27 replies to this topic

[jaybee1978]

Following on from Falkirk knocking Rangers out the Communities league cup I read some interesting things about Falkirk and the way they are planning ahead.

Their chairman Martin Ritchie has stood by Steven Pressley after some fans called for his head following what was regarded as failure to get promoted back to SPL. He views Pressley as one of best young managers in country.

He has been rewarded in showing faith in Pressley as Falkirk are unbeaten in 9 games including victory over Rangers. What makes this even better is that they did this with 5 teenagers starting and another 5 on the bench. The 5 who started all came through youth academy including 16 year old Craig Sibbald who has teams like Arsenal, Aston Villa, Spurs, Bolton, Liverpool, Man City, Wigan, Leicester and Huddersfield scouting him. Sibbald has just extended his contract till 2014 but it is likely he will move on soon. Murray Wallace and Stephen Kingsley have also extended deals till 2014.

The youth academy at Falkirk costs £200,000 a year and is working well so far as team rely heavily on youth. They are choosing to spend this money on developing players who can then be sold on and gain revenue for the club. Some of these youngsters are maybe having to play before they are ready but I think Falkirk are to be admired for their approach and it is way ahead for all Scottish clubs.

[HulltoonClock]

They are starting to play well now but division one is probably the most cut-throat in the UK, it was amazing those chairmen never made a play- off spot available. If one team has a great start and goes well clear the rest have nothing to play for. Crazy.

[jaybee1978]

Would you like to see SFL restructured or would you be in favour of extending SPL? Who is it you support if you don't mind me asking?

[HulltoonClock]

For one thing I don't think Scotland needs four leagues, maybe three larger ones. Mononoty is the biggest problem in Scottish football, playing each other four times, then cup games, replays etc etc. I think Rangers played Celtic seven times last season, ludicrous. Even Dundee United v Motherwell was about the same, I would prefer bigger leagues where you play each other twice, once home and once away. Most of the top leagues in Europe have this but for some reason Scotland is the odd one out, they can all make it work but Scotland can't. Weird. I support Dundee, even a first division of 16 would be better, playing each other once at home and once away is better than a smaller league of twice at home and twice away. Even the players mention they are tired of playing the same teams so often but the authorities just bury their heads in the sand and ignore it.

[jaybee1978]

Totally agree with you. Unfortunately the powers that be don't seem to be interested in listening to the fans.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Don't think you'd get too many on here disagreeing with you regrading increasing the amount of teams in each league (I know Panda would be one), we need to do something to try to improve things.

[pandamonk]

Grumpy Old Man said:

Don't think you'd get too many on here disagreeing with you regrading increasing the amount of teams in each league (I know Panda would be one), we need to do something to try to improve things.

... like giving teams more money by reducing the top flight :P

[Grumpy Old Man]

pandamonk said:

Grumpy Old Man said:

Don't think you'd get too many on here disagreeing with you regrading increasing the amount of teams in each league (I know Panda would be one), we need to do something to try to improve things.

... like giving teams more money by reducing the top flight :P

If nothing else Panda you stick to your guns :lol: :lol:

[HulltoonClock]

Imagine the football authorities in England recommending getting rid of the leagues of 20 or 22 or whatever they are and replacing them with leagues of 10 or 12 playing each other four times in the league alone. They would be laughed out of the building, yet we have to put up with it.

[?apester]

Whats the point if reducing the number from 12 to 10 the financial gain for the remaining 10 would be negligible . Scottish football is dying on its arse because of boredom . Playing each other 4 times is tedious and a 10 team league would make it even worse . Been there done that .

The league needs to go up to at least 16 and gate prices need to come back to reality . Bums on seats boys bums on seats .

[HulltoonClock]

Why did they throw the league of ten in the bin in the forst place ? Maybe they need to remind themselves of why.

[HulltoonClock]

Maybe the authorities should look at the reasons why they threw a league of ten into the dustbin in the first place, maybe they should explain that to the fans.

[jaybee1978]

Check this thread out

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4574&p=69865#p69865

[pandamonk]

HulltoonClock said:

Imagine the football authorities in England recommending getting rid of the leagues of 20 or 22 or whatever they are and replacing them with leagues of 10 or 12 playing each other four times in the league alone. They would be laughed out of the building, yet we have to put up with it.

We have about 1/10th the population of England...

[pandamonk]

HulltoonClock said:

Maybe the authorities should look at the reasons why they threw a league of ten into the dustbin in the first place, maybe they should explain that to the fans.

They extended to 12 to allow new teams to join from the highland league without disturbing the SFL. The top tier had some of their highest attendances in the years of 10-teams, but since extending to 12 this has dropped. Some of the lowest attendances recorded were when the top tier had 16-teams.

[HulltoonClock]

I remember the top league of 18 teams, play each other twice, 34 games, fine. Prices these days are shocking, like some of the "crowds" in the SPL.

[jaybee1978]

HulltoonClock, on 25 September 2011 - 12:10 PM, said:

I remember the top league of 18 teams, play each other twice, 34 games, fine. Prices these days are shocking, like some of the "crowds" in the SPL.

I agree with this. We should be extending league as so many SFL clubs are capable of competing in SPL as shown in recent years in both cups.

[Michael O'Donnell]

after seeing Falkirk give us a good game at Hampden in the Semi's i think Steven's onto Something. i'd love to see all Scottish football doing that and starting From Scratch!

[craig]

mickod88, on 01 March 2012 - 07:48 AM, said:

after seeing Falkirk give us a good game at Hampden in the Semi's i think Steven's onto Something. i'd love to see all Scottish football doing that and starting From Scratch!

With the boys being so young, it would maybe be a good thing for them to miss out on promotion this year and have another year under their belt before moving to the SPL.

[Michael O'Donnell]

craig, on 01 March 2012 - 08:38 AM, said:

With the boys being so young, it would maybe be a good thing for them to miss out on promotion this year and have another year under their belt before moving to the SPL.

aye definetly, they'd be more than ready for the SPL, especially if pressley manages to keep ahold of the players!