Ireland as a host for Euro 2020?

Xavi6 · 15-05-2012 8:58am #1

http://sport.stv.tv/football/international/99836-euro-2020-could-be-played-in-scotland-as-sfa-consider-late-co-hosting-bid/

Scotland could make a late joint application with Wales to co-host the 2020 European Championships.

...

With the tournament featuring 24 teams instead of the current 16 from 2016, it has also been reported Republic of Ireland could become involved to accomodate the additional matches.

Stadium requirements for 2016 - 2x50,000, 3x40,000 and 4x30,000.

Do we have anything to bring to the party apart from the Aviva?

CSF · 15-05-2012 9:01am

Would be great, but don't see it happening.

counterlock · 15-05-2012 9:02am

Croke park!?

Never gonna happen though

leggit · 15-05-2012 9:03am

Would probably need to be able to get Croke Park involved, Thomond Park is around 26,000 so if that could be expanded, it would be an option too.

Darkglasses · 15-05-2012 9:03am

Unless they do huge upgrades in Tallaght, not really. Thomond will probably need big upgrades to be a great stadium in 2020 also. Possible that Bohs/Finn Harps/Limerick stadiums will be approaching completion by then.

1mcampo1 · 15-05-2012 9:04am

Fahy's Field

But seriously, no

Aviva
Croke Park

Hampden Park
Celtic Park
Ibrox Stadium

dan1895 · 15-05-2012 9:10am

If Ireland wants to host a tournament we should look at one of the underage ones. Throw a bit of money at the stadia in Sligo, Athlone, Longford, Waterford and Tallaght in addition to Thomond, Turners Cross and Lansdowne and maybe the new Finn Harps stadium and we might have the required grounds for an under 20 World cup or Euro's but that's about it.

Fr Tod Umptious · 15-05-2012 10:32am

No Chance

here is why

Scotland, Wales and Ireland - no way a three way bid will work, no way UEFA will allow three free passes.

Too many stadia concentrated in too few cities, UEFA like these things spread out.
3 in Glasgow, 2 in Cardiff, 2 in Dublin.

No chance

mayordenis · 15-05-2012 10:36am

well with it extending to 24 teams from the next tournament on plenty would disagree with you Fr.

LuckyLloyd · 15-05-2012 10:42am

dan1895 wrote: »

If Ireland wants to host a tournament we should look at one of the underage ones. Throw a bit of money at the stadia in Sligo, Athlone, Longford, Waterford and Tallaght in addition to Thomond, Turners Cross and Lansdowne and maybe the new Finn Harps stadium and we might have the required grounds for an under 20 World cup or Euro's but that's about it.

This is very true. That is a place to start, it's ridiculous to think of us hosting a senior tournament when we haven't ever managed to host an underage finals.

Fr Tod Umptious · 15-05-2012 10:43am

mayordenis wrote: »

well with it extending to 24 teams from the next tournament on plenty would disagree with you Fr.

Well I think one of the arguments against 24 teams was that it would reduce the number of nations capable of hosting the event.

From a logistic point of view having too many stadiums in too few places is a problem.

I don't think UEFA have changed their stance on this since they went to 24 teams.

bohsfan · 15-05-2012 10:46am

It seems that we have been included in the expression of interest made to UEFA.

From Football 365:

A source close to UEFA has confirmed that a written expression of interest from the three 'Celtic' countries has been submitted to the European governing body.

For the FAI to come on board we would have to have the use of Croker as well as Landsdown.

Perhaps Thomond could be expanded to give us 3 possible venues. UEFA has said before that it would consider 3 host countries in special circumstances. I cant see it happening though. Scotland and Wales should be able to get a decent bid together without having to rely on a couple of stadia from us.

ArmaniJeanss · 15-05-2012 10:47am

There are sensible bids on the table already from Italy and Turkey.

Unsensible bids will be welcomed, but only for lol reasons.

****
Though would be moderately amusing to see Platini and the boys turfing the GAA lads out of Croke Pk for 6 weeks in the height of summer.
"This your office Mr O'Caoibhinn vous say?, non, c'est moi office, now fcuken ze offen mais je callen le garda gendarmie".

TaosHum · 15-05-2012 10:55am

Just read on the Telegraph also.

