Post by Admin on Feb 16, 2012 7:23:52 GMT
We stand alone.
The REBIRTH of Scottish football.
This day I should be revelling in justice being done. This day I should be partying with my fellow supporters with the jelly and ice cream flowing at the demise of Rangers.
On this day I’m not.
Why?
Because in the eyes of the football association of this country, the league in which this corruption took place and in the words repeated night after night, day after day by the mainstream Scottish Media ……….. ‘We need them’
I’m here to tell you ‘we don’t’ and to give reasons why.
Anyone unfortunate enough to read my crap, and in turn give a crap, will know I’ve not really been around much lately. One of the reasons for this is because I, like the majority of people who engage their brain daily, realised this day was coming and rather than in effect write a ‘We told you so’ blog, I’ve been preparing an idea that, with the support of the football community of all clubs in Scotland, may make the SFA, SPL and the MSM take heed and realise ‘We don’t want nor need Glasgow Rangers to survive and flourish’.
Let’s face facts. At present, due to the calamitous running of our game at every level of the sport and through mismanagement of TV rights both past and present, there is a strong case being put forward by the laptop loyal for the immediate inclusion of a Rangers Newco into the SPL, as without them we would lose TV money and the competitive element of the league would, in their words, be non-existent.
In fact, fans of Celtic, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd etc need only switch on any of this nation’s radio stations to have sleepless nights based on the horror stories being transmitted into their lugs of a life without the institution that is the mighty Glasgow Rangers.
For me, it smacks a lot of another argument we Scots are currently having to endure at present – that of Independence. We have the MSM, SFA and SPL playing the roles of the Tory and Labour parties, telling us a whole host of scare stories about how we cannot survive without the established order. About how standing alone would somehow destroy us and that losing the culture brought upon us by the established order would be to lose part of our identity.
In relation to both Independence and Rangers this is, in a word,
PISH.
Anyway, I’m not here tonight to talk about the implications or to make sense of their plight. Many, many more people, Christ practically all of you are smarter and in a better position than me to put those cases forward. No, I’m here to talk about Scottish football supporters taking this chance, this glorious opportunity placed front of us to force the change that is needed in our game to make it more competitive, more attractive and ultimately self sufficient. Just as Rangers will inevitably do, we as a nation of football lovers will do also… WE WILL BE REBORN. We must never allow one club and one club alone to dictate the policies, direction and decisions of our game at club level.
To undertake this is, obviously, something that can’t be done alone and needs the support and help of many people. This is why I am making this plea today not just to Celtic supporters, but to supporters of all clubs. Get in touch so that we can form a group and produce a paper on ways forward for our game.
My proposals in this blog will be short and open to critique and change. We as a nation of football supporters need to make hard decisions on the way forward for Scottish football at club level – decisions that I am under no illusion will cause outrage and scepticism from many, but nevertheless must be made – to ensure that not only our children, but our children’s children are as passionate and as proud of our national game as we are (or once were.)
Below are some, but by no means all, of my points in the plan to restructure and resurrect Scottish Football by 2022.
1) By season starting summer 2022 Scottish football will consist of only two top tiers. The Scottish Premiership consisting of 18 top flight teams competing over a 34 league game season starting in mid August with a four week winter break and the Scottish League Championship consisting of 20 championship teams competing over a 38 game campaign starting early August with a two week winter break.
2) Criteria for any Scottish Premiership club will be based on stadium capacity (minimum 15,000 all seater stadia in a modern design, with option for a minimum 1000 safe standing capacity). All facilities at stadia must meet health and safety standards and be maintained and kept up to standard. Finances must be transparent and in line with a newly set up Independent Scottish football finance panel, thus ensuring clubs participating or aiming to participate in the Scottish Premiership will do so only if they have the financial means to do so in any or all scenario’s. All Scottish Premiership clubs must sign up and adhere to the newly set up Youth Production Scheme (Detailed below). Criteria for Scottish Championship clubs will be the exact same as the Scottish Premiership criteria.
