B Teams

[Cochise]

http://news.sky.com/story/1256083/fa-to-debate-premier-league-b-teams-overhaul

By Paul Kelso, Sky News Sports Correspondent

Premier League clubs will be allowed to enter 'B' teams in the Football League under proposals to be considered by the Football Association (FA) board on Wednesday.

Sky News understands that, under reforms put forward by FA chairman Greg Dyke's commission on the future of the English game, a new "fifth division" of B teams from leading clubs would be created between the Football League and the FA Conference.

The intention is to improve the quality and opportunities available to English players in the 18-23 age group, but it is likely to meet with opposition from both the Premier League and the Football League.

Under the scheme, clubs with category A-ranked academies, primarily Premier League and Championship clubs, would be able to enter teams in the new division and gain promotion to the Football League.
Greg Dyke addresses delegates at the Leaders Sport Summit Greg Dyke has been leading a commission on the future of English football

It is proposed that the clubs only be promoted as high as League One, avoiding the prospect of clashes between B teams and their parent clubs in the Championship and Premier League.

The commission has looked at other leagues across Europe where the B team model is widely used, and believes it has real potential to enhance the prospects of young players.

Mr Dyke has sought approval from a number of Premier League clubs directly and while there is some support among leading clubs, including one Champions League contender, many have already made their opposition clear.

The FA chief launched the commission last year with the intention of reversing the decline in the number of English players in leading clubs and boosting the prospects of the national team. He also set England the target of winning the World Cup in 2022.

Among other issues the commission has considered include the loan system, youth coaching, work permit regulations, quotas and a winter break.

Dyke will present his findings on Wednesday at Wembley and has had a series of meetings with the professional leagues to explain and discuss the findings.

The issues have been considered by a 10-man Commission led by Dyke, and including England manager Roy Hodgson and Rio Ferdinand.

The other members are Glenn Hoddle, former England defender Danny Mills, former Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson, Football League chairman Greg Clarke, Crewe director of football Dario Gradi and FA vice-chairman Roger Burden.



So people, pro's and con's, your opinions etc. Personally I'm on the fence with this one. I can see how it could help certain clubs and it could certainly help us in blooding our younger players in a competitive league, without having to break a team apart and send them off in two's and three's to various clubs who may not play a system of football that they are used to. On the other hand I could see it having a negative effect on other teams.

 

[monkeybarry]

The death of the competition if this happens.

It would be an insult to any club in a lower division that has to play against a 'B' team and undermines the integrity of the league structure.

 

[jts1882]

I don't see how it would help develop England players. If the B team is playing between League Two and the Conference it will hardly be of the standard required. It would only work at a higher level.

It also goes against a long established culture in our game. We have had competitive promotion and relegation for over a century, with four divisions for 90 years, while some of the other national leagues are relative newcomers (e.g. Germany).

I'd prefer clubs to be allowed formal tie ups with lower league clubs, preferably local ones, where they could share registrations in some way. For instance a club like Barnet or Orient might welcome players from a partner club, improving the players available and possibly drawing more supporters who want to see their young players in action. Other clubs might want to keep their independence.

 

[Baleforce]

i think its the only way forward, 92 professional clubs is unsustainable in my opinion, i think it should be affiliations though rather than B teams as has been said above

 

[Notmegov]

Just trying to copy some of the more successful European leagues, Spain, Germany the dutch league. I love the history of are league structure but the way it set up at the moment there is very little chance of a late developing English player making it any more.

 

[clevelandspur]

The death of the competition if this happens.

It would be an insult to any club in a lower division that has to play against a 'B' team and undermines the integrity of the league structure.

this also to mention if the league play is below league 2 standard how is this going to develop England talent?

 

[SpurMeUp]

What about an enhanced Youth League like American Collage Football? I know we would love to watch a Spurs youth team in an slimmed down, exciting and competitive league.

 

[braineclipse]

this also to mention if the league play is below league 2 standard how is this going to develop England talent?