The countries have told Uefa that they would be interested in bidding to host the European Championships on a three-way basis.

So far Turkey are the only other nation to inform Uefa that they want to want host the tournament.

A source close to Uefa has confirmed that a written expression of interest from the three 'Celtic' countries has been submitted to the European governing body.

Uefa have a deadline of midnight tonight for any other declarations of interest.

Bidders would need to put forward up to 10 stadiums to host matches in the European Championships, which is being expanded from 16 teams to 24 from 2016.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/wales/9266344/Scotland-Wales-and-Republic-of-Ireland-in-joint-bid-to-host-European-Championships-in-2020.html

But even if their is a three way bid, is there enough stadia to meet the requirements?

In Scotland you have.
Murrayfield
Celtic Park
Hampden
Ibrox

In Wales:
The Millennium

Ireland:
Aviva

Thats only 6 guaranteed stadiums when you need 10, so where are the other 4 going to come from? It will have the same problem as the 08 bid in that they will be banking on either getting stadia from other sports or major upgrading of soccer ones.

Prop Joe · 15-05-2012 10:57am

Just don't look like happening unfortunately

Stadia would be
Glasgow
Ibrox-Parkhead-Hampden
Edinburgh
Murrayfield
Cardiff
Millenium Stadium & An increased Cardiff City stadium (5,000 capacity increase)
Swansea
Liberty Stadium (10,000 capacity increase)
Dublin
Aviva & Croker
Limerick
Thomand (5,000 capacity increase)

Would be great for tourism though,Probably lack of travel between venues and 3 stadia in Glasgow,2 in Dublin and 2 in Cardiff probably isnt spread out enough

mayordenis · 15-05-2012 11:02am

Well Croke Park would have a chance, Thomond is only a couple of thousand seats away from the minimum requirements, Cardiff City Stadium aswell but I reckon if a second in Wales was going to happen they would work on the Liberty Stadium, that way you would have
Dublin 2
Limerick 1
Glasgow 3 (too many for one city I reckon)
Edinburgh 1
Cardiff 1/2
Swansea 1

edit - I managed to say basically exactly what Prop Joe already said

bohsfan · 15-05-2012 11:02am

If Ireland got the GAA on board then we could add something like this to the bid:

Aviva Stadium + Thomond + Croke Park + McHale Park

That would be subject to Thomond getting a capacity increase and also subject to McHale Park being upgraded to meet UEFA standards. If this all happened we could host 2 groups over here, along with some quarters and a semi.

The GAA would absolutely have to be on board from day 1 though, unlikely given that the tournament would fall during Championship season...

Local_Chap · 15-05-2012 11:05am

bohsfan wrote: »

If Ireland got the GAA on board then we could add something like this to the bid:

Aviva Stadium + Thomond + Croke Park + McHale Park

That would be subject to Thomond getting a capacity increase and also subject to McHale Park being upgraded to meet UEFA standards. If this all happened we could host 2 groups over here, along with some quarters and a semi.

The GAA would absolutely have to be on board from day 1 though, unlikely given that the tournament would fall during Championship season...

You could also have Thurles and Pairc Ui Choaimh aswel

Fr Tod Umptious · 15-05-2012 11:08am

bohsfan wrote: »

If Ireland got the GAA on board then we could add something like this to the bid:

Aviva Stadium + Thomond + Croke Park + McHale Park

That would be subject to Thomond getting a capacity increase and also subject to McHale Park being upgraded to meet UEFA standards. If this all happened we could host 2 groups over here, along with some quarters and a semi.

The GAA would absolutely have to be on board from day 1 though, unlikely given that the tournament would fall during Championship season...

Stop, please please stop.

McHale Park is a all seater facility alight but It's a dump, 90% of those seats are concrete benches.

3 sides would have to be completely demolished and re-built.

Wales and Scotland could try this with
3 in Galsgow, 1 in Edinburgh and maybe 2 more upgrades somewhere else in Scotland
And at least 3 in Wales with 2 in Cardiff and 1 in Swansea.

