Just to give us all a brief respite from the ICT circus for a few minutes, I thought I would post a few interesting stories I found on the BBC site ..........

BBC Website

SFA chief wants football shake-up

Scottish football is to undergo its "biggest and most thorough investigation" into the game, the Scottish FA president has said.

George Peat said issues include streamlining the three administrative bodies, playing summer football, league reconstruction and referee performance.

"Scottish football suffers from an image problem because of all the negativity," Peat told The Herald.

Peat wants to invite people from across the sport into a "coalition committee".

The SFA president, who wants the group established within weeks, said it was not a response to the possible creation of a second tier of the Scottish Premier League. He believes the game cannot sustain three administrative bodies comprising the Scottish FA, SPL and Scottish Football League.

The agenda will also include playing football through the summer months; league reconstruction and the so-called pyramid system; improving referee performance and technology and a review of the SFA's Youth Action Plan.

There has been revived talk of a second tier of the Scottish Premier League to replace the present Scottish Football League-administered First Division.

"I have asked myself 'do we need three governing bodies?'" said Peat.

"I wanted to introduce this before SPL2 was ratified or otherwise. "I said to the SPL executive chairman Lex Gold that, if I brought this out after it had been agreed, people would say I am just trying to stop SPL2.

"That is not the case. I want this to be an open agenda, not what I think should happen."

SFA chief executive Gordon Smith was asked to investigate the feasibility of a workable pyramid structure in May.

"I would doubt if we can get anything introduced in time for next season," he said.

"But if we can find consensus then I hope we could do it a year come the summer.

"It would give people time to buy into it and I don't see why we can't have consensus on the best way forward for Scottish football."

The SPL said it welcomed "serious discussions" on the future direction of football in Scotland.

"We tabled our SPL2 proposal back in August 2006 to secure, promote and develop full time professional football in Scotland," said SPL executive chairman Lex Gold.

"The concept of the introduction of a pyramid structure was also advanced by us at the time, with the recognition that others would be responsible for managing that process. "We now await the decision of the SFA's arbitration on our SPL2 proposal and our board will review the SFA president's comments next week."

The SPL has just released a statement that reads as follows:

DIALOGUE AT LAST

The SPL today welcomed the willingness of George Peat, President of the Scottish FA, to engage in serious discussions on the way forward for full time football.

Lex Gold, Executive Chairman, commented: ?We tabled our SPL 2 proposal back in August 2006 to secure, promote and develop full time professional football in Scotland. The concept of the introduction of a pyramid structure was also advanced by us at the time, with the recognition that others would be responsible for managing that process.? (See extract below).

?We now await the decision of the Scottish FA?s arbitration on our SPL 2 proposal, which has taken almost two years. That decision will help shape the views of our clubs going forward. Our Board will review the Scottish FA President?s comments next week.?

?Dialogue and debate amongst the Scottish football authorities is healthy and we welcome any opportunity, through the proper channels, to drive improvements in the game in this country. But we do not see any role for politicians in this process.?

I really hope something comes of this, but unfortunately the SFA doesn't have enough power to override the wishes of the biggest clubs. They may get their pyramid system, which is great, but the i think they need to overhaul the whole thing:

Premier League: 16 Teams ? 3 relegation places

First Division: 16 Teams ? 3 promotion/relegation places

North, West and East Divisions: Play-offs for 3 First Divison Places.

League Cup: Similar format to Champions League ? Seeded 32 team group stage, followed by two-leg knock-out phase. Seedings are determined by previous season?s league positions.

Scottish Cup: Traditional format.

Season runs from March to November, with a month long break for World Cups and Euros.

The future development of the Scottish game in the hands of Lex Gold and George Peat, eh'll sleep easier now i know that

I really hope something comes of this, but unfortunately the SFA doesn't have enough power to override the wishes of the biggest clubs. They may get their pyramid system, which is great, but the i think they need to overhaul the whole thing:

Premier League: 16 Teams ? 3 relegation places

First Division: 16 Teams ? 3 promotion/relegation places

North, West and East Divisions: Play-offs for 3 First Divison Places.

League Cup: Similar format to Champions League ? Seeded 32 team group stage, followed by two-leg knock-out phase. Seedings are determined by previous season's league positions.

Scottish Cup: Traditional format.

Season runs from March to November, with a month long break for World Cups and Euros.

So would the 10 teams currently in the SFL not needed in 2 x 16 structure fall into regional leagues? Genuinely curious on your thoughts. How would relegation from the 1st work if all teams are from west of scotland? Where would they play? I think there's a lot more planning to be done before we'll see any changes.

2 teams from the 1st divison and 2 down would make it more intresting.

A 2 team top league.

A 2 team top league.

With two up two down

How would relegation from the 1st work if all teams are from west of scotland?

I don't know. The Germans manage it but i haven't been able to find out how. I imagine the regional leagues will have to be flexible with their numbers. The regional pyramid system is the one area of reconstruction that is likely to be implemented. Overtures are being made to the Juniors already through the Scottish Cup and the Highland and East of Scotland Leagues should be up for it.

The rest is just pie in the sky stuff. Regardless of what the players, managers and fans think about the repetitive nature of the current structure, the clubs will vote on basis of short-term financial concerns - which unfortunately means they will never vote for less games against the old firm.

Hopefully some good will come out of this investigation and discussion that Peat is proposing, but i feel that nothing short of a complete overhaul of the structure is what we need to make Scottish football more attractive to supporters.

I suppose it's wishful thinking that they could reconstruct in such a way that there is no relegation from the SPL this season!