It does say in the article that these B-teams will get promoted (up to League 1) and relegated.

Imagine us having a League 1 B-team for players like Pritchard etc to play in where they can be coached by our presumably superior coaches at our world class training ground, but play competitive games. I think there could be some benefit there for top teams looking to develop talented youngsters. And ultimately it would be better for the English national team too, which I think is at least part of the motivation.

But of course that has to be weighed up against tradition and the interests of the smaller clubs down the league system. My guess is that the FA will weigh the national team and interests of big clubs higher.

 

[Raziel]

The B team option would work, reality is if it's to develop English/British players, the homegrown requirements for the B team should be higher than 1st team.

Think a team should be allowed to be promoted to Championship, realistically if the first team is in Championship you probably don't have the resources to run a B team expenses.

 

[clevelandspur]

It does say in the article that these B-teams will get promoted (up to League 1) and relegated.

Imagine us having a League 1 B-team for players like Pritchard etc to play in where they can be coached by our presumably superior coaches at our world class training ground, but play competitive games. I think there could be some benefit there for top teams looking to develop talented youngsters. And ultimately it would be better for the English national team too, which I think is at least part of the motivation.

But of course that has to be weighed up against tradition and the interests of the smaller clubs down the league system. My guess is that the FA will weigh the national team and interests of big clubs higher.

I think it would really hurt the football league though. Looking at league 1 attendances only a handful of clubs are averaging under 5,000 a home match. These B teams would really kill the atmosphere in the leagues. Even a club of our size how many would travel to see the B team presumably on the same days a lot of time as we play a PL fixture? And even those who did travel would mostly be indifferent to the result (as I imagine some players would as well) More concerned with how the top youth prospects look on the day. I think as it is now a loan spell to the right club in the right situation can do the same amount of good (sometimes more in terms of relegation/promotion scrap)

I do see how it could help development at some of the top clubs and for the national team but I think the damage it would do to the league setup far outweighs the positives. Look at the Championship for example I would say that is followed internationally more closely than a lot of country's first divisions and then you look at countries like Spain and Italy which allow clubs B teams in its second tier and it really makes those leagues irrelevant.

 

[camspur]

Just trying to copy some of the more successful European leagues, Spain, Germany the dutch league. I love the history of are league structure but the way it set up at the moment there is very little chance of a late developing English player making it any more.

The success of those leagues does not lie in having the B team in lower divisions.

 

[monkeybarry]

If any of you think the primary purpose of the lge system is to develop talent for the top teams, then I politely request you **** off and watch a sport like American football.

Football is a competition with depth and inclusion that no other sport can rival.
It is rich in sporting diversity and, more importantly, fan diversity.
Being able to go to the 85th worst team in the country and still find people that care is something we should fight to protect, rather than solely embracing a race to the top

I agree to some extent that 92 pro teams (in reality though it's more like 100+ with the conference ). But if so, the 72 football lge members should decide that and agree on downsizing if they want to. And not because big clubs cannot A) fit all their bloated squads together or B) develop their youth as a result of A)

 

[braineclipse]

I think it would really hurt the football league though. Looking at league 1 attendances only a handful of clubs are averaging under 5,000 a home match. These B teams would really kill the atmosphere in the leagues. Even a club of our size how many would travel to see the B team presumably on the same days a lot of time as we play a PL fixture? And even those who did travel would mostly be indifferent to the result (as I imagine some players would as well) More concerned with how the top youth prospects look on the day. I think as it is now a loan spell to the right club in the right situation can do the same amount of good (sometimes more in terms of relegation/promotion scrap)

I do see how it could help development at some of the top clubs and for the national team but I think the damage it would do to the league setup far outweighs the positives. Look at the Championship for example I would say that is followed internationally more closely than a lot of country's first divisions and then you look at countries like Spain and Italy which allow clubs B teams in its second tier and it really makes those leagues irrelevant.