That makes nine, they could find one more between them.

bohsfan · 15-05-2012 11:08am

Local_Chap wrote: »

You could also have Thurles and Pairc Ui Choaimh aswel

True that. I just threw in McHale as I know they have been doing work there recently so it might prove easier to get up to standard. Either way, it would all come down to getting the GAA on board and being willing to provide a significant capitol outlay on stadia...

mayordenis · 15-05-2012 11:09am

well getting one in Cork would obviously be advantageous logistically so Páirc Uí Chaoimh would have to be a runner if a GAA stadium was an option

ambid · 15-05-2012 11:09am

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

..."This your office Mr O'Caoibhinn vous say?, non, c'est moi office, now fcuken ze offen mais je callen le garda gendarmie".

Nice to see someone bring a bit of multilingual culture to the boards!

applehunter · 15-05-2012 11:12am

mayordenis wrote: »

well getting one in Cork would obviously be advantageous logistically so Páirc Uí Chaoimh would have to be a runner if a GAA stadium was an option

Over Frank Murphy's dead body.

Ganymede Glow · 15-05-2012 11:13am

bohsfan · 15-05-2012 11:17am

I think the general consensus would be that in order for the FAI to be credibly involved they would need:

a) For the GAA to be fully involved in any bid

and

b) For a shedload of money to be pumped into Thomond and A.N.Other stadium to bring them (and their surrounding infrastructure) up to scratch.

Singularly, they are both pretty unlikely. Both of them to happen... :rolleyes:

JerryHandbag · 15-05-2012 11:24am

Ganymede Glow wrote: »

That'll be grand for Latvia v Slovenia group game.

Local_Chap · 15-05-2012 11:27am

Getting the GAA/IRFU on board is a must.

If we had one from each part of Ireland and two from Dublin we could have something like this:

Dublin:
Croke Park (82,300)
Aviva Stadium (51,700)

Limerick:
Gaelic Grounds (50,000) or
Thomond Park (26,500)

Cork:
Pairc Ui Chaoimh (43,500)

Tipperary:
Semple Stadium (53,500)

Kilkenny:
Nowlan Park (30,000)

Galway or Mayo:
Pearse Stadium (34,000) or
McHale Park (42,000)

All of these apart from Croke Park and Aviva would need some sort of redevelopment as they aren't up to scratch/have terraces tho

Kilkenny have their own plans to upgrade Nowlan Park to a 40,000 All seater Stadium,currently have 3 sides that are all seater

GetWithIt · 15-05-2012 11:31am

Ok, I'll say it.

Why not a joint bid with Norn Iron?

Logistically makes more sense and everyone loves a back story to hang these bids on. "Football crosses the barriers" or some such similar nonsense.

Dublin North (Croke Park)
Dublin South (Aviva)
Belfast (Windsor upgraded or long proposed)
Cork (New stadium / upgrade for football and GAA)
Limerick (Thomond)
Galway (Upgrade Pearse)
(London)Derry (New stadium / upgrade Brandwell for football and GAA)
Border area - Clones/Omagh (New stadium / upgrade Clones for football and GAA)

If you need 10 I suppose the long proposed Maze site outside Belfast + any one of Athlone/Tipperary/Wexford/Waterford/Sligo.

homerjay2005 · 15-05-2012 11:35am

if they give it to ukraine, there is no reason we cant get it.

turkey probably will get it though, uefa love doing stupid things.

aviva, croker and i would think thomand would be our 3 stadiums if we needed 3.

Fr Tod Umptious · 15-05-2012 11:40am

bohsfan wrote: »

I think the general consensus would be that in order for the FAI to be credibly involved they would need:

a) For the GAA to be fully involved in any bid

and

b) For a shedload of money to be pumped into Thomond and A.N.Other stadium to bring them (and their surrounding infrastructure) up to scratch.

Singularly, they are both pretty unlikely. Both of them to happen... :rolleyes:

Exactly

So what is needed is a proper plan with full buy in form all stakeholders, proper costings and finance etc.

Not something like

SFA - FAW - Hey FAI can you help us out here, the deadline is midnight
FAI - Ah sure OK put our name down.
SFA - FAW - OK you have to let UEFA know you are in before midnight
FAI - OK, now is it midnight our time or midnight their time ?
and on it goes

And so Turkey or Italy get the finals.

Cokeistan · 15-05-2012 11:41am

Can't see it happening really.

