bigfellathanks]

Good idea but can't see the other countries being keen unless it was only our premier league.

 

[Dbbear]

Where would it fit in an already congested calendar?

Who knows but would Peterhead v Plymouth not be more interesting than Peterhead v Alloa

 

[Ter]

If it was taken from the last 16 in each competition and setup so and English team play a Scottish team at that stage then it would be more interesting. From each stage after that you could make sure any Scottish teams that are left play English teams.

Here's the last 16 from both cups this season.

English
Burton Albion
Leicester
Crawley
Colchester
Everton
Watford
Man City
Southampton
Oxford
Sunderland
Liverpool
Arsenal
Aston Villa
Wolves
Chelsea
Man Utd

Scottish
Motherwell
Hearts
Hibs
Morton
Partick Thistle
Ross County
Celtic
Dunfermline
Forfar
Livingston
Kilmarnock
Hamilton
Dundee
Aberdeen
East Fife
Rangers

 

[Coatbridge Chancellor]

What a stupid pile of nonsense