Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts,
and Hibs should all have reserve sides in the SFL. In Spain the big clubs all
have reserve sides in the Spannish second division to give their players early
experience of competitive football.
Jock Stein suggested in the seventies
that Celtic reserves should have a team in the second division so that the Scottish
youth players could get some experience of first team football matches. In that
day it was Scottish older players blocking the talented youths. So it should make
even more sense in this day and age as there are even more players blocking the
progress of talented youths at the big clubs.
At present Hearts, and Aberdeen
are starting to buy in more foregin players so once again even more big clubs
will block talented Scottish youth players.
This is done in Spain and it
doesn't make the Spannish league a joke.
I can't see how this is an insult
for SFL clubs. Considering the first teams of Athletico Madrid, Celta Vigo and
Real Villareal have been in the Spannish second division in recent years and they
are all bigger than any SFL club and in fact bigger than Aberdeen, Hearts, and
Hibs. So how can it be an insult to SFL clubs to play reserve sides. Whenever
big clubs send reserve sides in the cup or friendlies against SFL sides the SFL
teams get big crowds. So don't pretend playing a reserve side is an insult. Anyway
Celtic and Rangers have plus records against every SFL club so this would allow
a the chance for a club in the SFL to have a plus record against the old firm.
The reserve teams would be limited to under 24 players. Also reserve teams
would be banned from promotion and the top non reserve sides in the SFL would
still be promoted. And don't tell me that club can't be promoted if it doesn't
finnish top. Every year in England due to the play offs English clubs in sixth
get promoted while the side in third doesn't. And Swindon Town once got promoted
to the premiership when Sunderland were banned from promotion.
And don't
tell me how can players play in two different trophies in the same year. Already
players can play in the SPL, league cup, SFA cup, reserve league, reserve league
cup all in the same year. Players can even play for three different clubs in the
league in the same year.
How else can we gurantee Scottish youth players
get first team matches. Expecting the old firm to fill their clubs with Scottish
players is sci fi in this day and age. Even English premiership clubs are filled
with foreign players. Even Aberdeen, and Hearts are starting to do the same again.
Buying in eastern European players.
We can't expect clubs to loan out entire
youth teams so lets just put the entire youth team in the competitive league.
Anyway loaning out doesn't allways work. Surely it makes sense to have extra
poor clubs that create more opportunites.
We need more clubs not less clubs,
more pro opportunites. I am fed up with the way big club finance bosses keep pretenting
we need less clubs well try saying that to Scottish rugby union that the answer
is to have less clubs and less players. We need more clubs at all levels. And
giving more money to the big clubs just menas buying in more firegin importsn.
We ned the bnig clubs to have more teams so they give more opportunites.
If
a player does not get match expeirience then how are they supposed to develop.
They will not learn what they need to work, on they will not learn composure for
the big matches.
The reserve league is not useful for developing players.
Even Celtic struglle to get above crowds of 100. How can that develop players
for international or competive football. And the standrd is lower. Just look at
Inverness Calley Thistle in the SPL, or teams that get relagated to the SFL. This
is not English premiership. The fact is the Scottish premier reserve sides apart
from occasionaly the senior old firm reserve sides, are not as talented as top
SFL clubs.
And even the old firm youth teams will stuggle in the SFL first
division.
If it makes sense to loan out players to the SFL then surely it
makes ense to stick the entitre youth team there. And why did Jock Stein (one
european cup, two european cup finals, two word cups, 10 league titles) think
Celtic reserves should be put in the second division. That is reason is enough
for me to do this idea. And the problem if the old firm doing to well can be stopped
with restrictions.
The big problem with Scittish football is lack for first
team opportuinites for youth players. This will create a risk free system where
Scottish youth players will get regular first team football.
I think home
matches would get big crowds but even if they don't the reality is away games
will get big crowds so will be useful experience for youth players.
How else
can we gurantee, and I mean gurantee not hope that Scottish youth players get
early experience of competive football. The big clubs can easily afford this.
By leaving the premier reserve league.
I can't see how this is offensive to
SFL clubs.
This can be done by expanding the SFL first divsion to 18 teams
and bringing in 3 non league clubs. Also wouldn't the SFL clubs rather have big
clubs, in the league but make sure it is not clubs that can take their promotion
place. So we can increase standards in the SFL but not create a rival for promotion
to the premier from other SFL clubs. It will also make opur league more continental.
This is how to get Scotland back to being ranked with Eire, Sweden and Denmark
as dark horses for championships.
Another idea would be to create a fourth
and fifth division. Where more sides could have reserve sides, up to perhaps 20
sides from Celtic to Ross County. Then stick 20 non league and junior sides in
the league. So we could have two leagues of twenty, with relegation and promotion
but a ban on promotion for reserve sides to the third division. Or the two new
divisions could be north and south.
This could also be done for Englsih football with Chelsea, etc: having reserve sides in the championship or league one.
And Cardiff City could have a side in the Welsh league.
100s of great websites http://www.lonympics.co.uk/
To see the teams of the decade, from the 1960s to 2000s go to here
Why Scottish teams should not join the English League
A site listing all World Club Championship wins, including Scottish 19thC wins
A site on football http://www.lonympics.co.uk/TRY.htm
The Teams of the decade of English football, from the 1870s too 2000s
An argument on how you can say the Scottish League is better than the English League
A site saying the best Scottish sport team results ever,
Aberdeen interesting facts site
A Multiple Choice Quiz on Aberdeen FC
A Multiple Choice Quiz on Inverness Caledonian Thistle
A list of which nations have won the Most European trophies,