The FAI will only be able to utilise either the Aviva or Croker, not both. Having both in the same city would be a logistical nightmare. Same applies for Edinburgh/Glasgow with the likes of Murrayfield, Hampden, Ibrox, Parkhead etc.

Unless Thomond Park got extended and the GAA got on board with allowing the redeveloped pairc ui choimh in Cork to be used I just can't see it happening

QDog10 · 15-05-2012 11:46am

Can't see the government getting behind a rugby world cup bid in 2023 and this bid for 2020??

GLaDOS · 15-05-2012 11:47am

Can't see the GAA agreeing to anything, especially seeing as how it's during the championship season. Non-runner really I'm afraid.

ArmaniJeanss · 15-05-2012 12:08pm

Local_Chap wrote: »

Tipperary:
Semple Stadium (53,500)

Kilkenny:
Nowlan Park (30,000)

Galway or Mayo:
Pearse Stadium (34,000) or
McHale Park (42,000)

I'm always amused at GAA provincial venues being put forward.

Lets say Holland v Sweden in Semple stadium.
At the moment 50,000 GAA fans arrive on the day and go home to their own beds that night.
Where do people see ~35,000 foreign fans staying for 4 nights in Thurles?
Mrs O'Reillys B&B maybe.

I suppose at a push they stay in Cork or Dublin and get BusEireann down, and theres probably a few section 30 hotels in fields in the middle of county Tipp, but its that sort of nonsense which kills a bid.

Italy will put forward 10 actual cities with all the hotel rooms and transport facilties that go with modern functioning cities. So will Turkey. So will a couple of Scando countries in a joint bid.

We'll put forward something ridiculous.

Jimmy Iovine · 15-05-2012 12:10pm

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Can't see the GAA agreeing to anything, especially seeing as how it's during the championship season. Non-runner really I'm afraid.

This years ECs are on during June. It's interfering with almost no GAA matches at all. If it is then they can be moved to Semple Stadium or Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork or wherever.

I think could certainly be worked around and I'm sure with the right cash incentives the GAA would be happy to let the world see their stadium.

Predalien · 15-05-2012 12:11pm

The only way I could see us being involved in the hosting is if UEFA allow us to use two stadiums in Dublin, the Aviva and a redeveloped RDS, Thomond Park would require a major extension, it's capacity if fully seated is only just around 21,000. I can't see the GAA donating any of their grounds (most of which would require a farly significant redevelopment anyway to get them up to standard). Wales would also need to have two in Cardiff and one in Swansea, Scotland two in Glasgow, one in Edinburgh, and perhaps one in Aberdeen. Maybe since all the main stadia in the North are being upgraded soon they should try and get them on board for a four-way!

tolosenc · 15-05-2012 12:12pm

To be honest, if it's us 3 against Turkey, and a whole bunch of countries just don't want it in Turkey (be it because they're anti-corruption, anti-racism, or Greek), we might just get it.

Not only do UEFA like having stadia in different cities, it's actually a specified critea for ranking bids.

9 stadia are required, so 3 each(1 >50,000; 1>40,000; 1>30,000): Aviva, Croker, Thomond(+upgrade); Hamden, Murrayfield, AN Other (is there a 20k+ stadium in another city there? Pittodrie?); Millennium, Liberty (+upgrade), Wrexham or Cardiff City Stadium.

GLaDOS · 15-05-2012 12:13pm

Jimmy Iovine wrote: »

This years ECs are on during June. It's interfering with almost no GAA matches at all. If it is then they can be moved to Semple Stadium or Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork or wherever.

I think could certainly be worked around and I'm sure with the right cash incentives the GAA would be happy to let the world see their stadium.

Did not realise that, fair enough!

Predalien · 15-05-2012 12:14pm

I'm always amused by the capacities given for GAA stadia, Pearse stadium for example is listed as 34,000, but that's with 24,000 standing, once seats are introduced the capacity would be about 22,000. GAA stadiums would require major work with contruction of new stands, most of them are a non-runner.

plasmaguy · 15-05-2012 12:22pm

Three host nations...not a hope in previous years but now with the tournament up to 24 teams in the future, might be a chance.

