Soccer Football - Scottish Cup Final - Celtic vs Motherwell - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Britain - May 19, 2018 Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell (2nd L) and Independent non-executive director Dermot Desmond (C) in the stand Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Brendan Rodgers has trashed the reconstruction proposals from the SPFL where the hapless Neil Doncaster has been CEO for 15 years.
What Doncaster has done for the good of Scottish football is hard to define, the CEO has seen his salary more than double, recently he was given a two year notice period in the sound knowledge that he’d get nowhere near his current salary elsewhere.
Demonstrating how out of touch they are the SPFL have been working on plans to reduce the top division from 12 teams to 10.
That would take two matches off the Fixture List and ensure four matches against every club and remove the split.
On social media there has barely been any sign of backing for the plan with the Celtic boss joining those that would prefer to see the league expanded in number rather than cut down
League reconstruction has been discussed this week, do you have a preference as to what that would look like?
I’ve just heard that, someone mentioned the possibility of it getting smaller or increasing. I certainly don’t think it needs to get smaller.
If it goes any way, I think there’s still a notion for me that we could bring a few more teams into the league.
Clearly, there’s maybe issues around TV revenue, money, or whatever way that would look like, and there might be a challenge to that. But I think from a football perspective, I always felt that the increase in the league would help.
How would you square that with perhaps a worry about playing too many games? I know that’s an ongoing discussion, but I think you’ve spoken as well. Is there a part of you that would like to see fewer league games, or how do you feel about the number?
I think the number has been 38 for a period of time, so I’m fairly comfortable with that. I think there’s lots of other football that gets added in, and then obviously your recovery time gets diminished.
I think especially when you’re a successful team, you expect to play and play more, so we accept that.
When I look at the bigger picture of the game, there’s absolutely no doubt about the recovery of players. When I see the competition in the summer, with teams at possibility of getting to the Champions League finals, and then literally a couple of weeks later going into a tournament that’s clearly driven by money, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.
But it’s the players that will suffer in the end, as will the supporters, because of the quality of the game.
There can be too much football. There absolutely can, and we all love football. I watch football from all around the world, games most nights, and sometimes three or four games a day. But you’re risking just showing too much football, which in time might turn people off. So I think we just have to be careful with the game.
I also mentioned before, I do think that it will become a 12-month season, the game, and then players may have to look at different recovery periods other than just in the summer. I think how it is going, you can see more games being added. Winter break has now been taken away.
So there’s obviously a lot of discussion points in it, but certainly from a domestic perspective, I think the notion of if you could have a few more teams in there, I think it could work well.
Rotation within the squad building process is going to become a much bigger factor, within the growing footballing calendar from now on?
Using Tierney as an example for next season already, we could already be potentially looking at
10 European matches at least
8 world cup qualify game
16 bigger SPFL matches
6 Scottish cup matches
40 total hopefully for Tierney at least
When was the last time Tierney was able for 40 matches within a season?
Especially with his injury record.
The obvious solution is schulpp for the potential situation arising.
Yet would we pay that much money to cover the LB position, especially as it would cost so much more than the RB position?
Especially when the same situation could well be in operation?
That’s of course, whether we still stick with a back 4 or even change to the 3 and allowing for the extra midfield player to be added?
Plenty for Rodgers to already ponder regarding the future and his squad building process for next season already imo?
Brendan has more dignity and intelligence in one single pubic hair than that Doncaster has in every sinew of his fuckin fibre being !
Why dont they just make it Celtic v Sevco 20 games a season. After all that’s what they want.
What does Neil Doncaster want to achieve?. Is it a more competitive and watchable Premiership and Championship Leagues?
There must be more prizemoney and TV monies distributed. There are some Clubs just hanging in there. The big money from transfers and Merchandise mainly goes to two Clubs. They deserve it. Qualifying for UEFA leagues is important.
Doesn’t Neil remember, that not long ago, Clubs and Fans rejected the suggestion of playing each of the other Clubs four times. I cannot at the moment suggest how the struggling Clubs can be made more wealthy. If the Fans are happy, is that enough? Inverness Caley Thistle probably not happy.
Player fatigue and injuries are a big worry in British Football, at the higher levels. There was a research paper published not long ago. There were porportionally more serious player injuries in football than for any other team contact sports in Britain.
How about 14 teams;39 Premiership games (No Split Rounds), 2 Clubs relegated and 2 promoted. Scottish Cup retained for Premiership League and Championship League Clubs. I believe this Cup is the most esteemed. The Sponsored League Cup can be retained for League 1 and League 2. Neil Doncaster must discuss his thought bubble with all the Clubs, Managers and Fan groups affiliated with SPFL Clubs. 13 teams, 36 games, bingo a winner, is acceptable.
Messed-up Joe. Top two standings in Championship, play off with bottom two in Premiership, for promotion or status quo.
If this season, it could be Falkirk and Ayr eligible for promotion.
Seems Neil Doncaster has run his idea up a flagpole to see who salutes it.
One of the first to consult, should be the Professional Footballers’ Association, SCOTLAND.
They have 42 active Football Player representatives, one from each SPFL Club. I can’t say for sure, but most reps are team Captains. I wish they would put out a Fan Media Release and Press Release stating their consensus opinion on
the SPFL CEO’s novel change to the Premiership competition program. Also, be frank on any improvements they can see.
16 teams, 30 League games per season, 2-up 2-down. More leeway for attractive football, less pressure, but will the lower clubs be happy with fewer fixtures when they’re not in Europe and out of the Cups ?