How would YOU 'fix' Football?

[toon25]

On 16/02/2024 at 09:48, The College Dropout said:

Rather limit the number of over 23's on the books at the elite level.

 

Used to know someone that worked for the FA as some sort of inspector for the football academies, and I remember him saying that a lot of smaller clubs just don't bother with academies until players are at a certain age (if at all) now. He said the likes of Chelsea and City are effective monopolies in this regard.

 

Have thought about this recently - especially in light of FFP and the obvious advantage that City/Chelsea now have by virtue of playing the system and hoovering up top talent, but one of the solutions could essentially be a centralised pool of players until, say, 16, who are registered with the FA/a central body with a number of locations across the UK. There's then some sort of 'draft' system, similar to some US sports, which is dependent on league position to then move those players on to clubs.

 

Essentially, from what I can see, the horse has already bolted with regards to FFP. These larger clubs now have sufficiently large academies to keep generating revenue which means there'll always be a route around the restrictions that other clubs with smaller academies will come up against.

 

 

Edited February 18 by toon25

[kanewilliamson]

To enhance football, I propose implementing safety measures and modifying rules to promote fair play and reduce injuries. Emphasizing flag football over tackle could mitigate risks associated with physical contact while maintaining the essence of the game. Additionally, investing in technology to assist referees in decision-making could improve accuracy and transparency, fostering greater trust in officiating. Moreover, initiatives to promote diversity and inclusivity within the sport, both on and off the field, could enrich its global appeal and cultural significance.

[Interpolic]

Whey AI. 

[Dr.Spaceman]

I'm not sure football's global appeal is something we need to be concerned with. It's okay if some people don't like it, we don't need to get all defensive. Part of the problem with where we're at today is down to the attempted globalisation of European football, surely.

 

I'm also not sure how you maintain the essence of the game whilst eliminating tackles altogether.

 

I actually disagree with everything you've suggested, other than the obvious inclusivity and diversity bit ?

[gbandit]

They’re not real Spaceman. New Zealand’s finest has not joined N-O sadly

[Dr.Spaceman]

I've been done, I thought I was conversing with the master himself.

[BlazeT44]

24 minutes ago, kanewilliamson said:

To enhance football, I propose implementing safety measures and modifying rules to promote fair play and reduce injuries. Emphasizing flag football over tackle could mitigate risks associated with physical contact while maintaining the essence of the game. Additionally, investing in technology to assist referees in decision-making could improve accuracy and transparency, fostering greater trust in officiating. Moreover, initiatives to promote diversity and inclusivity within the sport, both on and off the field, could enrich its global appeal and cultural significance.

 

?? It's happening! They're taking over!

[Mase]

On 18/02/2024 at 09:44, toon25 said:

 

Used to know someone that worked for the FA as some sort of inspector for the football academies, and I remember him saying that a lot of smaller clubs just don't bother with academies until players are at a certain age (if at all) now. He said the likes of Chelsea and City are effective monopolies in this regard.

 

Have thought about this recently - especially in light of FFP and the obvious advantage that City/Chelsea now have by virtue of playing the system and hoovering up top talent, but one of the solutions could essentially be a centralised pool of players until, say, 16, who are registered with the FA/a central body with a number of locations across the UK. There's then some sort of 'draft' system, similar to some US sports, which is dependent on league position to then move those players on to clubs.

 

Essentially, from what I can see, the horse has already bolted with regards to FFP. These larger clubs now have sufficiently large academies to keep generating revenue which means there'll always be a route around the restrictions that other clubs with smaller academies will come up against.

 

 

 

At the same time, City have probably the best facilities for academy kids in the land, so would it not be on the shoulders of other teams to catch up with them and provide something similar? Then maybe kids would choose other academies apart from City. City shouldn’t lower their standards just to make it easier for other teams - other teams need to raise theirs. 

 

It’s not like Pep is in favour of giving kids a really good run anyway. We usually develop them to then sell for peanuts to other teams who either have them in their team for years, or sell them for more than double what they paid a year later. 

[mighty__mag]

Reintroduce the foreign player rule from the 90s in your starting eleven. That would really drive teams to look to their academy and grow the English players. Remember it drove Fergie mad in the 90s.

 

Maximum of five in your starting eleven. 

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/2000/jul/02/newsstory.sport

 

It was discussed in more recent times in the above article, but the Premier league and the likes of Chelsea didn't like the idea.

 

 

Edited March 18 by mighty__mag

[Mase]

For me, I’d like to see teams like yourselves, Villa, Brighton etc be able to break the “top 4” without the corruption of trying to keep the red teams in it.

 

In 2013 the chief of the Premier League openly said that Man U not winning the league was detrimental to the Premier League - he said that openly and people just ignored it. 
 

The excitement of Leicester winning it the other year showed that new fans will be brought to the league by a new team winning it. But realistically it’s not about fans anymore, it’s about money. 
 

It’s a shame but that’s the way it is now. My favourite memories are still of games at Maine Road, playing football at halftime behind the Kippax. Football and the rules were more simple then, it was more enjoyable.

No matter what City win I’ll always look back and have fonder memories of the Maine Road days than now. Going into school as a kid surrounded by red shite that never went to matches and having a me vs them attitude was great!