By the way, when it goes up to 24 teams, won't Ireland qualify almost every time, if we get second in our group.

ironbluedun · 15-05-2012 12:22pm

It wont happen.
We only have one city capable of accommodating a big influx of foreign fans. And imagine what prices the hotels would be, they along with loads of others would cut off their noses despite their faces and make a European laughing stock of us again.
No thanks forget about it. We have not got the cop on to do it.

Ganymede Glow · 15-05-2012 12:24pm

Have the UAE or Bahrain bid yet? Pretty sure we Platini could move a few things around to let them play in the Euros.

Local_Chap · 15-05-2012 12:27pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I'm always amused at GAA provincial venues being put forward.

Where do people see ~35,000 foreign fans staying for 4 nights in Thurles?
Mrs O'Reillys B&B maybe.

I suppose at a push they stay in Cork or Dublin and get BusEireann down, and theres probably a few section 30 hotels in fields in the middle of county Tipp, but its that sort of nonsense which kills a bid.

Kilkenny,Cashel and Clonmel are all within a half hour of Thurles. Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Limerick are only a hour to an hour and a half away. Im sure they could manage to hold 35,000 foreigners.

gustavo · 15-05-2012 12:29pm

Ganymede Glow wrote: »

Have the UAE or Bahrain bid yet? Pretty sure we Platini could move a few things around to let them play in the Euros.

Yeah cos FIFA and UEFA are the same :rolleyes:

elefant · 15-05-2012 12:30pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I'm always amused at GAA provincial venues being put forward.

Lets say Holland v Sweden in Semple stadium.
At the moment 50,000 GAA fans arrive on the day and go home to their own beds that night.
Where do people see ~35,000 foreign fans staying for 4 nights in Thurles?
Mrs O'Reillys B&B maybe.

I actually laughed out loud imagining Holland playing Sweden in Semple Stadium

It just sounds so surreal!

Ganymede Glow · 15-05-2012 12:31pm

gustavo wrote: »

Yeah cos FIFA and UEFA are the same :rolleyes:

They are you know

LuckyLloyd · 15-05-2012 12:36pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I'm always amused at GAA provincial venues being put forward.

Lets say Holland v Sweden in Semple stadium.
At the moment 50,000 GAA fans arrive on the day and go home to their own beds that night.
Where do people see ~35,000 foreign fans staying for 4 nights in Thurles?
Mrs O'Reillys B&B maybe.

I suppose at a push they stay in Cork or Dublin and get BusEireann down, and theres probably a few section 30 hotels in fields in the middle of county Tipp, but its that sort of nonsense which kills a bid.

Italy will put forward 10 actual cities with all the hotel rooms and transport facilties that go with modern functioning cities. So will Turkey. So will a couple of Scando countries in a joint bid.

We'll put forward something ridiculous.

You shouldn't need to point this stuff out tbh.

TaosHum · 15-05-2012 12:47pm

Only way this can get done is if all the FA's are committed on developing their own stadiums to acceptable levels and this for me is more likely than getting GAA stadiums.

Wales couold probably get another 4,000 seats in to Cardiff's ground, but I dont know if you will get another 10,000 in the Liberty or 15,000 in the Racecourse ground.

In Scotland both Pittodrie and Easter Road would need development in the region of 10,000. Kilmarnock could be an outside bet but need about 12,000.

Ireland Thomand is doable but its currently not an all seater so that would need addressing also (plus its a rugby stadium). RDS is looking at 12,000.

Problem with this then is can these stadiums actually be re-developed further, the cost of it and also what happens to them after the Euro's are over, as I dont think places like Kilmarnock need a 30,000 seater stadium.

Jimmy Iovine · 15-05-2012 12:54pm

Local_Chap wrote: »

Kilkenny,Cashel and Clonmel are all within a half hour of Thurles. Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Limerick are only a hour to an hour and a half away. Im sure they could manage to hold 35,000 foreigners.

Kilkenny definitely could. 20,000 descend here every June bank holiday weekend for the Cat Laughs and there is never a problem. If the 35,000 is split between Cork and Kilkenny then it'd be perfect. It divvies out the profits between neighbouring counties as well. Cork and Kilkenny profit from the accommodation and Tipperary profit from the game itself and anything else that goes with it.

Fr Tod Umptious · 15-05-2012 1:09pm

please make it stop

dsmythy · 15-05-2012 1:10pm

Just no, let it go.

Ireland as a host for Euro 2020?

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