The Glory of 3rd place

[BornCaley]

So it seems once again; as it will be every year that all the other team in the SPL aim towards the 3rd spot in the table.

From day 1 we are all resigned as are the Media/Pundits/Bookmakers/Fans that the OF will be 1st & 2nd, and how boring is that.

Let me ask put to you a Scenario:

Do we think it would be healthy if say for example Aberdeen won the SPL with St Mirren in 2nd place?

The SFA/SPL would be in panic mode as this has a detrimental effect on Euro places/Finance/Co-efficient standings with Euefa.

No offence to Aberdeen or St Mirren but i couldnt see either of them making say the group stages of the Champions league, hence why we would lose valuable finance & Euro places

Bottom line is that the SFA/SPL/Media etc etc NEED the OF to be in 1st & 2nd place, which leaves the deadwood of the table to battle it out for 3rd spot.

What kind of league is that. No other league on the planet has a 2 team championship.. yes we could argue that the Premeirship has a 4 team championship, but i would happily have another 2 teams fight it out with the OF in the SPL if i could.

Is football that sad these days that the only way to win a championship is to buy it with a multi millionaires money

anyway rant over

[Alex MacLeod]

Its results that determine the co-efficient so if Aberdeen and St Mirren were to get into the Champions league and then do better than the Glasgow twins have done in the last couple of years then the co-efficient would maybe be better than it is now.

Unfortunately football is driven by money. Look at the champions league each season and you'll see its generally the same teams that are competing. There are a few teams in every top league in europe who's drive is always to get into the CL And they spend to suit. There's a lot of prize money at stake.

One problem with Scotland is the size of the country and the fact that historically religion dictated who you supported. hence Celtic and Rangers can both muster 50,000+ fans every week, whereas we cant get 4000. Go to a Spanish match and you'll not find too many away fans at a game. Partly because of distance to travel and partly because the home team is always going to sell to their own first so there's never many away spaces. (I believe Spain doesn't have rules on percentages of tickets for away support)

So long as there is an OF in the SPL then nothing will change as far as winning the league is concerned. The other teams dont have the fanbase anymore to provide the funds to be able to compete and very few money people are prepared to put up funds without gauranteed returns.

[BornCaley]

I totally agree Alex with your comments, but surely our situation is wholly unacceptable to the other 10 SPL managers. To be honest, i cant see an easy solution to the stranglehold OF have over the entire game in Scotland, but i gurantee that this subject will not even make it onto the minutes of the newly formed SPL managers forum or the suppposed shake-up announced by the SFA chief recently.

On a side not, but still linked.. As soon as the OF sniff at other teams players, Its becoming impossible for the other SPL teams to keep hold onto them..thus perpetuating the dominance that exists...

Its the Romans & the Christains, the British Colonials & the Empire, C3PO & R2D2

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

Hearts finished as runners up in the 2005 / 2006 season , so I kind of disagree with your 2 club league argument . Also Aberdeen were only 7 points behind Rangers the following season .