Home Internationals tournament a car crash waiting to happen

England and Scotland pictured at Hampden in 1984

1984: The title of George Orwell’s dystopian novel, featured in the lyrics of The Arctic Monkey’s hit I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor, and perhaps most significantly of all (for my mum anyway), the year that I was born. But from a topical point of view, it was the year that the Home International tournament was killed off.

Amid growing concerns over hooliganism and falling interest and attendances, the championship involving England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which had taken place since 1884, was brought to an end.

Now discussions about reviving it are taking place, seemingly for a one-off edition, in 2013. The drive (excuse the pun) behind its return is coming from England’s new sponsors Vauxhall. Incidentally, the car manufacturer has also just become the lead sponsor of Wales and is in the process of setting up similar deals with Scotland and Northern Ireland. Very convenient.

There appears to be a groundswell of enthusiasm for its return. FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford said today: “I can certainly suggest, on behalf of the Football Association of Wales, that if England did come back into the fold for a competition we would delighted to take part ourselves.” For Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland the tournament is a no-brainer – what do they have to lose?

Wales are currently ranked 113th in the world (between Suriname and Central African Republic), Scotland are a somewhat more respectable 52nd, while Northern Ireland’s greatest hero of recent years has been David Healy.

Meanwhile England are ranked sixth in the world (according to Fifa’s latest charts), so go into any tournament as strong a favourite as when David Haye fought Audley Harrison. And like that shameful excuse for a fight, a win for the favourite will add little to their reputation.

On the flip side a defeat would be excruciatingly embarrassing. It would also coincide with the honeymoon period of a new England manager, with Fabio Capello stepping down in 2012.

Before England sign up, they should consider the very real potential of it turning into a car crash (probably featuring a Vauxhall).

Follow Simon Rice on Twitter @ twitter.com/simonrice

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• jeffers1

  at least it would be interesting for the fans. i have completely lost interest in england games since we started playing friendlies in trinidad and our ‘tough’ games are against croatia and ukraine. if this can’t bring about a bit of passion and commitment in our overpaid and overpampered internationals then what will?

• http://twitter.com/Cal_Comment Caledonian_Comment

  Great – I need some fresh Wembley turf because the stuff I took in 1977 is beginning to die off.

• Guest

  Would the FA be able to afford all the air fares to get the England team to England?

• helenabrown

  Well I know our football team are rubbish but that still seems to frighten the English, or is it the Tartan Army?

• RonSwansonsfunonTV

  I take the point that England have nothing to lose, but here’s a counter-argument: Yes England are always favourites for major tournaments but they also always fail – a home internationals might teach England a thing or two about winning competitive games. Also, practice against weaker teams is actually useful and something England need after Algeria and Slovenia. Finally, surely the home internationals will take place in place of friendlies. Playing a weaker neighbour in a match with pride on the line will be far more competitive and useful for everyone (and more enjoyable for the fans) than meaningless friendlies against Trinidad, Hungary and Thailand (oh, sorry I forgot the FA cancelled the latter after not winning the World Cup Bid…petty and also clearly bribery).

• bob_j

  Haha. You’d be doing the authorities a favour this time around, the pitch is so bad they have to take it up anyways after most matches.

• bob_j

  I think you assume a little too much when you talk of “weaker neighbours”

  Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland wouldn’t be a pushover by any means in games of this kind.

  Many a decent side have struggled when up against a fired up bunch of Celts, and England are a long way from being a decent side