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Poor show: Last year's Carling Nations Cup was plagued by poor attendance figures. ©INPHO/James Crombie

One-hit wonder: Carling Nations Cup set to be abandoned

IFA President Jim Shaw has said that he does not envisage the home nations tournament happening again.

POOR ATTENDANCES AND pay disputes appear to have derailed the Carling Nations Cup, with Irish Football Association president Jim Shaw signalling that Northern Ireland are unlikely to take part in future renewals of the Home Nations tournament.

The Republic of Ireland won last year’s inaugural tournament, staged in front of small crowds at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, and were expected to defend their title at a second Nations Cup pencilled in for Wales in 2013.

But speaking to yesterday’s Sunday Times, Shaw said that the tournament had not been sufficiently successful to warrant another staging.

Shaw’s comments come amid an ongoing row between the Scottish FA and the three other associations over fees still owed from last year’s tournament in Dublin. The relationship between the four countries has soured noticeably in recent weeks after the SFA claimed that it was still owed €1.2m and threatened to refer the dispute to FIFA.

“It was a one-off to start with,” Shaw told the Sunday Times. ”There was never any agreement to continue. I suppose if it had gone well there is the possibility that it could have been repeated.

I don’t envisage it happening again but circumstances can change.

The FAI has yet to comment publicly on the future of the tournament but speaking to today’s Irish Examiner, an FAI figure indicated that all four associations were “thinking along the same lines” as Northern Ireland.

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10 Comments
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    Mute Billie Hetfield
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    Jan 9th 2012, 12:51 PM

    We are permanent champions. COYBIG!

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    Mute fitszpatrick
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    Jan 9th 2012, 5:33 PM

    The new , current and still undefeated champeens of Carling Cup of All British Isles excluding England , let’s hear for Ireland Republic.

    3
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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Jan 9th 2012, 11:57 AM

    This tourny was never going to work with out England. Bitter rivalry was what was needed. A chance to get one over on the enemy. Ireland, N. Ireland, Scotland and wales either too friendly too each other or we just didnt care if we beat each other or not. Pains me to say it but this tourney needed england to give it a sense of purpose.

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    Mute Ed Appleby
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    Jan 9th 2012, 12:22 PM

    It was flawed from the start, as Begrudgy says, it need England in there to make it appeal to the majority of ‘celtic’ football fans. Alas Ireland v Wales, Scotland and NI just doesn’t have the same attractiveness. Even for the other nations England would have been the main draw. The Republic are better off seeking friendlies against other European and world teams especially African and South American opposition also Japan, Korea etc These are the kind of teams we should be testing ourselves against for future tournaments. At the moment we seem to have a rich vein of talent emerging with players like Clarke, McClean, McCarthy, Kearns, Coleman, Duffy, Pilkington, Frecklington, Cunningham and Brady plus many more. Time to start giving some of these guys a taste of the senior action and prepare them for the future. Good competitive games against top teams will always draw good attendance as long as the FAI keep it real with the prices and don’t take the p*** the Celtic Nations Cup will be no loss and the abysmal attendances for it shows clearly there is no appetite for this kind of tournament amongst any of the countries involved unless it’s against England and what does that say about the attitude of the so called \celtic’ football fans!

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    Mute Anthony Cole
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    Jan 9th 2012, 12:35 PM

    Sums it up perfectly.

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    Mute Aaron
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    Jan 9th 2012, 1:16 PM

    The ticket pricing for this tournament was ridiculous. Did they honestly expect people to pay €50 to see Ireland v Wales?

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    Mute fitszpatrick
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    Jan 9th 2012, 5:34 PM

    You are right , you could buy the welsh midfield for €50

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    Mute Pilib O Muiregan
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    Jan 9th 2012, 12:35 PM

    by having it in one country a year will not work. A home and away structure would work with england involved would work

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    Mute Brian O' Brien
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    Jan 9th 2012, 10:41 PM

    The problem is England alright, any of the other nations playing them and world war 3 would start. Plus the fact most of the first choices will be off on vacation.

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    Mute Jacques Le Dantec
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    Jan 11th 2012, 11:58 PM

    It was a ‘crap’ tournament since:
    1. It was solely organised to make money (especially the FAI because of the cost of the Aviva stadium),
    2. There were too many games at the wrong dates (February) which killed the momentum of the other games (no momentum for five games out of six, the last one could even end up with a draw…)
    3. Ticket prices were too high for the public,
    4. The idea was not to start a tradition but to produce a one-off event to milk as much as could be from it.
    5. No cultural and musical dimension aside of the games.
    I think these nations did wonderfully to destroy their own product!

    SO, Just bring on a proper CUP format, in one stadium, over three days, less money, better value tickets, music concerts, two semis with maximum momemtum, one third place game and a proper final. Earn less, bring more passion, more momemtum and set-up the tradition once again.

    Forget the Carling Nations Tournament.
    Bring the Celtic Nations Cup to Brittany in 2015 or 2017!

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