FA Plan for B teams

[bring back the cowshed!]

Is anyone else as alarmed as I am about the FA's proposal to form a League Three between League Two and the Conference Premier? Initially, this would be filled with the B teams of Premier League and Championship clubs. Promotion and relegation would continue as now but with the B teams unable to climb above League One.

Basically, I think this would wreck the lower leagues. The new division would form a barrier which would make it even more difficult for non-league teams to rise up the pyramid.

Imagine Rovers in a league full of B teams. No away support at Prenton Park, so reduced gates and a lack of atmosphere. Would the SWA want to go to away matches? They would not be played at the Emirates or Old Trafford, but at grounds like Barnet or Stockport. Would there be any home support for the B teams? If you were a Man U supporter, how often would you go to see your youngsters? So, low gates and zero atmosphere for our away games.

Inevitably, the formation of B teams would result in fewer loan players for the likes of us, which would mean more permanent players and bigger squads to allow for injuries, suspensions and loss of form. I know we are looking to recruit more of our own players next season, but we need the quality and flexibility that the loan system brings.

I agree it would be great for top clubs, but why not just let them form their own leagues like the old Central League and Football Combination? If their kids want real competitive experience, then send them on loan to Rovers and other clubs. They would gain from exposure to different coaches and benefit from seeing what life in the lower leagues is really like. Lots of our ex-loanees have done well in their careers, Joe Hart being the most famous.

In short, I think the move would damage the lower leagues without any real benefit to the top two tiers compared with the present system.

I want our national team to do better, but this is not the way to do it.

 

[bigmart]

Im not alarmed is I cant see it being brought in, if that's the best idea the group can come up with then heaven help us.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree with everything BBTC says above. The lower divisions in this country will be completely destroyed if these dimwit plans are implemented. How much does Dyke get paid to come up with this drivel ?

You would think that the FA would want to safeguard the future of clubs in this country at all levels, but it appears Dyke and co. (look at some of the names on his committee and it is easy to see why the plans are so idiotic and so out of touch with the needs of lower league clubs) are just stooges of the Premier League after all.

If the Premier League clubs want a more competitive reserve league they should force their senior players to play reserve team football when they are not in first team action. As it is, they have clauses in their contracts which allow them to do nothing for their £100k per week when they are not selected: this is the real reason why their youngsters don't get competitive action, but Dyke apparently does not want to acknowledge this.

I would hope that these plans will be vehemently and vocally opposed by the Football League clubs and their supporters.

 

[drwhoman]

I agree with everything that BBTC and RLC say and I am certainly not as confident as bigmart that it will not come to pass. Those with money always have clout. A better way to improve the top tier English game must be to produce more competent coaches and to limit the number of foreign players in the Premier League in particular. All the authorities are trying to do is to replicate the arrangements in Spain and Italy.

 

[Ian]

It's a nonsense and just goes to prove that the FA's only interest is the Premier League. It's spiralling out of control and I'd agree with drwhoman about limiting players etc.. Whilst we all struggle in the lower leagues, the top flight have so many players sitting around not getting games.

When you look at the times we've struggling with injuries having to draft in emergency loan players just to put a team out.

 

[frenchrover]

This "B" team proposal is absolute rubbish.....if the real aim is to improve the quality of the England side then surely the answer is to limit the number of foreign born player (EU or non-EU) who can take the field in any one match, the rest of the side being British born players. Premiership clubs can have as many non-British players as they like on their books but are limited as to which of them takes the field per game.
It's about time the Premiership put it's own house in order without impacting adversely, in my opinion, on the Football League. Premier club "B" teams in the League structure, NO!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-football-association-say-no-to-b-teams

Please find attached a link to a petition for those opposed to the 'B' team league plans.

Signed by yours truly and I would urge others to do likewise.

 

[bigmart]

The B Teams does not have the backing of most of the Premier League teams so I cant see it happening.

 

[Boz]

I agree with the concerns raised and BBTC's point about the impact on crowds has barely been touched on by it's proponents. I may not have enjoyed last Saturday's relegation game, but at least it was one with real atmosphere and a decent crowd. It would feel far worse being relegated by Stoke B before a stadium less than a third full imo, but that may be Dyke's vision of the future.

 

[Gray]

It's not like me to sign an online petition but I have done on this occasion.

How long until the Championship is won by Man City B, League One by Liverpool C and so on? With the resources these clubs have it wouldn't be long until there were only 15-20 clubs in the whole country.

No doubt these B teams would be full of more foreign talent trying to break into the first team and the FA would continue to wonder why we under perform on the international stage.

This is a shocking idea.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

No doubt these B teams would be full of more foreign talent trying to break into the first team and the FA would continue to wonder why we under perform on the international stage.

Spot on, Gray.

 

[bigmart]

The B teams would not be full of foreign talent they will be nearly all English players

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

The B teams would not be full of foreign talent they will be nearly all English players

I've read the FA report and while they "estimate" that the majority of players will be English, there is nothing to ensure this will happen. A huge proportion of young players are foreign and they will feature along with the English players. We need to bear in mind that Premiership clubs are primarily interested in their own success and are not particularly bothered about how England do, so they won't make much effort to make the B Team plan work in England's favour. Most Premiership clubs have foreign owners and only a few managers are English, so why should they bother?