Aberdeen, Alloa and Livingston chiefs blast Charles Green's league reconstruction

[Max Rebo's Big Blue Nose 0]

I also think that for a real solution that works, we need just one Edinburgh team and one Dundee team and a few other amalgamations - but that will never happen. We need another two to four stronger sides to push the top two all the way.

 

But no amount of shuffling the same pack will ever allow a small country to compete with a large country while income is based on population size as is the case with the TV money.

 

Our national game is at a dead end in this respect. We either just have to accept where we are or join a bigger league structure be it Europe or UK. All small countries have this dilemma, even the mighty Dutch.

 

Although our geography is somewhat different from Ireland, I feel there is much we can take from their Gaelic sports and the way they are distrubuted into regional teams. Let's day that if we went on the premise that Rangers, Celtic, Hibs and Hearts could maybe hold their own you could make up a Premier League with regional teams. ie:

 

1. Rangers

2. Celtic

3. Hearts

4. Hibs

5. Dundee/Perthshire combined (Utd, Dundee, St. johnstone, Arbroath etc.)

6. Aberdeenshire (Aberdeen with all the small teams)

7. Ayrshire (Killie, Ayr etc.)

8. Lanarkshire (Motherwell, Hamilton, Airdrie)

9. Central region (Livingston, Falkirk, Stirling etc.)

10. Glasgow (Clyde, Queens P, Partick)

11. Borders

12. Highlands

13. Inverclyde (St. Mirren, Morton, Dumbarton etc.)

 

 

IMO we need a radical new dawn to save our game and this is the only way to do it. We need a major cull of teams to enable a road ahead and a competitve league. Having 40 odd teams for a country of our size is just lunacy. With the money raised from ground sales, you could make sure that all these regional teams have training facilties that will have academies and up to speed training grounds. It will never happen but IMO this is the only way forward

Edited January 17, 2013 by Max Rebo's Big Blue Nose

[RabiDuck 89]

The SPL has always been criticised as a 2 horse race between Celtic and Rangers, but compare this with the EPL and it's actually more open. The SPL allows for 1 in 6 competing teams to win, while the EPL allows (if we're generous and say two Manchester clubs and Chelsea have a chance...) allows one in 6.667 clubs to win, the two divisions are pretty much equal on competitiveness. This is mirrored around Europe (Spain : Madrid and Barca, Germany: Munich and erm...., Portugal: Benfica, Porto) yet these leagues aren't derided as being "dead". The two-horse race is a misnomer of an issue in Scottish football and people need to realise this. Yes there are massive problems with the current setup (starting with this stupid split and the lack of a true pyramid) but two-horse isn't one of them IMO.

[Max Rebo's Big Blue Nose 0]

The SPL has always been criticised as a 2 horse race between Celtic and Rangers, but compare this with the EPL and it's actually more open. The SPL allows for 1 in 6 competing teams to win, while the EPL allows (if we're generous and say two Manchester clubs and Chelsea have a chance...) allows one in 6.667 clubs to win, the two divisions are pretty much equal on competitiveness. This is mirrored around Europe (Spain : Madrid and Barca, Germany: Munich and erm...., Portugal: Benfica, Porto) yet these leagues aren't derided as being "dead". The two-horse race is a misnomer of an issue in Scottish football and people need to realise this. Yes there are massive problems with the current setup (starting with this stupid split and the lack of a true pyramid) but two-horse isn't one of them IMO.

 

Bayern and erm....Borussia Dortmund, who have a won the last 2 Bundesligas... Germany have also had 5 different winners of their top league over the last 10 years.

 

Is it really about just competing for the league? Germany have packed stadiums every week based on sensible pricing and most of the teams know they won't win it. It surely all about a league that has an overall higher standard

[RabiDuck 89]

Oh, yeah, forgot Dortmund somehow. Point still stands that across Europe other leagues as as equally "uncompetitive" as the SPL yet are flourishing (look at Spain). The problem isn't the dominance of the Old Firm over the years, we need to look elsewhere for the cause and that was my point. For too long the blame has been "oh it's a two horse race, that's why it's a poor quality" but this doesn't hold back other leagues. While the two-horse element continues to be focused on, it's masking other problems that are lurking.

[Max Rebo's Big Blue Nose 0]

Oh, yeah, forgot Dortmund somehow. Point still stands that across Europe other leagues as as equally "uncompetitive" as the SPL yet are flourishing (look at Spain). The problem isn't the dominance of the Old Firm over the years, we need to look elsewhere for the cause and that was my point. For too long the blame has been "oh it's a two horse race, that's why it's a poor quality" but this doesn't hold back other leagues. While the two-horse element continues to be focused on, it's masking other problems that are lurking.

 

I hear you buddy. Good points

[simplythebest 0]

Oh, yeah, forgot Dortmund somehow. Point still stands that across Europe other leagues as as equally "uncompetitive" as the SPL yet are flourishing (look at Spain). The problem isn't the dominance of the Old Firm over the years, we need to look elsewhere for the cause and that was my point. For too long the blame has been "oh it's a two horse race, that's why it's a poor quality" but this doesn't hold back other leagues. While the two-horse element continues to be focused on, it's masking other problems that are lurking.

Fair enough but Germany is actually a prime example of an open league the last few years.

[RabiDuck 89]

Yeah, I should have stuck with Spain, Portugal and England as my evidence!

[der Berliner 3,328]

Bayern and erm....Borussia Dortmund' date=' who have a won the last 2 Bundesligas... Germany have also had 5 different winners of their top league over the last 10 years.

 

Is it really about just competing for the league? Germany have packed stadiums every week based on sensible pricing and most of the teams know they won't win it. It surely all about a league that has an overall higher standard[/quote']

 

Ah yes. But also based on the fact that Germany sports a dozen or more cities and areas the size of Glasgow. Same goes for a much larger TV audience and thus TV income for all clubs involved. Still, there are less than half a handful of teams competing regularly for the league title, with Bayern ruling the roost. You do have indeed the odd pretender and Dortmund right now (well, these last two seasons at least) put up a challenge. Generally, Bayern have been the benchmark and it is more to do with the fact that they had "bad" management at times that others were allowed to snatch the title. The Dortmund side was torn apart last summer and has not found its feet yet. There goes another challenger ...

Edited January 17, 2013 by der Berliner

[simplythebest 0]

Yeah, I should have stuck with Spain, Portugal and England as my evidence!

 

Valencia did win the league in Rafa Benitez's last season there in 2004, but Real and Barca have just gone from strength to strength since.

[RabiDuck 89]

MY POINT IS VALID DAMMIT!!!!