So what do you do with a “dead parrot” (© Turnbull Hutton)? Well, as anyone familiar with the Monty Python sketch (and if that doesn’t include you, go watch) will tell you, you need to admit that the parrot is, technically an ex-…
As soon as you have widespread acceptance of this fact, your problems appear far less intimidating
When I say “you”, I don’t really mean you, unless you are one of the 11 chairmen or controllers of a Scottish Premier League club. In fact, we can probably narrow it down a bit more. As far as Ross County are concerned, this is a boom time! Their Highland neighbours will cope with whatever tomorrow brings, St Mirren and Motherwell are both morphing into community-owned-and-run clubs, infused with the kind of endeavour that got the sport of the ground a century ago.
The people who need to accept that the parrot is dead are in charge of Celtic, Aberdeen, Dundee United, Hearts, Hibs, St Johnstone and Kilmarnock.
Once this conclusion is reached, and before we dive off into new league structures, we should really pause and ask the important question, what do we want from our football?
I haven’t really heard much about this question in recent months, so here’s my ideas:
The solutions to our problems has to benefit the entire game, not just Celtic and/or Newco. It has to offer a real and substantial future for Dundee United, Aberdeen, Hibs, Hearts and all the others who have been economically disenfranchised in recent decades.
SPL clubs have been good at developing young talent in recent years but most of them are swimming against the tide. Dundee United lost Paul Dixon to Huddersfield Town last week while Aberdeen have spent most of this year contorting to hold 19-year-old Fraser Fyvie when there are around 80 clubs a few hundred miles away with higher wage budgets.
If these clubs emerge from the changes as paupers, unable to develop and retain talent in the face of Huddersfield Town, we have failed.
I want to see competitive football played in front of full stadiums. Uncompetitive football in front of low crowds is another failure.
I want to see our top clubs compete in Europe, which is different than just participating in Europe. Again, any plan which cannot deliver this is not good enough and should be rejected.
There are people across Scotland willing all of us who support SPL clubs to fail. Collectively, you, me, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen, United and other fans need to use the unique momentum for change to ensure our clubs become unrecognisably successful.
There are others in positions of power within our game who are dis-incentivised to think grand enough to deliver what fans actually want when they buy their season tickets or pitch-up to see their team.
For the past decade or more Celtic and Rangers have tried to shoehorn themselves into the English Premier League. This would have been good enough for both of them but there was little consideration given to other Scottish clubs.
If we are to invoke structural change in our game, we need to allow everyone in the league to fulfil their potential. We need to stop clubs from the lower leagues in England plucking the best talent from teams who previously competed in European finals.
The solution is simple and achievable. Scotland is not big enough to support competitive top-flight football where its clubs can develop and retain talent, but it has a league with many well-run clubs, who are more than able to match the resources of the likes of Wigan Athletic.
Our game should be reorganised along the following lines:
We retain our national team and Association. We retain the Scottish Cup and Scottish Football League, funded by an improved solidarity payment. We admit we cannot support top-flight football and ask to fold the SPL into the bottom of the English League structure.
In time we will all find our level. Celtic will rise to the top but there is no reason for half of the SPL to achieve the same as Wigan Athletic. The smaller SPL clubs will double or treble their income, no matter what heights they scale in the English system. Scottish Football League clubs will be able to achieve meritocratic advancement through the system. We will all flourish.
This is plan is deliverable. It would benefit the entire game. Our clubs would be able to retain talent as effectively as they did in the 1980s. Football would be competitive as each club would find and compete at its level, stadiums would fill and commercial income rocket. The giants of our game would be giants of Europe.
Instead of contemplating insolvency or social unrest, let’s agree on what we want from our sport and, with the cross-club grassroots movement we have, set about getting there.
It sure beats managing decline while others say, ‘told you so’.
321 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- »
BJMac
SPL becomes League Division 2 North, along with a number of other Northern English clubs split out from existing EFL2 and/or Conference.
Remaining EFL2 clubs, plus an applicable number of Conference clubs join the EFL2 South.
Promotions into EFL1 settled by playoffs between North and South.
Similarly for promotions into/relegations from EFL2 North and South from/to SFL and Conference.
