Radical change needed to UK football
It’s kicking off in all directions today but keep an eye on the English Football Association proposals to introduce a series of changes to lower league football. One option on the table is for Premier and Championship sides’ “B teams” to compete in a new structure with League Two and Conference teams.
The FA are eyeing an opportunity to allow the best young English talent, often cosseted in the youth squads of top Premier League teams with little chance of first team action, to be exposed to competitive games. The proposal includes a geographical split of northern and southern teams.
While the FA Premier League is bust by any known measure, the Football League is in an even worse financial state. Average income in the lower leagues is remarkably high but the steep pyramid-model, which has clubs chasing huge increases in revenue in the Premier League, leads to excessive over-spend.
With these proposed changes on the table the Scottish FA could do worse than discuss their own game’s future with their English counterparts. Well run Scottish clubs are hamstrung by their better-funded neighbours cherry-picking their best players for a relative pittance. Scottish Premiership clubs regularly cannot compete financially for players in England’s fourth tier.
It’s surely time to federate the top Scottish league with the English league structure.
Information slipping out of Switzerland this morning that Manchester City and Paris St Germain are each facing a fine of circa £50m for breaching Financial Fair Play rules is encouraging – if Uefa are able to deliver on the deal.
When you consider financially punishing an entity which owns the oil wealth of a sovereign nation the figure needs to be a big one. £50m just about hits the mark.
Apparently the Great Sevco Shakedown began this morning when the club’s first every goal scorer, Andy Little, was released. The news is harsh on the player but the club needs to learn the lesson – income needs to match expenditure.
Imran Ahmed’s court hearing today against Rangers International comes exactly three years after liquidation expert, Craig Whyte, was triumphantly welcomed into Ibrox, an ominous anniversary, for some.
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