3) Entry to the Scottish Premiership in its new form will be open to all in the first instance, but this will be based on the criteria laid out above being met by 2020. This is being done to ensure all clubs in Scotland have a fair chance to gain entry at the highest level of Scottish club football in its infancy. Applications for entry must be submitted by 2018 with acceptance given in the same year thus ensuring a two year grace period for all criteria to be reached, failure to meet criteria will open up the opportunity for championship clubs to reapply. Entry for the Scottish Championship will be modelled on the Scottish Premiership.
4) At the season’s end, the three lowest placed Premiership teams will be relegated from the Scottish premiership to the Scottish Championship. The Championship winners and second placed Championship team will gain automatic entry to the next seasons Scottish Premiership. Teams placed 3rd 4th 5th and 6th in the Scottish Championship will compete in playoffs for the third and final promotion place with the playoff final taking place at Hampden.
5) The Formation of a Scottish Football Conference for clubs seeking to gain entry to the Scottish League Championship will be introduced below these two top tiers although promotion to the Scottish League Championship will be based on the criteria above being met before entry is granted to any Scottish Conference side.
6) The Scottish League Cup competition will be dissolved leaving only the Scottish Cup as the flagship cup competition in Scotland, this is to give more prestige and glamour to our national cup competition. Scottish Cup semi-finals will not take place at Hampden and will instead become a two legged tie taking place at team’s home grounds. The winner of the Scottish Cup will then compete against the winner of the Scottish Premiership in a showpiece preseason game at the national stadium for the inaugural Scottish Super Cup.
7) All 38 member clubs will have an elected fan representative on the board of each club to ensure fans have a proper say on the running of each club.
8) Referees and all officials must be registered employees of the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Championship approved by all member clubs and not the Scottish Football Association. They must also sign up to transparency policies specifically designed for officiating in either the Scottish Premiership or Scottish Championship to include discussions and explanations with the media and member clubs for decisions made in games that are viewed as contentious or not in keeping with the spirit of the game.
9) The Scottish Premiership and Scottish Championship will lobby for the Scottish Government to invest money into the game at club level and in a structured national TV deal on a rolling ten year basis, so that our own national coverage from national providers will be greatly improved and available for Scottish and football fans from all corners of the globe to access Scottish football readily and cheaply while also allowing all member clubs an equal share of TV money based on which league they occupy. Further to this will be the right for each and every member club to negotiate their own individual TV deal with broadcasters outside of the national game.
10) All 38 member clubs are allowed and encouraged to set up links with clubs in divisions below their standing within the Scottish game. For example all 18 Scottish Premiership clubs may have a link with a Scottish Championship club in which to send players on loan to for the purposes of regaining fitness or form and to send young players needing experience to throughout any point in the season. Only when the Championship club gains promotion or relegation to the same division would the link be dissolved. This is to increase competition and to ensure young players are being given the opportunity at a high and competitive level of football in Scotland.
11) The Youth Production Scheme will be an essential part of the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Championship plan. It will consist of all 38 member clubs signing up to the complete restructuring of grass roots football in Scotland and with the support of Scottish Government it will aim to deliver positive outcomes for young aspiring footballers in this country in not just football but in life in general. The basis for the Youth Production Scheme will include these key points. (Not exhaustive)
Opportunities to join member clubs as a youth will be made available to young aspiring footballers based not just on athletic or football performance but on academic performance too, reviewed on an annual basis from the age of 11 to 18.
All member clubs with the help and support of the Scottish Govt will introduce Education Development coaches and educational facilities to their clubs to help young professionals attain and maintain the academic level required to continue with the Youth Production Scheme.
If a member club accepts a young player on the youth production scheme, the responsibility for the education of the young aspiring professional will lie with that member club and the member clubs educational facility until the young person is of school leaving age.
Young aspiring professionals will be supported to take courses in a variety of subjects to enhance their life options in the event they fail to make it as a professional footballer.
The intention of the youth production scheme is to ensure all young footballers in Scotland are focussed and disciplined on the road ahead of them and work hard to maintain their allotted place on the scheme in all aspects expected of them.
Youth players training will be increased so that they can gain a more in depth view of what it takes to become a professional player. While also increasing their technique and skills at an earlier age.
Youth Production Scheme players will be at their respective clubs on a Mon to Friday basis, training in the morning before education then lunch, before more training and education in the afternoon finished off on a daily basis with another training session.