Works quite neatly actually.
If UEFA will let Scottish clubs compete in any European trophy they may qualify for through the english league structure,
and if the voting structure of the IFAB – our veto on the rules of our game – is unchanged then it’s a helluva plan.
Great to hear – dare I say – blue sky thinking on a previously hidebound and moribund(esliga?) topic.
Agree we are all over the old ‘When will us’n’them join the EPL’ canard.
Ain’t goin’ down that way, ya getz me?
Did anyone else hear Ken Bruce on Radio 2 this AM? (I was driving, limited reception…)
“Mustn’t laugh at r@ngers, a great, historic club, in a league of their own.
Well they will be next season!”
BasilBrushCSC
I can hear it now, BBC1, 4.55pm on a given Saturday:
“Betdaq League, Division 2 North….”
Zombie vote now moved to Friday 13 July.
Paul 67
A quick google shows that Portugal has a population of 10 million, I don’t know the status of the football finances but they are regularly represented in the CL and their national team got to the last four of the Euros.
They also have players in the top teams of Europe so they develop and sell on talent do you think it is beyond our game now to reform and develop a system that would restore the pride and the passion of Scottish football with Celtic at the forefront of course??
SP
“Betdaq League, Division 2 North….”
Bradford Park Avenue 0 Celtic 3 (Watt 12, 37, 67)
Paul67
Admirable plan. This debacle needs to be recognized as an opportunity to redefine Scotlands national game. This requires a collective perspective. The key is a long term plan as opposed to the short term gratification demanded in our contemporary culture. Will PLC shareholders be willing to be patient and think long term? Well, it may be the only viable option open to shareholders. Will consumers support a long term view for the good of the game? Of will they demand instant success? Fascinating times. A rare opportunity to redefine Scottish football and Scottish culture. I hope the suits and the fans concur that the long term view is the prudent option. You reap what you sow and all that…..
Roll on the Future….
As long as thoughtful husbandry designs it.
There are a number of reasons for lovers of football and those who prize integrity above profit to be pleased today.
The least of those is the actual event of yesterday’s resounding NO to Newco in the SPL.
What lay behind that result is in truth the most significant element of this whole saga and perhaps the most encouraging note to cling to.
True football fans will be rejoicing principally at the effect that their voice has had on those who generally pay them no heed whilst they themselves probably are equally quite bewildered by the fact that they achieved such a result and warmed by the fact that they did what was right to achieve it.
For Celtic fans there is a realisation that perhaps we have misjudged the fans of other clubs in making a presumption that most were largely “huns without the bus fare.”
They have proved that that is not the case and I believe that the actions of these fans have created a massive opportunity for all to grasp to shape and determine the future of the game in Scotland. Whether fans of the ex Rangers Football Club can bury their hurt to see and grasp it we shall see. I sincerely hope that they do but with or without them fans of all clubs must not let this moment pass without building a better united future for all.
Latterly the comments and reactions of those SFL Clubs and fans that have spoken out suggest the prospect of a new dawn emerging from the darkness of the dire picture painted by those who are supposedly the games leaders and which was lain bare in the scandalous document sent to SFL Clubs and reinforced most recently by Stewart Regan the Chief Executive of the body responsible for good governance of the game in Scotland.
I find it still difficult to really believe that what I have read and heard is not all a bad dream from which I will shortly wake.
Can it be true that the game’s leaders are without shame suggesting that regardless of any moral or ethical considerations that by hook crook blackmail threats or otherwise the new SEVCO 5088 NEwco ‘The Rangers Re constituted or whatever name they conjure MUST be in the SPL in season 2013/14. Regardless of all and any known facts Mr Regan et al tells all they will make it happen.
It appears that the rationale behind the decision The SPL clubs are being asked to make next week is that Scottish Football cannot survive without the monies provided by Satellite TV and that these will not exist to the same extent from 2013/2014 without a Newco Rangers in the SPL. This it is suggested can be achieved by voting this Newco into SFL 1 for next season with a presumption that the rest will follow.
