How F****D up is the SPL???

[jezza777]

Cheers Tank .... Errrr why do they do this?

[brad.strider]

The split makes no sense whatsoever but funnily enough the winter break was a great thing & the muppets got rid of it  >:?

i agree, not just for the players but the fans as well, i looked forward to going to the game after the break, but now its a bit of a grind

[steeley68]

Forgoet about the split!! What about...


The 1st/2nd division play offs !!!!

What a FANTASTIC idea!

[thetank]

Cheers Tank .... Errrr why do they do this?

Arguments for it would include that the split makes relegation, title and European races grittier and more entertaining.

You're more likely to be playing against the teams that are vying for the same things you are. A win over a relegation rival means you're 6 points better of in respect to their position than if you had lost. It's there to try to make all teams have something to play for in the final games.

I like it, it leaves teams more in charge of their own destiny.

For instance,  Rangers needed to be 2nd for 4th spot to get a UEFA place (Hearts playing in the cup final next weekend)

Aberdeen played Hearts midweek. A win would have put Rangers 2nd, and Aberdeen 4th. Aberdeen would've clinched a UEFA cup spot.

If instead, Hearts played Falkirk and Aberdeen played Dundee united, both teams could've won and no difference been made at all. We still had European football to shoot for in the last week of the season, and probably wouldn't have if their was no split.

When all is said and done though, the better team (Hearts) still pumped us 1-0 and thoroughly deserve their 2nd. From a TV ratings/crowd attendances point of view, it's important to have as many teams as possibly with something to play for at the end of a season.

[GlasgowBandit]

Forgoet about the split!! What about...


The 1st/2nd division play offs !!!!

What a FANTASTIC idea!

I have to agree with you Steeley.  I thought this was the most stupid fooking idea I had heard of when you tried explaining it to me half way through the season.  And they you totally confused me by declaring you wante dto finnish 4th.

But well you have Peterhead over two legs I hope your boys get a result and it was quite a good way to end the season definatelys omething that should be introduced in the top flight at elast 2 up and two down!

[Geist]

Cheers Tank .... Errrr why do they do this?

The other reason is that when there was only 10 teams in the league each team played every other time home and away twice so 36 games a season.

When they changed it to 12 teams if they had kept the same format each team would need to play 44 games amd that was seen as too many..

The spilt happens once every team have played each other 3 times and then you play the  five other teams in your section once. A problem with this is that you can end up playing more away games than home games.

[ifm]

It sounds like a shadow league, soon there will be a top division with just 4 teams in it!!!
You couldn't make it up.
I'm curious, how do the teams who need the cash feel about the lost revenue?
Surely they would lose out if they had to switch fixtures from Celtic at home to Falkirk away?

[thetank]

It sounds like a shadow league, soon there will be a top division with just 4 teams in it!!!
You couldn't make it up.
I'm curious, how do the teams who need the cash feel about the lost revenue?
Surely they would lose out if they had to switch fixtures from Celtic at home to Falkirk away?

A system which benefits the top 6 clubs is far superior to a system that benfits the top 2.

Take a look at home attendances for Kilmarnock, Aberdeen and Hibernian this season and compare them with seasons before the split came to be.

Sure it doesn't benefit all 12 clubs, but there's always going to be winners and losers in sport. For me, it's the football equivalent of a flatter payout.

[Bazzaboy]

The split is far from ideal but I can think of no feasible alternative

[GlasgowBandit]

Increase the top league to 18 teams have two one ofther division of 18/16 make the rules more stringent for teams that want to play senior football.  Scotland doesn't have a population to sustain 4 leagues of senior football.

Force some of the smaller clubs who are from the same area to share facilities.  In the long term its the only way to better the league, as a result this will benefit not only our senior clubs but also our national teams.

Within the top senior league, the 4 European spots should go only to these teams we should have a minimum of 3 teams relegated from this league each year with new blood coming from the B league.

A whole restructuring of the Scottish game is required if we are to move on.  However this will not happen while we have chairman of many of the smaller clubs holding positions of power.

[scottm]

Forgoet about the split!! What about...


The 1st/2nd division play offs !!!!

What a FANTASTIC idea!

Definitely Steeley, the 1st division isnt the same without you lot ....


....always nice to have an easy game against a wee team ....

[Bazzaboy]

Nah don't subscribe to the 16/18 team league will be better view.  Theres enough dross in the league as it is, and it will never happen as the other clubs won't want to give up the extra revenue they get from playing the old firm 3/4 times a season.

[GlasgowBandit]

Theres enough dross in the league as it is,

There rae definately weak teams in the league but on their day some of the smaller teams are capable of getting a result over any team and perhaps this could strengthen the league.  Its about time someone made a serious decision and completeley restructured our game.

 

and it will never happen as the other clubs won't want to give up the extra revenue they get from playing the old firm 3/4 times a season.

Well thats tough but in order that we can increase the level of competitionw e need some massive restructuring and I don't see any other suggestions.

I would go a whole lot further and that includes making provsions tighter to play senior football and if teams don't meet the criteria then I would expel them from the league.  I would also look at moving to summer football, a new format for cup football and even looking at a voluntary system to freeze out the number of foreign players who now earn a living here.  I would consider allowing Celtic and Rangers (and any other club who could sustain this over a season)  reserve outfits  to play in the B leauge.

 

[thetank]

This year another club broke up the old firms stranglehold of the top two spots. When was the last time that happened?

Massive change ain't going to happen overnight. Surely this year is a step in the right direction as far as increasing the level of competiton goes. I don't see the need for massive restructuring.

I also disagree with everything else you've said.

[GlasgowBandit]

This year another club broke up the old firms stranglehold of the top two spots. When was the last time that happened?

And I bet it doesn't happen again for another few years.  The issue here is consistency had Rangers done the proper thinga nd got rid ofBig Eck in January they would have over hauled Hearts, sure we can talk about Romanov and they way he ran Hearts affairs but I bet you and anyone on here a £100 cash that Hearts don't finnish 2nd next year.