"B" teams instead of reserve teams

[Guest Rafa]

What do you think of the suggestion that Premiership clubs have 'B' teams that play in the football league? IE - very similar to how they work it in Spain, where teams playing the the 2nd divisions, but can't be promoted to the top division, and don't compete in the cup (anymore).

 

It's something that Maurenho talked about recently, although I think his motives are wrong, being as it'd be a way for them to sign even more players who won't play. 

 

It's also something that Benitez was asked about today, and he agrees with the idea in principle I think cos of how it worked in Spain.

 

I kinda like the idea in principle so long as there is proper control to stop some clubs from using it purely as a way to buy more and more players. IE, if it was a showcase for younger players maybe with a limit on senior players in the team. It'd be far more competitive and motivating for players, than reserve games played midweek in front of a few hundred. 

 

BUT, I very much doubt it could work here, as where would the places in the leagues come from for all these new teams for starters!

[Cronky]

It's been a growing problem for a while now that the top clubs have difficulty in giving their younger players any decent playing experience. The standard is now so high, that they can't afford to give youngsters a decent run in the side without it costing them too much in terms of results. They end up having to loan them out, or let them leave at the age of 23 or so, without having gained much first team experience.

 

I think the B team idea sounds better than reserve games, and if the League was being formed now, it would probably be part of the set up. Trouble is, it's not a blank sheet and like you say, who's going to make way for all these B sides?

 

Of course the glorious exception has been Arsenal, who have been able to bring so many youngsters through. Even there, you have to take into account that they take the best young players on an international rather than a national scale, and it's not something every club could do. There are also signs now that it's starting to put them at a bit of a disadvantage compared to Man U and Chelsea.

[1878]

It's a disgusting suggestion.

 

Lets kill football clubs that have 100 plus years of history so that Sean Wright Phillips and Gabriel fucking Paletta can get a game. Nice one.

[Dr Spectrum]

It's a disgusting suggestion.

 

Lets kill football clubs that have 100 plus years of history so that Sean Wright Phillips and Gabriel fucking Paletta can get a game. Nice one.

 

Damn right. There's no need to piss in the faces of everyone who supports a lower league club - If these clubs can't manage their overly large squads they shouldn't be signing so many players. And if they are that desperate for some of there youngsters to get a game they could send them out on loan and get the exact same result. Its a pointless suggestion. Frankly I don't know how they get away with it overseas - Do these leagues have no soul?

[Matt]

The Football League is working quite well without them. While a lot of clubs still struggle financially, gates are still strong across the divisions, espeically when compared to equivalent leagues abroad.

 

This smacks of further big-gun-centric movement in football.

[Guest TheOrder]

How shit could you get?

[Ally]

Nah, shite idea. As others say, its their own fault for buying so many players. Cheeky cunts.

[Exiled in Texas]

I think what will eventually happen is that the League 1 and League 1 teams will become feeder clubs for the big ones, and there will be a formalised relationship where players go up/down between the lower club and the big club.

What is does, unfortunately, is push some of the lower tier players out of a job as Big Club reserve teamers and subs take spots in the minor league teams saturday lineup.

 

eg Newcastle form relationships with Hartlepool and Darlo and send their players there for development. Newcastle retains control over these two clubs in terms of controling the coaching staff and managers etc.

[Martin Lol]

I think what will eventually happen is that the League 1 and League 1 teams will become feeder clubs for the big ones, and there will be a formalised relationship where players go up/down between the lower club and the big club.

What is does, unfortunately, is push some of the lower tier players out of a job as Big Club reserve teamers and subs take spots in the minor league teams saturday lineup.

 

eg Newcastle form relationships with Hartlepool and Darlo and send their players there for development. Newcastle retains control over these two clubs in terms of controling the coaching staff and managers etc.

 

But what if Darlington or Hartlepool keep getting promoted?  Spain has a no promotion rule for the B teams, how would you feel if you were a Darlington fan?  I'd be p*ssed off!  More to the point, if there were a number of B teams being introduced, further down the food chain there will be clubs being bounced into the Conference.  No,  if Chelsea want a B team or an agreed feeder club, let Abramovich buy a team in Scotland or France and ship the rest of the squad there.  The agreement that Manure have with Royal Antwerp is the way for Chelsea to go if that's what they want.