They are being asked then to commit their club and themselves to a rigged competition to guarantee a Rangers Newco entry to the SPL for season 2013/2014. The natural presumption must be that by whatever means necessary that return will be guaranteed if they vote Yes to this proposal. I must ask that you consider how that will be achieved? Will this be guaranteed by the corruption of referees? Will this be guaranteed by the bribing of opposition players?
Once committed to that path corruption is guaranteed since quite clearly they are being asked to commit to a corrupt proposal. Sadly they are being asked to become the moral arbiters of Scottish Football because those responsible for such have abdicated all responsibility for the sole protection one presumes of their positions and salaries.
This would be bad enough on its own but to suggest that if the SPL clubs do not vote for Rangers in SFL 1 that an SPL 2 will be created for the same purpose viz the NEWCO in the SPL 1 for 2013/2014 and that others will be cut adrift to achieve this is scandalous immoral and is akin to the actions of a Fascist Dictatorship. It cannot be allowed to stand.
I myself fell in love with Celtic, in my case 55 years ago.
They were not my first love however. That was the game of football itself and my early years were spent playing the game and watching my home town club, Dumbarton.
I have lived in England for 47 years.
My love for Celtic and for football remains.
In that regard I view the talk of financial Armageddon with disdain if not scorn.
It is self evident to anyone with a love of the game that those who love football find their enjoyment of the game at any level so whatever may happen the organisation and the level may change but those who love the game will still be there. They will re-organise and the game will survive. As such the banal threats to the SFL clubs will I am sure fall on the deaf ears of those who love the game.
Apart from the sheer arrogance of the suggestion I find it tactically quite inept.
Consider quite simply that you are one of the 20 or so Clubs who will be cut adrift if you do not comply. You are a “diddy club” a non entity. You will not ever in your wildest imaginings ever aspire to being what attracts TV and Sponsorship deals that allow the games so called leaders to earn their salaries and kudos but you have essentially what they appear to have forgotten – A love of the game.
So what would any of these do? Simply go away? Not on your nelly” What they should and will do is to combine form another Association. Let’s call it the Moral Scottish Football Association and invite others to join.
One wonders how long it will take UEFA and FIFA to become interested in affairs in the Scottish Backwater.
The SFL Clubs now have the soul of Scottish Football in their hands and the dreams of anyone who grew up loving the game. That is an unenviable position for them. I trust that they will come to the only honourable decision open to them.
What they need to know is that those who love the game will support what is right.
Good ideas Paul but at a time when we are heading towards a referendum on Scottish independence it strikes me that absorbing more of our history into England would not be universally popular.
TBB
Get a leather case for it. Dont compromise on that.
You must install whatsapp … Its free
You must synchronize all your email accounts.
You must enable power saver.
You must install Adobe
You must regularly use the task killer as apps suck power and thats its one weakness. Battery duration. I put mine on every night while I sleep. Forget to do that and you will be caught out.
Dont put it in your back pocket as it will bend.
Dont put it in your breast pocket cause if you make a bullseye and it lands in your beer its expensive
You should ensure the WiFi settings are correct. This will reduce your monthly bill if you are doing a lot of surfing.
And check out the Market. Especially top 10 free apps.
Synchronise twitter, facebook etc.
HH
Bom dia,
Some interesting and positive points on this one.
As Madrua states the precence (rugby’s Celtic League) is already there. However, if what essentially a “British” league was to be created how would UEFA treat that for the national side (coeffecient points) and club entries into Europe. Would they say that only the top places of the BPL would have CL/Euro League access? Or how would they determine the access rights of SFA clubs if they were still to recognise the existing FA’s rights to participate in European competitions?
In a worst case scenario, if UEFA were to state that only the top clubs in the BPL had this Euro access what would be the shorterm perspective (let’s say 5 years) for Celtic’s financial stability as we fought our way up the British League system ?
PS. Well done Corinthians last night. New Libertadores champions.
Another careless whisper from Peter Lawwell? ;)
Awe Naw
Battery?
Build quality?
Now you tell me?
FFS
Paul 67
Now you’re talking. Radical thought though clearly one that would not be supported by our National Association since the next step they would see is the folding of the SFA and absorption under FA banner leading then to pressure on the other National Associations in the UK.
