Football has once again become boring in the eyes of those who run it. Wholesale changes are abound. Will they make a difference? Maybe...
The adage of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", is one which is used a lot at times like these. Of course everyone has an opinion on the merits and pitfalls of Scottish Football and many believe that in it's current state it is broke. But would the solutions being discussed to actually fix the problem within our game, or would they just be a stop gap, til it happens again?
The SPL has been in effect since 1998, with the instigation of the League Split coming in 2001. The SPL was to be the ultimate overhaul of Scottish Football, changing the 10 team league to a 12 team league to give more games, increase revenue and make the League more exciting.
3 years in, it was boring again, so the April Split was introduced to make the league more competitive and exciting and lucrative than the initial rebranding was supposed to. Winter breaks were phased in and out, TV deals were struck with SKY, SETANTA and ESPN to give the clubs more exposure and more money.
It's 2011 now and the SPL is just as exciting and interesting and great to watch as it was 13 years ago. Not at all. And that is why these shake ups are coming in to place.
The prospect of a 2 Tier SPL comprising of 2 10 team leagues is being mooted as the answer to the issues with Scottish football. The pros of this, according to those involved in implementing it, sees that there are more big games to attract people to, generating more money.
Derek Weir, The Well's vice chairman made a statement yesterday saying that as yet no decisions gad been mad eon the outlay of the new propsed set up, but that with a potential 10 team set up,
"we have to bear in mind the importance of the funds we receive from TV deals, other media and sponsors. We are unfortunately already in a position where our best players can move to lower leagues in other countries for significantly increased wages and any further reduction in income from those sources will only make this problem worse. This will lead to a decline in the quality on the pitch."
This statement resonates with me on 2 levels. From the point of view of a provincial club such as ourselves, we need money. Bottom line. Despite the European runs, the high league finishes and the lack of depth in our squad, we are a financially poor team. We've been in administration, we've had to breed the youngsters where experience would have been preferred and we need to depend on loan signings to see us through a season.
Mass panic erupts whenever these loan deals end and the first thought is the worst. How can we afford to replace them. this means there is very little longevity in our squad, more so our front players. We always will be a selling club but gone are the days of having Coyne and Arnott and Coyle as our recognised attacking line up over a number of seasons.
As good as loan players are, we cannot afford to keep them for any length of time and therefore lose continuity. That is the rub.
The second point that Weir makes about the lack of quality on the pitch due to low funds ties in with this. The fast money made from the TV deals allows clubs like ourselves, Kilmarnock, Inverness etc to make impact signings for an average of a season. Eremenko for example, probably won't be at killie much longer and besides Conor Sammon, has been there most important man this season.
The TV money can help to pay a loan wage, but offers no long term return. We saw this with Jutkiewicz last season. We got a season out of The Juke and Europe, but come this season we lost him to Coventry. The money that is split between the clubs in the league is not being wasted as such, but not being invested in where the real problems with the SPL lie.
Talent.
To coin another cliche, "Grass Roots" football in Scotland is non existent. We have very little talent being produced at club level. Sure, Motherwell and Hibs ahve done ok with youth for the last decade, but for every James McFadden or Derek Riordan, theres a whole host of others who don't make it or just aren't good enough for our leagues.
If the bigwigs want to redesign our game, nurture the youth. This is where the appeal of the 16 team format lies with me. From what I have read and listened to, a 16 team league, as mundane as it would be at first by stripping the SPl of 1 or 2 Old Firm, New Firm, Edinburgh derbys a year, would have its merits if the plans to copy European leagues come true.
Having the 2nd tier consisting of lower league teams and secondary teams form the Top Tier clubs would be a master stroke. This would allow clubs to build up strong youth team players in a competitive league, without having to farm them out to part time teams or have them gro stagnant in the U19s.
Once they have served in the lower tier, they can graduate to the big league, having a wealth of experience behind them. Like in Spain, these teams would be exempt from promotion, but would have the opportunity to taste competition and the chance at winning a trophy early in their careers.
I believe that if money is invested in teams and squads rather than individuals for short term gain, then we can build Scottish football again. It will take time, but with anything long term, it can't be quick fixed.
With all this in mind, here is my idea for how to revolutionise the SPL...
16 Team Top League, 12-14 Team Lower League
Top League: Each team plays one another twice= 30 game regular season
1st placed team at the end of the season are League Champions with automatic Champions league place.
Second Champions League position determined by 2nd to 4th place play off games. Play each other once, team with most points and goals from games gets Champions League, other 2 get Europa Places.
Last placed team goes down, 2nd and 3rd bottom teams have a play off with highest finishing eligible teams in 2nd League. Guarantees 1 up 1 down plus potentially 3 up 3 down, keeping the relegation fight interesting.
The middle 8 teams are then put in to a new league cup format, whereby they compete with the 2nd tier teams not promoted, allowing them to stay competitive and allowing the smaller teams and the second strings a shot at glory.
At the start of each season, there would be a second tier player draft. Players from the top league are able to pick the stand out players form the 2nd league, with the lowest finishing top league team getting first draft pick as it potentially bolsters their squad, giving them a better chance of success in the coming season.
These draft players would be rated on their season statistics. Not just goals matter in the 2nd league. Assists, clean sheets, team created goals, saves, discipline all count in the statistical ratings. This means that the youngsters getting in to the game, the children and teenagers learn how to play total football, by having the unheralded parts relevant in the game today being praised.
I hated playing football with Ross Mcnally at school. He was a decent player, but tried to do everything himself, as the players that did that kind of thing were the ones he admired. If emphasis is put on the creation of goals or the work rate of having a shut out by individuals and teams, then that should encourage young players to develop a non selfish game, thus giving them more confidence in their abilities, MAKING THEM MORE TALENTED PLAYERS.
Right, my lunch break is over, need to get back to selling phones. Pick apart my plans if you wish, but my proposal would generate excitement, competition, suspense and success for the teams involved.
whatever the outocme of the rebuild, Scottish football will suffer if we do not invest in youth.
Up the Well!!!
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