Sunday, June 24, 2007
Celtic Cup
England are to be offered a last chance to join in a new home international championship. If they reject it, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are set to establish a Celtic Cup competition with the Republic of Ireland completing a four-country line-up.
But in Belfast the Irish FA president Jim Boyce said England would still be asked to take part even though he he was aware there was little enthusiasm for the venture at Soho Square.
The revived home internationals would be held every two years from 2009 with a draw for two matches to take place on the August international date, and a final and third-place play-off on the November friendly date.
Boyce said: "It is at a very advanced stage. We are very hopeful it will go ahead. I personally would love England to come into it as well and they will be invited to do so again. But if not, then we will press ahead with the Celtic Cup idea.
"The FA is very unlikely to respond positively to the invitation. It is more keen to keep the friendly dates open to play other European, and non-European, nations.
But in Belfast the Irish FA president Jim Boyce said England would still be asked to take part even though he he was aware there was little enthusiasm for the venture at Soho Square.
The revived home internationals would be held every two years from 2009 with a draw for two matches to take place on the August international date, and a final and third-place play-off on the November friendly date.
Boyce said: "It is at a very advanced stage. We are very hopeful it will go ahead. I personally would love England to come into it as well and they will be invited to do so again. But if not, then we will press ahead with the Celtic Cup idea.
"The FA is very unlikely to respond positively to the invitation. It is more keen to keep the friendly dates open to play other European, and non-European, nations.