If the SFA through Regan persists with its current pig headed policy something radical will have to happen with the formation of another Association in Scotland not entirely beyond the realms of possibility. This Association may well be irredeemable.
paul it will never happen because these bodies employ people who earn status and money from the game, so even though it could address some of the issues impacting on our game it will always be rebuffed.
there are to many bodies in scottish football i.e saf, sfl, sp, all of whom take to much money revenue out of the games. i think we get an awful deal from television which should be addressed (scottish football t.v/ know our value) and the distribution of that money is unfairly share between the clubs which reduces there income further.
we play to many games against the same teams season after season (so there are 4 us vs. thems games a season, or 24 points, which makes for a less competitive league). there is little change in the league from year to year with only 1 team relegated/ promoted/ the split is stupid.
the best players will always go to other clubs for more money so it is the clubs responsibility to get players under long-term contracts. p.s celtic tend to use lengthly contracts but attach additional optional years favouring the club to make sure they get a return, why do other clubs not follow this route? i.e. 16 year old gets signed up to a three year deal, if he is on the frindges of the first team get his signed up to another 3 year deal with the option for a further 2 years in the clubs favour. hence the player will be tied to the club until he is about 24 years old.
lots can be done to make scottish football better, i think it is worth remembering, much of the debt clubs have is as a direct result of the lack of competition, falling gates because of this and clubs fans losing faith/ belief that their club is anything other than making up the numbers. the stupid 10,000 all seater capacity stadiums requirement before reducing this to 6,000 which handycapped many clubs and the unaffordable spending which was triggered by tax avoiders rfc and fear for many clubs that they would be relagated if they did not match others because the league was so small.
the spl’s downfall is strucutral and a general lack of understanding with regards supported/ sports need for new challengers. we are at a crossroad, but with some massive strucutral changes to the game in this country we can get to a stage were fans want to see their team play, look what was happening when hearts were challenging, it was a full house every second week, if you changed the name of hearts with hibs, aberdeen, dundee united and add challenging it would also result in full houses which makes the game more appealing to the fans and the t.v companies/ armchair fans.
p.s the armchair fans get a hard time from some on here, from time to time, but our demograph would suggest we are becoming an older population and as such many fans cannot go to games, i.e. cold weather, mobility problems etc… it is therefore our responsibility to make sure that these fans are not lost to the games
p.s i would change the league strucutre right now from a 12 to 16 and have two leagues of 14 under that, with the possibility of having a celtic b in the lowest league, f*ck me if they can make an spl 2 in 3 weeks then they can do this and it would much better for everyone
All of the other teams in the league will now be chasing second place in the league,as opposed to third place.That should be incentive enough for both fans and players alike in the first year without the leeches.
The game will look after itself now,and as sure as day follows night…one or two of the other clubs will emerge and begin to challenge us.
This is progress.
Somewhere above it said something about people going to matches for the love of football, as is witnessed by thousands round the country watching their clubs with no hope of winning anything, and I watched Celtic from late fifties and they won nowt til 1965/66 then went on an incredible journey for ten years, then many disappointments, which I accepted for following a club I did not expect to win everything (unlike the self-styled peepil)
Johnny Rotten on Question Time tonight,should be f¥¢£(# interesting….
despite knowing that noclub would not get the spl share, ally & greeny make a GIRUY presentation, it’s almost as if they wanted to make sure they didn’t get it!
Green went to RFF and told them that the spl have lied to him.
now goram is trotted out to spout a story about the sfl div 1 being already agreed. Is there anything more likely to provoke a negative backlash?
If noclub is told to apply for div 3 then Greeny ‘will have no other option than to fold the club’ and sell off the assets to the highest bidder.
CW walks away with haufers!
Follow the money!
starry plough on 5 July, 2012 at 16:14 said:
you might find this interesting. It explains exactly how Porto operate, re selling players on for big profits. There are huge lessons to be learned for a Club like Celtic. (Celtic are analysed elsewhere on the same site – one of 2 Scottish teams… the other being Hearts!).
http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Porto
TBB
Now I reminded you.
The build qaulity is pretty good but I think it costs 800€ to replace.
I use mine intensively. Each day is a full business day. If your disciplined about it. It shouldn’t matter. When I set my alarm I plug it in.
The flashlight app is superb but again a power sucker.