Any young person involved in the Youth Production Scheme will be monitored and mentored throughout their tenure on the scheme and any behaviour that is deemed inappropriate or unbefitting of young professional footballer both inside and outside of their respective club will be dealt with through a Independent Youth Disciplinary Panel and could result in expulsion from the Youth Production Scheme.
The ultimate aim of the Youth Production Scheme is to make Scotland a world leader in producing and recruiting the best young players from not only Scotland but from all over the world and to give all member clubs an equal opportunity to bring on local, national and international youth prospects which in turn will hopefully lead to member clubs becoming self sustaining and competitive while also leading to increased future sell on fees for all young players at Scottish Clubs, while ensuring that the safety net for youngsters who don’t make the grade as professional footballers isn’t so crushing as it currently is by equipping all young players with the skills needed for life outside football.
So there are some of my points. I’ve been working away for quite a while now and hope to have my own paper with more insight and focus on specific areas up and ready to view before the end of this month or next.
I would greatly appreciate any help from people out there from all clubs who want to force the change needed in Scottish Football by fighting for Scottish Football and not allowing faceless puppets with selfish interests ruin our game.
We need to reinvent ourselves based on a model that works and that model is English Football, but with one main exception – we in Scotland will not be solely dependent on TV revenue money and focus more on youth production. We should look to “nationalise” football in Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Government to ensure we have enough revenue and a platform to showcase our football to a wider audience without financially crippling any club in Scotland.
By involving the Scottish Govt in plans for a reinvention of the club game in Scotland, we could secure funding for the game and in return create jobs in local areas for local people in the building industry, catering and the public sector to name but three.
Tough decisions will have to be made and possibly forced through, such as amalgamation of regional clubs to ensure resources are maximised fully. This could result in clubs who have been about since the formation of Scottish football going out of business but being reborn as part of joint venture with other local clubs to ensure the one newly formed regional club has the infrastructure in place to meet the criteria for entry to the new league system and increase the newly formed clubs fan base by uniting regions.
At present we are being told “the SPL needs Rangers” but even without change I still find this laughable. Aside from the complete disrespect of every other club currently participating in Scottish football, I take real exception to the line, “Celtic fans will get bored.” I’m not going to use ‘remember the 90’s… we still showed up’ response or that other teams will become more competitive as a direct result of RFC’s demise. All I will say is that the only thing that will happen to Scottish football is the exact same thing that happened during Murray Moonbeams glory (cheating) years, Celtic will win either in a competitive league or a non competitive league and then after season three or four we, the fans, who you the MSM say will get bored won’t. Why? Does the saying ‘Here we go 9 in a row’ answer your question?
In the interim, the SPL may lose its appeal, as some will have you believe. Broadcasters may well pull the plug on TV money, but surely even those scenarios are better and worth enduring than letting corruption win and tarnish forever our once great game.
Surely we, as paying football fans, should expect and demand more from the people who run our game to deliver us to a better more competitive state. Sadly we all know they won’t because of vested interests and loyalties to a certain ‘soon not to be’ club. They the SPL, SFA, and the mainstream Scottish Media will tell you in an almost robotic, repeated, pre-thought-up, scare-story type way “Do you want the SPL to continue as a non-competitive, one-horse-race championship for the next ten years because without Rangers that’s what will happen…We need a strong Rangers… We need an Old Firm…” to that I say this……
Where you see doom, WE SEE HOPE, where you see failure, WE SEE OPPORTUNITY, where you see the end, WE SEE THE BEGINNING.
They say Scottish football will be on its knees from the demise of Glasgow Rangers, I SAY FOR TOO LONG SCOTTISH FOOTBALL HAS BEEN KEPT ON ITS KNEES BECAUSE OF GLASGOW RANGERS AND THE TIME IS NOW FOR ALL SUPPORTERS OF SCOTTISH FOOTBALL TO RISE UP AND RECLAIM THE FOOTBALL OF THIS LAND FOR SCOTTISH FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS.
Sorry went a bit Braveheart there twinged with a little 300
I have written this not as a set-in-stone template for Scottish football’s future, but as a tool for interaction amongst supporters in the Scottish game in the hope we can all work together to show the doom-bearers that Scottish football isn’t nailed-on to fail because of Rangers predicament. Moreover, we are primed and ready to embrace change for the betterment of the Scottish game with or without her majesty’s tax avoiders.