I cannot disagree with any of that and I probably agree with most of it.

As a foreigner I don't have your connection to or knowledge of the lower league clubs, my feelings either way on this is not strong as I also don't care much for your national team Although I think the lower leagues represent great tradition worth keeping and that it adds something special to English football. Overall, to me, I would rather see it stay the same.

My comment was just one about what I think The FA will do, not what I prefer. Although a benefit to the big clubs in general it wouldn't be a benefit to us as a club over others.

All in all I think it will play a rather minor part in player developments, and although I think it's about time English football made an effort to try to make up ground on youth work I'm not sure if this part is worth it or even all that beneficial. On the other side it would probably not be a huge number of clubs with B-teams in each league. Perhaps 3-4 B-teams in League One and the same in League Two wouldn't make that much of a difference? I'm not sure to be honest.

 

[Notmegov]

The success of those leagues does not lie in having the B team in lower divisions.

Its got to be a better system than the loan system, sending your kids out to 3rd rate facilities and questionable coaching compared to having them being run from your state of the art training centre under the watchful eye of some of the best youth coaches in the league.

 

[monkeybarry]

I cannot disagree with any of that and I probably agree with most of it.

As a foreigner I don't have your connection to or knowledge of the lower league clubs, my feelings either way on this is not strong as I also don't care much for your national team Although I think the lower leagues represent great tradition worth keeping and that it adds something special to English football. Overall, to me, I would rather see it stay the same.

My comment was just one about what I think The FA will do, not what I prefer. Although a benefit to the big clubs in general it wouldn't be a benefit to us as a club over others.

All in all I think it will play a rather minor part in player developments, and although I think it's about time English football made an effort to try to make up ground on youth work I'm not sure if this part is worth it or even all that beneficial. On the other side it would probably not be a huge number of clubs with B-teams in each league. Perhaps 3-4 B-teams in League One and the same in League Two wouldn't make that much of a difference? I'm not sure to be honest.

But you do have an understanding of spurs, right?
If so, you should appreciate the importance of the lge structure

 

[braineclipse]

But you do have an understanding of spurs, right?
If so, you should appreciate the importance of the lge structure

I understand that the current league structure is great for a lot of fans, including a lot of our fans.

I'm not sure if I understand why the league structure is so important for Spurs as a club at this point. How exactly would it hurt us if this change was made?

 

[monkeybarry]

I understand that the current league structure is great for a lot of fans, including a lot of our fans.

I'm not sure if I understand why the league structure is so important for Spurs as a club at this point. How exactly would it hurt us if this change was made?

Tradition and football clubs are not 'of the moment'.

They are long, well established clubs whose ethos, identity and fan base are a result of said tradition.

And that directly relates to spurs, to our founding and to everything that has gone before today and will happen into the future.

Otherwise we may as well take the US model and move the club where ever is best suited.

 

[monkeybarry]

Just to add to that

Its not about spurs, or any single club. Nor should it ever be.

Its about the competition as a whole, one within which all clubs compete.

 

[camspur]

Its got to be a better system than the loan system, sending your kids out to 3rd rate facilities and questionable coaching compared to having them being run from your state of the art training centre under the watchful eye of some of the best youth coaches in the league.

If that were the case then the Reserve league wouldn't have folded.

If the B team league was for bringing in decent English youth then I wouldn't be averse to the idea but we know clubs like City, Chelsea and Arsanal will just fill it with 17yo imports.

 

[braineclipse]

Monkeybarry: Not saying you're wrong, but the way football has been polarized by money I'm struggle to see how what you're saying relates to Spurs as a club today.

It's not about just one club, it's not about just now, it's about tradition and an ethos. I have no disagreements, but these are all moral/ethical questions of what football should or shouldn't be. Not as much about what will happen with Spurs if this happens.

To turn it around, do you think this change will have a long term negative effect on Spurs as a club? And if so, how?