I am pretty convinced you will be very happy with it.
HH
Have
I see that the emergency on the M6 was caused by the ole E-Lites (other brands of fake fag are available and may, indeed, have been culpable in this instance…)
Fake Fag Alert
Well, that link didn’t work. Try again…
Fake Fag Alert
The Battered Bunnet on 5 July, 2012 at 16:11 said:
Funnily enough those have been thoughts I have espoused since the early days of our hopes to enter the EPL around 2000 but never quite as precisely as you have done. With the will and the humility from those whom profess to be in charge I believe it has merit.
Just listened to Radio clydes july 4th broadcast,quite frankly,I was shocked to hear John Brown publicly slander our chief exec,have Celtic made any comment in regards to this fools remarks?.
i would love this to happen, great idea paul. how can we make it happen
Just seen an interview with Longmuir regarding next weeks SFL vote. Just as he starts to talk he bursts out laughing.
These idiots know their shafting all the football fans in Scotland to help out the bigotted exhuns, and they find it funny.
Sack the lot of them.
Winston Churchill – “we shall fight them on the beaches”
John F. Kennedy – “ask not what your country……”
Martin Luther King – “I have a dream…….”
Abraham Lincoln – “four score and seven years ago…..”
John Brown – “show us your title deeds”
Some of the greatest speeches in history.
Paul67
Like the idea a lot but I suspect it is fraught with problems. If these could be overcome then why not?
The Atlantic League concept that was floated on here some years ago – would that perhaps be a more viable option since we would be co-operating with league associations with similar problems to ourselves? The similar status of the national feeder leagues would ensure that National Associations don’t need to consume or subsume each other – maybe more palatable all ways round?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGz5HR7R27I
Happy Birthday Stan Petrov
YNWA
My main problem with the EPL is competing with clubs that have non-football money coming in. Oooh, did some wag just pipe up we’ve been doing it for two and a half decades? Even Rangers’ £200m would pale in comparison with Chelsea and Man City. Rupert Murdoch would be rubbing his hands, which, if it’s what we want, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The other concern is the Championship is a tough league to get out of. There is no guarantee we’d bounce into the EPL with consecutive league victories.
Derbyshirebhoy @ 16.17,
Great post.
As has become evident yesterday, the game in Scotland is awash with people of integrity.
After the resounding positive vote, from clubs who may have been considered to have much to losefromthe absence of Sevco, it is inconceivable to think that te SFL clubs will not vote lkewise.
In the SPL next season, a lot of the tension, which dogged the league, where every point dropped was potentially fatal; due to the subsidised margin of error from honest mistakes, should be considerably reduced.
This should lead to a more relaxed, less critical atmosphere at games.
An atmosphere where players won’t be terrified of making a mistake and where young players will have the time and opportunity to develope.
Away games could also benefit from a more patient crowd, who perhaps won’t feel the need to remind their hosts of the years of the struggle.
ernie @ 16.01
Why?
JJ
Paul67 : To borrow from Blackadder:
“That is the worst idea in the history of entertainment since Abraham Lincoln said, “I’m sick of kicking around the house all day, let’s go take in a show.”.
Why England? Why not France or Germany or Timbuktu? I’m sure you’ll get plenty support from the unionists out there but I’d like to retain the national identity of my team thanks very much.
I need a pint now…
Paul
Great idea/s.
But, until Ogilvie/Regan, Doncaster etc are not only bumped, but bumped and the reasons for this clearly communicated, can we hope for some sort of mandate for the future.
But you’re right – we should embrace the future and hope to humbly mould it for the better.
U
musters,
I agree, we are aq Scottish club and now have to actively involve the rest of them to come up with a ‘cunning plan’ which keeps the huns mentality out of it.
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues – a constellation of leagues and clubs known as organized baseball.[ Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport’s umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts. The commissioner is chosen by a vote of the owners of the teams.
This is what we need, with a rule that no one can hold the job for more than a 4 year term
Paul, it is an exciting idea but I just don’t see how it could happen. Not wishing to sound defeatist, but the bottom line as I see it is the English leagues dont want/need ANY teams from Scotland playing down south. I fear it would be as cut and dry as that.