The REBIRTH of Scottish football.
This day I should be revelling in justice being done. This day I should be partying with my fellow supporters with the jelly and ice cream flowing at the demise of Rangers.
On this day I’m not.
Why?
Because in the eyes of the football association of this country, the league in which this corruption took place and in the words repeated night after night, day after day by the mainstream Scottish Media ……….. ‘We need them’
I’m here to tell you ‘we don’t’ and to give reasons why.
Anyone unfortunate enough to read my crap, and in turn give a crap, will know I’ve not really been around much lately. One of the reasons for this is because I, like the majority of people who engage their brain daily, realised this day was coming and rather than in effect write a ‘We told you so’ blog, I’ve been preparing an idea that, with the support of the football community of all clubs in Scotland, may make the SFA, SPL and the MSM take heed and realise ‘We don’t want nor need Glasgow Rangers to survive and flourish’.
Let’s face facts. At present, due to the calamitous running of our game at every level of the sport and through mismanagement of TV rights both past and present, there is a strong case being put forward by the laptop loyal for the immediate inclusion of a Rangers Newco into the SPL, as without them we would lose TV money and the competitive element of the league would, in their words, be non-existent.
In fact, fans of Celtic, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd etc need only switch on any of this nation’s radio stations to have sleepless nights based on the horror stories being transmitted into their lugs of a life without the institution that is the mighty Glasgow Rangers.
For me, it smacks a lot of another argument we Scots are currently having to endure at present – that of Independence. We have the MSM, SFA and SPL playing the roles of the Tory and Labour parties, telling us a whole host of scare stories about how we cannot survive without the established order. About how standing alone would somehow destroy us and that losing the culture brought upon us by the established order would be to lose part of our identity.
In relation to both Independence and Rangers this is, in a word,
PISH.
Anyway, I’m not here tonight to talk about the implications or to make sense of their plight. Many, many more people, Christ practically all of you are smarter and in a better position than me to put those cases forward. No, I’m here to talk about Scottish football supporters taking this chance, this glorious opportunity placed front of us to force the change that is needed in our game to make it more competitive, more attractive and ultimately self sufficient. Just as Rangers will inevitably do, we as a nation of football lovers will do also… WE WILL BE REBORN. We must never allow one club and one club alone to dictate the policies, direction and decisions of our game at club level.
To undertake this is, obviously, something that can’t be done alone and needs the support and help of many people. This is why I am making this plea today not just to Celtic supporters, but to supporters of all clubs. Get in touch so that we can form a group and produce a paper on ways forward for our game.
My proposals in this blog will be short and open to critique and change. We as a nation of football supporters need to make hard decisions on the way forward for Scottish football at club level – decisions that I am under no illusion will cause outrage and scepticism from many, but nevertheless must be made – to ensure that not only our children, but our children’s children are as passionate and as proud of our national game as we are (or once were.)
Below are some, but by no means all, of my points in the plan to restructure and resurrect Scottish Football by 2022.
1) By season starting summer 2022 Scottish football will consist of only two top tiers. The Scottish Premiership consisting of 18 top flight teams competing over a 34 league game season starting in mid August with a four week winter break and the Scottish League Championship consisting of 20 championship teams competing over a 38 game campaign starting early August with a two week winter break.
2) Criteria for any Scottish Premiership club will be based on stadium capacity (minimum 15,000 all seater stadia in a modern design, with option for a minimum 1000 safe standing capacity). All facilities at stadia must meet health and safety standards and be maintained and kept up to standard. Finances must be transparent and in line with a newly set up Independent Scottish football finance panel, thus ensuring clubs participating or aiming to participate in the Scottish Premiership will do so only if they have the financial means to do so in any or all scenario’s. All Scottish Premiership clubs must sign up and adhere to the newly set up Youth Production Scheme (Detailed below). Criteria for Scottish Championship clubs will be the exact same as the Scottish Premiership criteria.
3) Entry to the Scottish Premiership in its new form will be open to all in the first instance, but this will be based on the criteria laid out above being met by 2020. This is being done to ensure all clubs in Scotland have a fair chance to gain entry at the highest level of Scottish club football in its infancy. Applications for entry must be submitted by 2018 with acceptance given in the same year thus ensuring a two year grace period for all criteria to be reached, failure to meet criteria will open up the opportunity for championship clubs to reapply. Entry for the Scottish Championship will be modelled on the Scottish Premiership.