[Exiled in Texas]

I think what will eventually happen is that the League 1 and League 1 teams will become feeder clubs for the big ones, and there will be a formalised relationship where players go up/down between the lower club and the big club.

What is does, unfortunately, is push some of the lower tier players out of a job as Big Club reserve teamers and subs take spots in the minor league teams saturday lineup.

 

eg Newcastle form relationships with Hartlepool and Darlo and send their players there for development. Newcastle retains control over these two clubs in terms of controling the coaching staff and managers etc.

 

But what if Darlington or Hartlepool keep getting promoted?  Spain has a no promotion rule for the B teams, how would you feel if you were a Darlington fan?  I'd be p*ssed off!  More to the point, if there were a number of B teams being introduced, further down the food chain there will be clubs being bounced into the Conference.   No,  if Chelsea want a B team or an agreed feeder club, let Abramovich buy a team in Scotland or France and ship the rest of the squad there.  The agreement that Manure have with Royal Antwerp is the way for Chelsea to go if that's what they want.

 

True....the minor league/feeder club approach that they have with Baseball and Hockey works because there is no promotion/relagation between leagues.  Within one countrys structure there would be issues of Chelsea B getting promoted  into the same league as Chelsea A or a series of B league teams topping their division but the 8th through 10th teams get promoted. That couldn't work. But going over seas could work.

[Guest Roman A.]

Jose just wants this B team thing to improve and train young prospects.

 

The reserve league is simply not good enough and young players do not get the eperience and competition they need.

 

I mean, look at England under 18 for the past few years, how many of them actually made it to the senoir team?

 

IMO this diea can benift both clubs and the national team.

[Guest Trizone]

Norway has the same set-up as Spain, with B-teams in the lower leagues and a rule that states that there has to be at least one division in between A- and B- team. It works out well here, but I don't see the need for it in England as you allready have a functioning reserve league.

 

 

[Baggio]

Jose just wants this B team thing to improve and train young prospects.

 

The reserve league is simply not good enough and young players do not get the eperience and competition they need.

 

I mean, look at England under 18 for the past few years, how many of them actually made it to the senoir team?

 

IMO this diea can benift both clubs and the national team.

 

Just noticed we have a Chelsea fan on the forum. Welcome aboard

[Martin Lol]

Jose just wants this B team thing to improve and train young prospects.

 

The reserve league is simply not good enough and young players do not get the eperience and competition they need.

 

I mean, look at England under 18 for the past few years, how many of them actually made it to the senoir team?

 

IMO this diea can benift both clubs and the national team.

 

Your argument really doesn't hold up.  There have been a number of youngsters breaking through into the senior squad, probably a lot more now than say pre Premier League days.  The comment that the reserve league is simply not good enough implies that Chelsea are winning the league/not getting adequate competition.  In fact, Chelsea are 3rd in the Reserve League, their last game being a 3-1 home defeat by Watford.

 

As I said before, Man Utd have imho the right idea with Royal Antwerp and Spurs have broad agreement for association with Zaglebie Lubin in Poland and FC Brussels in the Jupiler League.  Personally I would be far happier to see those arrangements finalised than linking up with Leyton Orient.

[Wullie]

Do all Primera Liga clubs have teams playing in the lower leagues in Spain or is it just the big guns?

 

I don't watch our reserves but from the ones that break into the first team and the ones that go elsewhere, I'd doubt that they could survive the Championship or even League 1.

[Guest Moe-Ali]

It's a disgusting suggestion.

 

Lets kill football clubs that have 100 plus years of history so that Sean Wright Phillips and Gabriel f***ing Paletta can get a game. Nice one.

[James]

I think the best solution would be to have a multi-tiered European Reserve Superleague. Would give the second team an opportunity to play against a higher standard of team. You'd only be allowed in initially if your facilities were of a certain standard, and relegation and promotion would quickly sort out the teams who take and dont take second string football seriously. Improving teams will be able to get promoted out of their domestic reserve leagues, so the cut wont be permanent, and the number of divisions would increase as the number of countries with good enough facilities start to increase.

 

Such an approach is more likely to give the top prospects a better tactical and technical grounding than a lower league leg chopping experience.

 

To make it work properly, there would need to be an U-23 rule imposed (with perhaps two wild card players being allowed if they havent played in the first team for 6 weeks) and further rules capping the number of foreign players in the starting XI.

