European Super League - Division 2

ABERDEEN boss Derek McInnes may soon be leading his side into action in a second-tier European Super League.

The Dons have drawn up plans to be involved in a summer league along with teams from Scandinavia and other nations across the continent. The Pittodrie side are convinced change is coming and they don’t want to be left behind.

Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have already put the wheels in motion to introduce a super league competition involving Europe’s elite clubs.

Celtic’s Peter Lawwell has made no secret of his club’s desire to be part of a cross-borders set-up and talks have involved clubs from Holland, Belgium, Scandinavia and the Czech Republic who are concerned about the widening gulf between the bigger and lesser nations’ leagues.

The plans are not backed by FIFA or UEFA but Lawwell believes their attitudes are softening.

UEFA have granted approval for a Holland and Belgium women’s league while negotiations are being held to merge the Russian and Ukrainian leagues – which could open the door for widespread change.

Aberdeen are keen to play their part and aim to be involved in a division just below the elite level.

Pittodrie vice-chairman George Yule admits his immediate concern is making the Dons a force in Scotland again but he is also looking at long-term possibilities.

He said: “The idea of a Super League has been in the public domain for some time and we are realistic enough to accept Aberdeen won’t be among those invited to sit at the top table.

“But change is coming in European football because clubs with money and power want it. We have to look at how we can benefit from any of those changes.

“First, though, we have a job to do in the SPL to improve on where we have been in recent years and I can assure our fans that is our top priority right now.”

Does anyone the European Super League is a real possibility? and would Aberdeen really make the 2nd Tier?

To be brutally honest and as things stand at present, with the exception of Celtic, no Scottish teams would make the second tier in England, let alone Europe.

We are moving towards cross border leagues but until Rangers sort themselves out (which may take some time as their current short termist approach is ultimately going to hold them back) only Celtic are going to be involved to any significant degree (and even then, they're unlikely to be at the top table).

I dont agree with that sentiment at all and I question if anyone genuinely takes time to watch our game here when statements like that are made

The standard of football has been pretty good, there probably isnt the same intensity as the better teams in the Championship but for technique alone the standard is miles better than anything I saw in league 1 and in a lot of the Championship

I'm Scottish, I live in Scotland, I support Celtic and watch plenty of Scottish football. I don't agree that the standard is good at all and I don't think any teams in Scotland, Celtic apart, would avoid relegation from the Championship.

I completely disagree with that assessment, The standard of football is pretty decent and if you watched as much last season as you say you did you would surely agree no? Just because teams aren't attractive doesnt mean they aren't good, Ross County and Inverness CT played some triffic stuff throughout last season and set a pretty high standard, Motherwell also had yet another brilliant season, the big difference here is games/squad sizes, SPL clzubs may not have the strength in depth to deal with an extra 8 league games...potentially 11 if they make the Play-Off Final but if you watch the Championship as often as you watch the SPL I just can't buy that you see better standards of Football, the standard of actual ball on the deck football has been better than it has been in years from the Non Old Firm clubs.

What you have in the Championship though is stronger more powerful players and the game is played at a higher tempo and is more direct/long ball

Its a bit too easy to just say X Y & Z would get relegated from the Championship, thats a whole different concersation of finance plus potential to progress ect...but for actual Football the SPL game for game is as high a standard

Unfortunately regardless of football quality a second tier Euro league would only be interested in the Old Firm as they are the only names you could sell to a pan European TV audience.
A second tier league is more likely to be made up of the top half teams from the main countries rather than providing an alternative outlet for Scottish (or Welsh/Irish/Finnish/Danish/etc.) clubs. It would be based on money as always so you'd see maybe Everton/Liverpool/West Ham/Newcastle, etc from England (plus maybe a few fallen giants from the Championship, Leeds/Forest/Wolves based on capacity and revenue generation rather than football) together with the Swedes, Belgians/Dutch/Portuguese and a few billionaires playthings from the former Eastern Europe.
Think of a season long Europa League and think how popular that would be........
As for Scottish clubs playing the Championship, the Glasgow and possibly Edinburgh clubs migh make a reasonable fist of it (assuming Rangers/Hearts sorted out their finances) but as for the rest (with their existing squads) would find it very hard to sustain with comparatively low crowds and a much more competitive league. Despite the hopes and dreams of certain Glaswegians it'll never happen anyway.

We're hopfully interviewing Craig Conway (Cardiff and Scotland Midfielder formerly of Dundee Utd) on the V2 Football Podcast this week so i'll ask him how he thinks the standard of football in the SPL & Championship compare?