Say no to 10 team league

[Kirishima]

From BBC today:

Stewart Milne: "Some people believe the plan on the table is the right one, others, whether they are trying to avoid making a decision, are going behind a 14-team league."

Neil Doncaster: "We clearly need to engage further with the clubs that favour another plan. It's important that we all work together."

Barstewards! Condescending, belligerent, egotistical, ignorant, aloof, barstewards! "we're right, you're wrong, we'll do it anyway" is not a valid opinion. They, Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Motherwell, Hibs and St Mirren, are half of the clubs going along with the SPLs mad plan. I could understand this point of view if it was 10-2 but as it stands its 6-6.

They say best v best, finacially viable, and all the rest...nothing about what is best for football.

All we hear is money, money, money. Cut your cloth!! Oh, sorry...you can't...you have large debts, dont you...

Edited June 3, 2011 by Kirishima

[12th Man]

Seeing as a 10 team league seems to be focused on tv, it doesnt offer much variety and subscriptions would soon be canceled. watching 10 teams play each other will become a bit tedious. If you made an English premiership super league consisting of the top 10 teams, on paper it sounds like a must see but in reality it would become mundane.

[Kirishima]

Seeing as a 10 team league seems to be focused on tv, it doesnt offer much variety and subscriptions would soon be canceled. watching 10 teams play each other will become a bit tedious. If you made an English premiership super league consisting of the top 10 teams, on paper it sounds like a must see but in reality it would become mundane.

That's the folly of it. The SPL are gambling it will be picked up by SKY for a shed load of cash. Fat chance, when the customers (88%) have said that's not what they want to "buy")

At the end of the day, it should be the SFA in charge of changes, not the chairmen, it is idiotic to have 12 men whose only pre-requisite to be the movers and shakers was to own, or be appointed by owners, of a single club. Unelected, unaccountable, and unrepresentative.

It's clear that Scottish football is a business, a product, merchandise, and I for one, am starting to dislike it.

[Gabby]

Caley D,

I would argue that you are too close to this to look at the proposal objectively, as a result I suspect you are letting your prejudices determine your decision making rather than considering facts. This results in quite frankly hysterical comments such as 12 teams to 10 teams means less money for clubs and 12 to 14 teams means more money.

Taking straw polls of fans is really of little consequence. This is because at the end of the day fans vote with their wallets by either attending games and buying merchandise. This is how clubs survive and therefore this is the only true measurement indicating what fans are thinking (Obviously I can't attend many games but I do buy a heap of merchandise, especially now the Aussie Dollar has appreciated against the Bristish Peso)

Also you mistake the word elitist with elite. When I speak of an elite competition, I am talking strictly about the athletes involved. The premier division should be a showpiece for the best Scottish footballers to compete and develop. I am tryiing to look at the bigger picture. This is not about individual clubs this is about improving the product to attract more sponsors, more fans.

I know it is unlikely we will see eye to eye on this, all I am trying to do is add some balance to the debate.

[+Tree]

Reading Levein's comments today shows what a lot of rubbish is being spoken in this debate.

Playing the best is what matters apparently!

Why then is a team which is playing in a league with only 2 good teams and a lot of average ones is being suggested by many as the best team ever?

Why are England not the best team in the world when they probably have the strongest league?

Why were Scotland not world beaters when we had a league of only 10. And indeed why did everyone get fed up of it and want to change it to try and stop the falling standard.

[12th Man]

I have not read Leveins comments but would assume that he wants his current Scotland players playing against the toughest most skillful opponents week in week out which kind of makes sense but a man of Leviens caliber will want whats best for Scotland long term too as I dont think hes a short term glory hunter and must have one eye on building for the future. Were the Dons and Hibs poor this season because of a 12 team league I dont think so. As for quality why did a club the size of ICT take so may points from the Old Firm. Scottish football is getting better below the old firm not worse.

More teams = more Scottish players playing in the SPL

Less SPL teams = less SPL players

Less SPL teams + more SPL cash = more Scottish 1st div players, more money to buy in players from England for SPL clubs, which means even less Scottish players in an already decreased SPL.