[James]

I think the best solution would be to have a multi-tiered European Reserve Superleague. Would give the second team an opportunity to play against a higher standard of team. You'd only be allowed in initially if your facilities were of a certain standard, and relegation and promotion would quickly sort out the teams who take and dont take second string football seriously. Improving teams will be able to get promoted out of their domestic reserve leagues, so the cut wont be permanent, and the number of divisions would increase as the number of countries with good enough facilities start to increase.

 

Such an approach is more likely to give the top prospects a better tactical and technical grounding than a lower league leg chopping experience.

 

To make it work properly, there would need to be an U-23 rule imposed (with perhaps two wild card players being allowed if they havent played in the first team for 6 weeks) and further rules capping the number of foreign players in the starting XI.

 

So the top division would be the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Ajax and Bayern Munich.

[Guest GHoeberX]

I think the best solution would be to have a multi-tiered European Reserve Superleague. Would give the second team an opportunity to play against a higher standard of team. You'd only be allowed in initially if your facilities were of a certain standard, and relegation and promotion would quickly sort out the teams who take and dont take second string football seriously. Improving teams will be able to get promoted out of their domestic reserve leagues, so the cut wont be permanent, and the number of divisions would increase as the number of countries with good enough facilities start to increase.

 

Such an approach is more likely to give the top prospects a better tactical and technical grounding than a lower league leg chopping experience.

 

To make it work properly, there would need to be an U-23 rule imposed (with perhaps two wild card players being allowed if they havent played in the first team for 6 weeks) and further rules capping the number of foreign players in the starting XI.

 

So the top division would be the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Ajax and Bayern Munich.

 

AJAX? bluelaugh.gif OMG; they lose against every team atm, Sparta "Relegation" Rotterdam included! In the past 11 years, PSV has won EIGHT times in the Amsterdam Arena... do you realize how much that is? Imagine Arsenal winning 82% of the games at Old Trafford!

[Guest GHoeberX]

PS. In the netherlands we have second teams or 'youth teams' who just play in the regular leagues. and national cups! For example one of the cup games was Ajax vs Young RKC (that's a professional team) and the funniest part is that Young RKC scored the opening goal

 

I think about 5 years ago there was Ajax and Young Ajax in the Cup-SemiFinals.. if Young Ajax had won their game the cup final would have been Ajax vs Young Ajax!! Another good team is Young AZ as they are the only B-team currently left in the Dutch Cup.

 

(I just noted that I'm typing "Young" while that's probably very bad english, but I'm lazy to change everything now to Ajax B, AZ B, RKC B etc.)

[Guest optimistic nit]

[Guest GHoeberX]

 

Are you having a laugh at me, lad? bluedead.gif

[James]

I think the best solution would be to have a multi-tiered European Reserve Superleague. Would give the second team an opportunity to play against a higher standard of team. You'd only be allowed in initially if your facilities were of a certain standard, and relegation and promotion would quickly sort out the teams who take and dont take second string football seriously. Improving teams will be able to get promoted out of their domestic reserve leagues, so the cut wont be permanent, and the number of divisions would increase as the number of countries with good enough facilities start to increase.

 

Such an approach is more likely to give the top prospects a better tactical and technical grounding than a lower league leg chopping experience.

 

To make it work properly, there would need to be an U-23 rule imposed (with perhaps two wild card players being allowed if they havent played in the first team for 6 weeks) and further rules capping the number of foreign players in the starting XI.

 

So the top division would be the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Ajax and Bayern Munich.

 

AJAX? bluelaugh.gif OMG; they lose against every team atm, Sparta "Relegation" Rotterdam included! In the past 11 years, PSV has won EIGHT times in the Amsterdam Arena... do you realize how much that is? Imagine Arsenal winning 82% of the games at Old Trafford!

 

May not be at their best this second, but their youth system is second to none.

[Guest Rafa]

It's a disgusting suggestion.

 

Lets kill football clubs that have 100 plus years of history so that Sean Wright Phillips and Gabriel f***ing Paletta can get a game. Nice one.

 

Gabriel fucking Paletta actually plays more first team games than Wright Phillips. And more than the likes of Simon Davies and Andy Fucking Van Der Mayda (or whatever the fec).

 

But I know you where desperate for a name to pick and that is the best you could do, typically