- May 26, 2004
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Its an interesting idea for certain. People have mentionned certain technical problems with the MLS, and as pointed out we already have a link with an existing team, although maybe more could be made of the tie up.
My problem would be the players. A lot of the B/Reserve team players are kids. You are asking them to move abroad while they are still in their teens, away from family/friends. While we do bring in youngsters from abroad, its a lot easier to integrate when the majority of your new teammates have strong ties with the community and the area, than if you all move somewhere new, where you dont know anyone, nobody knows the local area and nobody knows the local customs.
I also hate the idea of putting B teams in the English league structure. First off, if you allow certain teams to have B teams it creates a sense of superiority. No doubt a team like Newcastle would have put in a B team, and then they got relegated. Do we let everyone have a B team, meaniong double the teams in the league structure? Do we let the top teams, with the biggest budgets, snap up every young player going because they can play in the b team in league one??
It works in Spain, to a certain extent, because apart from the top league and half of the segunda division, the rest is really really poor. We are talking conference esque attendances. England is pretty unique in having such an extensive professional league structure, and a massive semi-pro structure. The Championship is the 5th most followed league in Europe!!
I like feeder club links, I like seeing players going out on loan and getting real match experience, not the dross in the reserve league. I'd like to see a more local link up with a league 1/2 team, Brentford/Orient perhaps, where we constantly send loan players out with the udnerstanding they get plenty of games. We seem to have that with Yeovil, which is great.
My problem would be the players. A lot of the B/Reserve team players are kids. You are asking them to move abroad while they are still in their teens, away from family/friends. While we do bring in youngsters from abroad, its a lot easier to integrate when the majority of your new teammates have strong ties with the community and the area, than if you all move somewhere new, where you dont know anyone, nobody knows the local area and nobody knows the local customs.
I also hate the idea of putting B teams in the English league structure. First off, if you allow certain teams to have B teams it creates a sense of superiority. No doubt a team like Newcastle would have put in a B team, and then they got relegated. Do we let everyone have a B team, meaniong double the teams in the league structure? Do we let the top teams, with the biggest budgets, snap up every young player going because they can play in the b team in league one??
It works in Spain, to a certain extent, because apart from the top league and half of the segunda division, the rest is really really poor. We are talking conference esque attendances. England is pretty unique in having such an extensive professional league structure, and a massive semi-pro structure. The Championship is the 5th most followed league in Europe!!
I like feeder club links, I like seeing players going out on loan and getting real match experience, not the dross in the reserve league. I'd like to see a more local link up with a league 1/2 team, Brentford/Orient perhaps, where we constantly send loan players out with the udnerstanding they get plenty of games. We seem to have that with Yeovil, which is great.