 

Football just needs that enjoyment back, the life is being sucked out of it every season. 

[toon25]

1 hour ago, Mase said:

At the same time, City have probably the best facilities for academy kids in the land, so would it not be on the shoulders of other teams to catch up with them and provide something similar? Then maybe kids would choose other academies apart from City. City shouldn’t lower their standards just to make it easier for other teams - other teams need to raise theirs. 

 

It’s not like Pep is in favour of giving kids a really good run anyway. We usually develop them to then sell for peanuts to other teams who either have them in their team for years, or sell them for more than double what they paid a year later. 

 

With what money would other clubs be able to invest in facilities to bring them up to City levels? Hundreds of millions have been invested into that infrastructure. 

[Mase]

1 hour ago, toon25 said:

 

With what money would other clubs be able to invest in facilities to bring them up to City levels? Hundreds of millions have been invested into that infrastructure. 

Is your owner not able to do the same? As far as I’m aware, improvement of facilities doesn’t go against FFP. 
 

Any reason why Brighton can’t do what Leicester did and spend £80m of the £100m they got from Caicedo and create fantastic academy and training facilities like Leicester have done with the Maguire money?

[Froggy]

2 hours ago, toon25 said:

 

With what money would other clubs be able to invest in facilities to bring them up to City levels? Hundreds of millions have been invested into that infrastructure. 

 

There's no limit on what can be spent on infrastructure. Your owners are richer than God. They could bring you to City's level, facility wise, if they wanted to.

[bobbydazzla]

11 minutes ago, Froggy said:

 

There's no limit on what can be spent on infrastructure. Your owners are richer than God. They could bring you to City's level, facility wise, if they wanted to.

We’ve got a grade II listed Victorian terrace preventing our owners from investing in infrastructure 

 

If it wasn’t for that terrace we’d have won the league by now 

 

 

Edited March 18 by bobbydazzla

[gbandit]

Just now, bobbydazzla said:

We’ve got a grade II listed Victorian terrace preventing our owners from investing in infrastructure 

 

If it wasn’t for that terrace we’d have won the league by now 

We’d have set up our own league by now. Would have been us and a few feeder clubs bending over for us every game. WWWWW’s al owa the shop

[LFEE]

4 hours ago, Mase said:

For me, I’d like to see teams like yourselves, Villa, Brighton etc be able to break the “top 4” without the corruption of trying to keep the red teams in it.

 

In 2013 the chief of the Premier League openly said that Man U not winning the league was detrimental to the Premier League - he said that openly and people just ignored it. 
 

The excitement of Leicester winning it the other year showed that new fans will be brought to the league by a new team winning it. But realistically it’s not about fans anymore, it’s about money. 
 

It’s a shame but that’s the way it is now. My favourite memories are still of games at Maine Road, playing football at halftime behind the Kippax. Football and the rules were more simple then, it was more enjoyable.

No matter what City win I’ll always look back and have fonder memories of the Maine Road days than now. Going into school as a kid surrounded by red shite that never went to matches and having a me vs them attitude was great!

 

Football just needs that enjoyment back, the life is being sucked out of it every season. 

As much as I personally agree regarding the renewed excitement I felt when Leicester went on to win the league the sad truth is it was the season with the lowest overall viewing figures because of it and it’s a pretty well known secret/phrase that in a exclusive “Big 6” meeting with Richard Scudamore it was said “we need to make sure this never happens again…” or words to that effect hence he probably knew it was a good time to get out as could see the writing on the wall. As much as I dislike Masters he’s got a thankless task in reality. Hence why an independent regulator is so feared by the bigger clubs.

 

Sadly the priority of the local fan to a club is as a similar irrelevance at times as the UK fan to the EPL. Or should I say PL as they dropped the English to help appeal to the global market. Again highlighting my point.

[Stal]

Maybe they could just admit it's all predetermined and we can refer to it as "sports entertainment with a ball".

[AyeDubbleYoo]

31 minutes ago, Froggy said:

There's no limit on what can be spent on infrastructure. Your owners are richer than God. They could bring you to City's level, facility wise, if they wanted to.

 

Expect they will. 

[Froggy]

1 minute ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Expect they will. 

 

Aye. I'd say those plans are well underway. 

[FLUMPO235]

47 minutes ago, LFEE said:

As much as I personally agree regarding the renewed excitement I felt when Leicester went on to win the league the sad truth is it was the season with the lowest overall viewing figures because of it and it’s a pretty well known secret/phrase that in a exclusive “Big 6” meeting with Richard Scudamore it was said “we need to make sure this never happens again…” or words to that effect hence he probably knew it was a good time to get out as could see the writing on the wall. As much as I dislike Masters he’s got a thankless task in reality. Hence why an independent regulator is so feared by the bigger clubs.

 

Sadly the priority of the local fan to a club is as a similar irrelevance at times as the UK fan to the EPL. Or should I say PL as they dropped the English to help appeal to the global market. Again highlighting my point.

was the decision not to call it the English premier league made back in 91/92 then on that basis? 
 

I actually find it annoying that in the last few years the EPL is suddenly being used as it was never called the EPL, always the FA prem league, the prem or the PL. 

 

the term EPL seems to have been pushed massively in the last few years.