4) At the season’s end, the three lowest placed Premiership teams will be relegated from the Scottish premiership to the Scottish Championship. The Championship winners and second placed Championship team will gain automatic entry to the next seasons Scottish Premiership. Teams placed 3rd 4th 5th and 6th in the Scottish Championship will compete in playoffs for the third and final promotion place with the playoff final taking place at Hampden.
5) The Formation of a Scottish Football Conference for clubs seeking to gain entry to the Scottish League Championship will be introduced below these two top tiers although promotion to the Scottish League Championship will be based on the criteria above being met before entry is granted to any Scottish Conference side.
6) The Scottish League Cup competition will be dissolved leaving only the Scottish Cup as the flagship cup competition in Scotland, this is to give more prestige and glamour to our national cup competition. Scottish Cup semi-finals will not take place at Hampden and will instead become a two legged tie taking place at team’s home grounds. The winner of the Scottish Cup will then compete against the winner of the Scottish Premiership in a showpiece preseason game at the national stadium for the inaugural Scottish Super Cup.
7) All 38 member clubs will have an elected fan representative on the board of each club to ensure fans have a proper say on the running of each club.
8) Referees and all officials must be registered employees of the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Championship approved by all member clubs and not the Scottish Football Association. They must also sign up to transparency policies specifically designed for officiating in either the Scottish Premiership or Scottish Championship to include discussions and explanations with the media and member clubs for decisions made in games that are viewed as contentious or not in keeping with the spirit of the game.
9) The Scottish Premiership and Scottish Championship will lobby for the Scottish Government to invest money into the game at club level and in a structured national TV deal on a rolling ten year basis, so that our own national coverage from national providers will be greatly improved and available for Scottish and football fans from all corners of the globe to access Scottish football readily and cheaply while also allowing all member clubs an equal share of TV money based on which league they occupy. Further to this will be the right for each and every member club to negotiate their own individual TV deal with broadcasters outside of the national game.
10) All 38 member clubs are allowed and encouraged to set up links with clubs in divisions below their standing within the Scottish game. For example all 18 Scottish Premiership clubs may have a link with a Scottish Championship club in which to send players on loan to for the purposes of regaining fitness or form and to send young players needing experience to throughout any point in the season. Only when the Championship club gains promotion or relegation to the same division would the link be dissolved. This is to increase competition and to ensure young players are being given the opportunity at a high and competitive level of football in Scotland.
11) The Youth Production Scheme will be an essential part of the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Championship plan. It will consist of all 38 member clubs signing up to the complete restructuring of grass roots football in Scotland and with the support of Scottish Government it will aim to deliver positive outcomes for young aspiring footballers in this country in not just football but in life in general. The basis for the Youth Production Scheme will include these key points. (Not exhaustive)
Opportunities to join member clubs as a youth will be made available to young aspiring footballers based not just on athletic or football performance but on academic performance too, reviewed on an annual basis from the age of 11 to 18.
All member clubs with the help and support of the Scottish Govt will introduce Education Development coaches and educational facilities to their clubs to help young professionals attain and maintain the academic level required to continue with the Youth Production Scheme.
If a member club accepts a young player on the youth production scheme, the responsibility for the education of the young aspiring professional will lie with that member club and the member clubs educational facility until the young person is of school leaving age.
Young aspiring professionals will be supported to take courses in a variety of subjects to enhance their life options in the event they fail to make it as a professional footballer.
The intention of the youth production scheme is to ensure all young footballers in Scotland are focussed and disciplined on the road ahead of them and work hard to maintain their allotted place on the scheme in all aspects expected of them.
Youth players training will be increased so that they can gain a more in depth view of what it takes to become a professional player. While also increasing their technique and skills at an earlier age.
Youth Production Scheme players will be at their respective clubs on a Mon to Friday basis, training in the morning before education then lunch, before more training and education in the afternoon finished off on a daily basis with another training session.
