Is this the answer to the lack of Reserve Team Football
Wed Sep 22, 2010 5:30 pm
I seem to remember a number of years ago SH wanted to buy a WPL club and operate it as the clubs reserve team, If I remember correctly Inter Cardiff were the club mentioned. I have no idea why this never happened but today I was reading this blog and it got me thinking;
http://blogs.walesonline.co.uk/sport/20 ... ne-di.html
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since SH first suggested this idea and the WPL has seen the number of member clubs reduced twice. In fact this season the WPL has reduced to 12 teams with a format of each team playing each other home and away (22 games) then the league splits in two with the top 6 and bottom 6 playing each other at home and away again (10 games).
The idea is the top 6 teams will battle it out for european qualification places whilst the bottom 6 battle it out for the relegation places. The problem is that the feeder league clubs (Welsh League) are likely to find it extremely difficult to meet the ground criteria for admission to the WPL should they win their league.
At the moment it appears only Barry Town and Afan Lido meet the ground criteria with Bridgend Town and Neath moving to the Brewery Field and The Gnoll respectively to help their causes. The problem they are faced with is that as Welsh League clubs their revenue figures are very low and without owning their grounds the value of the club is well not very much. Certainly in terms of CCFC operating budget next to nothing.
So is now the time to look at SH idea again because if CCFC were to buy one of the South Wales clubs and then run it as their reserve team the players as "reserve championship" players should be able to see off most any club in the division. If the club could win the league then membership of the WPL would be offered to the club and lets face it the CCS would meet the ground criteria.
The WPL would I have no doubt offer a good standard of football certainly enough to keep our squad players match fit, it would also bring more income into the club as I can see a situation where the club would get some decent attendances, by WPL standards, for it's home games. Could the ground stand the additional football I don't know but it's worth a look at surely.
I know many will say we won't be able to do this as the FAW or the FA and FL will insist we are in one pyramid system or another but we should be able to get over this because there is precedent with UEFA allowing similar.
In Spain FC Barcelona have 2 reserve teams playing in the Spanish pyramid system, FC Barcelona A and FC Barcelona B and these teams offer football for reserve and academy players. These teams cannot play in the same division as the 1st team and do not enter the Copa Del Ray but their players are all registered with FC Barcelona.
Not everything SH did at our club was wrong and the same goes for his ideas, is this one that has some mileage at the moment. Is this something the Malaysians could ask Sam to set up should he ever come back? Is it something we as fans would embrace and support the reserve team? I think I would.
At the end of the day the 1st team will always come first but the last few weeks have shown us how we suffer as a result of having no competitive reserve football to keep our squad players match sharp.
I think it is worth looking at.
http://blogs.walesonline.co.uk/sport/20 ... ne-di.html
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since SH first suggested this idea and the WPL has seen the number of member clubs reduced twice. In fact this season the WPL has reduced to 12 teams with a format of each team playing each other home and away (22 games) then the league splits in two with the top 6 and bottom 6 playing each other at home and away again (10 games).
The idea is the top 6 teams will battle it out for european qualification places whilst the bottom 6 battle it out for the relegation places. The problem is that the feeder league clubs (Welsh League) are likely to find it extremely difficult to meet the ground criteria for admission to the WPL should they win their league.
At the moment it appears only Barry Town and Afan Lido meet the ground criteria with Bridgend Town and Neath moving to the Brewery Field and The Gnoll respectively to help their causes. The problem they are faced with is that as Welsh League clubs their revenue figures are very low and without owning their grounds the value of the club is well not very much. Certainly in terms of CCFC operating budget next to nothing.
So is now the time to look at SH idea again because if CCFC were to buy one of the South Wales clubs and then run it as their reserve team the players as "reserve championship" players should be able to see off most any club in the division. If the club could win the league then membership of the WPL would be offered to the club and lets face it the CCS would meet the ground criteria.
The WPL would I have no doubt offer a good standard of football certainly enough to keep our squad players match fit, it would also bring more income into the club as I can see a situation where the club would get some decent attendances, by WPL standards, for it's home games. Could the ground stand the additional football I don't know but it's worth a look at surely.
I know many will say we won't be able to do this as the FAW or the FA and FL will insist we are in one pyramid system or another but we should be able to get over this because there is precedent with UEFA allowing similar.
In Spain FC Barcelona have 2 reserve teams playing in the Spanish pyramid system, FC Barcelona A and FC Barcelona B and these teams offer football for reserve and academy players. These teams cannot play in the same division as the 1st team and do not enter the Copa Del Ray but their players are all registered with FC Barcelona.
Not everything SH did at our club was wrong and the same goes for his ideas, is this one that has some mileage at the moment. Is this something the Malaysians could ask Sam to set up should he ever come back? Is it something we as fans would embrace and support the reserve team? I think I would.
At the end of the day the 1st team will always come first but the last few weeks have shown us how we suffer as a result of having no competitive reserve football to keep our squad players match sharp.
I think it is worth looking at.
Re: Is this the answer to the lack of Reserve Team Football
Wed Sep 22, 2010 5:33 pm
I for one Def Believe it would of been a Great Idea
Re: Is this the answer to the lack of Reserve Team Football
Wed Sep 22, 2010 5:52 pm
Forever Blue wrote:I for one Def Believe it would of been a Great Idea
Annis without giving my age away I can remember having the afternoon off work and going to watch the reserves in the Football Combination. There were some great matches against Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal as well as Fulham, Reading and Charlton.
At the same time we were also members of the Welsh League and we used to play some matches on a Saturday morning over by Pontcanna. I can remember watching first team players like Peter King and Derek Showers playing in matches to regain match fitness. Afterwards it was a quick walk over to the Corporation and a few jars before the first team game.
These were of course different times I think my season ticket cost £16 but the club still managed to run effectively 3 teams.
Not everyone can make the away games and given time I think the club would see good crowds for the matches, I can remember 2,000 at some football combination games. Mind you as ST holders entry was free, as I said simpler times but good times all the same.
Re: Is this the answer to the lack of Reserve Team Football
Wed Sep 22, 2010 5:54 pm
castleblue wrote:Forever Blue wrote:I for one Def Believe it would of been a Great Idea
Annis without giving my age away I can remember having the afternoon off work and going to watch the reserves in the Football Combination. There were some great matches against Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal as well as Fulham, Reading and Charlton.
At the same time we were also members of the Welsh League and we used to play some matches on a Saturday morning over by Pontcanna. I can remember watching first team players like Peter King and Derek Showers playing in matches to regain match fitness. Afterwards it was a quick walk over to the Corporation and a few jars before the first team game.
These were of course different times I think my season ticket cost £16 but the club still managed to run effectively 3 teams.
Not everyone can make the away games and given time I think the club would see good crowds for the matches, I can remember 2,000 at some football combination games. Mind you as ST holders entry was free, as I said simpler times but good times all the same.
I use to go to nearly all the Reserve games on a Wednesday afternoon, some excellent matches, big teams and many using it to get their Stars fit again