GLF61: GB is not impressed with the idea of SPL2.
SPL 2 - (AKA - Self Preservation League 2)
Once again League reconstruction is on the agenda and again it is all about self interest and making sure the “rich” stay rich and never mind the “ poor ”.
The latest scheme only appears to be on the table as a result of Livingston Chairman Pears Flynn realising that there was no money outside the top League.
The new proposal is to have a top League of 12 and a second tier of 10, with one being relegated and one being promoted.Sound familiar!!
The only difference between the old and the new would be that there is now a chance to stop the really diddy teams getting into the new set up with the ground restrictions that will be put in place.
Why can't the guys behind the scenes really come up with a true re-construction that might actually improve the game rather than preserve the self-interests that abound at the moment.
There is one long-standing problem in the SPL, almost since day one,which is the fact that the teams have to play each other four times per season with the inherent boredom that this brings about.The major saying that comes to mind is that “familiarity breeds contempt.”
Then we have the other problem that has been introduced in the last few years, with the absurd SPL split that no one likes or understands or has any time for.
Of course none of this has been addressed in the recent proposals with the number of each teams being left at the status quo.
I have long believed, and written here loads of times, that it is time to make two major changes to the game.Firstly we should introduce two leagues of 16, with all the teams playing each other home and away once each!
This would remove the split and the boredom of seeing the seeing the same teams over and over again.
Not only that, it would reduce the number of games that the teams would be playing.This would allow us to have a longer pre-season and make sure that the season can start in August rather than before the Glasgow Fair has finished.
It could also see us have the winter break that many of the top people in the game seemed to stress was so vital a few years back but was dumped quickly when it didn't suit the financial needs of the clubs again.
There will, of course,be the claims that this will reduce the number of fixtures that teams will play.Although that could be made up by the other tremendous proposal that has been put forward –the SPL Cup!!An extra cup competition obviously suits when the clubs want it.
The second thing that hasn't been addressed for me is the need for a Pyramid system, involving all the teams at all levels in Scotland.This has obviously worked well in England and I can't see why it can't work here.
This would mean the introduction of a second league of 16and then below that I would think we could have a Northern League of 16 and a Southern League of 16 with the winners of each league replacing the bottom two in the Second Division.
This, for me, would allow teams to find their own level. The ambitious clubs could work their way through the leagues rather than being blocked by the SFL clubs.This would mean that a team like Elgin wouldn't need to wait years to be invited.
Would this make East Stirling focus their minds more to ensure that they don't finish bottom three or four years in a row.
I think that these two major changes would bring more to the game than the current proposal from the guys who watch the game in suits and only think of the bottom for their club,which seems to blind them from the bigger picture.
There also seems to be a complete contempt for the SFL which has looked after these clubs for over a century.I would like to see my proposed new League run under the auspices of one body, and that should be called the Scottish Football League (that's what it is after all! ).
This may happen in the long run but I am sure that we will not see the Turkeys voting for Christmas.
It would appear that the opinions of two major bodies in the game were not considered, ie the Fans and the Football people themselves.These are the same people that have seen the fans at their clubs disappear like snow of a dyke but still ignore what they may want for the game going forward.
Then they seem to ignore the football themselves, do they want less games?A later start and a winter break?Don't be silly, why would we want to seek their opinion on this kind of thing??
Ah well, maybe one day…………..
Graham Barnstaple
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