Any young person involved in the Youth Production Scheme will be monitored and mentored throughout their tenure on the scheme and any behaviour that is deemed inappropriate or unbefitting of young professional footballer both inside and outside of their respective club will be dealt with through a Independent Youth Disciplinary Panel and could result in expulsion from the Youth Production Scheme.
The ultimate aim of the Youth Production Scheme is to make Scotland a world leader in producing and recruiting the best young players from not only Scotland but from all over the world and to give all member clubs an equal opportunity to bring on local, national and international youth prospects which in turn will hopefully lead to member clubs becoming self sustaining and competitive while also leading to increased future sell on fees for all young players at Scottish Clubs, while ensuring that the safety net for youngsters who don’t make the grade as professional footballers isn’t so crushing as it currently is by equipping all young players with the skills needed for life outside football.
So there are some of my points. I’ve been working away for quite a while now and hope to have my own paper with more insight and focus on specific areas up and ready to view before the end of this month or next.
I would greatly appreciate any help from people out there from all clubs who want to force the change needed in Scottish Football by fighting for Scottish Football and not allowing faceless puppets with selfish interests ruin our game.
We need to reinvent ourselves based on a model that works and that model is English Football, but with one main exception – we in Scotland will not be solely dependent on TV revenue money and focus more on youth production. We should look to “nationalise” football in Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Government to ensure we have enough revenue and a platform to showcase our football to a wider audience without financially crippling any club in Scotland.
By involving the Scottish Govt in plans for a reinvention of the club game in Scotland, we could secure funding for the game and in return create jobs in local areas for local people in the building industry, catering and the public sector to name but three.
Tough decisions will have to be made and possibly forced through, such as amalgamation of regional clubs to ensure resources are maximised fully. This could result in clubs who have been about since the formation of Scottish football going out of business but being reborn as part of joint venture with other local clubs to ensure the one newly formed regional club has the infrastructure in place to meet the criteria for entry to the new league system and increase the newly formed clubs fan base by uniting regions.
At present we are being told “the SPL needs Rangers” but even without change I still find this laughable. Aside from the complete disrespect of every other club currently participating in Scottish football, I take real exception to the line, “Celtic fans will get bored.” I’m not going to use ‘remember the 90’s… we still showed up’ response or that other teams will become more competitive as a direct result of RFC’s demise. All I will say is that the only thing that will happen to Scottish football is the exact same thing that happened during Murray Moonbeams glory (cheating) years, Celtic will win either in a competitive league or a non competitive league and then after season three or four we, the fans, who you the MSM say will get bored won’t. Why? Does the saying ‘Here we go 9 in a row’ answer your question?
In the interim, the SPL may lose its appeal, as some will have you believe. Broadcasters may well pull the plug on TV money, but surely even those scenarios are better and worth enduring than letting corruption win and tarnish forever our once great game.
Surely we, as paying football fans, should expect and demand more from the people who run our game to deliver us to a better more competitive state. Sadly we all know they won’t because of vested interests and loyalties to a certain ‘soon not to be’ club. They the SPL, SFA, and the mainstream Scottish Media will tell you in an almost robotic, repeated, pre-thought-up, scare-story type way “Do you want the SPL to continue as a non-competitive, one-horse-race championship for the next ten years because without Rangers that’s what will happen…We need a strong Rangers… We need an Old Firm…” to that I say this……
Where you see doom, WE SEE HOPE, where you see failure, WE SEE OPPORTUNITY, where you see the end, WE SEE THE BEGINNING.
They say Scottish football will be on its knees from the demise of Glasgow Rangers, I SAY FOR TOO LONG SCOTTISH FOOTBALL HAS BEEN KEPT ON ITS KNEES BECAUSE OF GLASGOW RANGERS AND THE TIME IS NOW FOR ALL SUPPORTERS OF SCOTTISH FOOTBALL TO RISE UP AND RECLAIM THE FOOTBALL OF THIS LAND FOR SCOTTISH FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS.
Sorry went a bit Braveheart there twinged with a little 300
I have written this not as a set-in-stone template for Scottish football’s future, but as a tool for interaction amongst supporters in the Scottish game in the hope we can all work together to show the doom-bearers that Scottish football isn’t nailed-on to fail because of Rangers predicament. Moreover, we are primed and ready to embrace change for the betterment of the Scottish game with or without her majesty’s tax avoiders.