Playing our way out of a paradox

Published on Wednesday 12 January 2011 13:06

TEN-TEAM leagues and repetitive fixture lists are not conducive to cultivating young footballing talent. That is the common perception and one of the major arguments against the SPL's proposal for two leagues of ten.

With the bottom club in SPL 1 relegated and second bottom entering play-offs with second, third and fourth in SPL 2, the fear factor would reverberate through every club outwith the Old Firm. Little Johnny Smith, the skinny 18-year-old winger with the beautiful left foot, can't be risked at first-team level as the manager needs to bulk up in midfield to avoid losing goals and being sucked into the relegation battle. Where have we heard that before?

Gordon Smith, the former chief executive of the Scottish Football Association, wholeheartedly agrees with the sentiment. He is not a fan of ten-team leagues but is concerned that, without the financial stability they would bring, clubs could be forced to become part-time and youth development programmes would subsequently be disbanded.

"It's a paradox, there's no question of that," Smith told the Evening News. "I'm not in favour of a ten-team league but I'm actually aware of the benefits. What they are trying to do with the SPL is to have 20 teams with a level of protection as opposed to just 12. Although it's tougher - the leagues will be tighter and more competitive - it might be good for the protection of clubs financially going forward.

"I'm hopeful that, despite the competition, good young players will develop and come through. Rather than any youngster coming into a team because the manager happens to have an easy afternoon and decides to give him a shot, you might actually produce some players who are up for it and who are seen as good enough.

"The idea initially is to develop the finances so that Scotland has 20 teams which are better off. It's probably not going to be as good as having a bigger league. However, clubs might have more money to actually have a youth system if we go with two leagues of ten. If the finances are still there then clubs will have a youth system and will still be trying to bring players through. The secondary aspect is that it will be more difficult for them to get a game because of the element of competition.

"If we were to go to a bigger league it would give more opportunity to introduce kids more often, but if the finance isn't there for clubs then one of the areas which may be hit is youth development. Clubs might not be able to commit themselves to youth development as much as they do at the moment.

"Under the current regime, some teams are looking to go part-time. Because of the weather situation, a lot of clubs are in trouble just now. That's because the money isn't there right now. If there's more of a guarantee, if the SPL can bring in money and distribute it throughout the game, then in years to come the gulf may not be that big between the two leagues. Then you could easily look at it and say 'it's time for a bigger structure'." Discussions have taken place over a prospective larger league in future years once finances are stabilised, but that is not part of the official proposals to be discussed between all 12 SPL clubs on Tuesday. The two leagues of ten may make sense financially but supporters are widely opposed to the idea, as are the grass-roots coaches who hope to one day see their protgs playing SPL football.

"If there are only ten teams in the league it would surely be more difficult for young players to break into one of those squads," said Scott Robertson, a youth coach at Musselburgh Windsor who helped bring both Rangers and Celtic in front of the Scottish Parliament this week to be questioned on contracting youth footballers as young as 11 through the SFA's pro-youth system. When it's so tight like that it's difficult. If you had two leagues of 16 you have a much better chance. I really like the idea of second squads competing in the lower leagues, which they do in Spain and other countries and it works well. Because we have no under-21s and no reserve league, the jump from under-19s to the first team is a hell of an ask.

"A bigger league with more teams gives more room to introduce young players. Our only option is to get the young players playing in this country because far too many of them aren't playing football. If they can't make it into the first-team squad at their clubs then there is nothing else for them to do - apart from being farmed out and get lumps kicked out of them in the junior leagues."