Ex Brentford chairman Greg Dyke has proposed a system which will lead to feeder clubs and B teams playing league football.
The proposal will allow cash rich clubs to place up to 8 players in teams in league one or league two in return for financial compensation. He has also suggested Premier League clubs will create B teams who will play in league 3 – a newly formed division between league 2 and the Conference.
The move has come about to try and increase the number of English players playing regularly in the Premier League from 60 to 90 by 2022. England falls way behind it’s competitors with regards home grown players playing in the top league with 32% home grown players in England as opposed to 59% in Spain, 57% in France, 51% in Germany and 45% in Italy.
The scheme has come up against massive backlash from fans, clubs and officials. Greg Dyke responded “An awful lot of clubs in the lower leagues have got financial difficulties and if there is a way of helping those difficulties, we should do it”. There is definitely an argument for implementing strategies for giving British-based players more opportunity at a higher level. But is this the one?
Brentford manager Mark Warburton has often praised the idea of the feeder team system (such as Spurs’ relationship with Swindon) as both the lower league team and the Premier League team can benefit if it is worked in the right way. However, it will be interesting to hear his views on how both sets of teams may reap benefit with a straight up B league or is the advantage placed firmly in the Premier League team’s court?
Do you agree or disagree with the proposals for a B team in Division 3? and leave your comments below
BillytheBee
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This is all very well – possibly the answer to England winning a World Cup in 2022/26 – but howill it work?
Say ManUtd put in a B team and ended up playing a vital promotion match against say)Barnet or Aldershot. Utd have to win – would they be able to switch Wayne Rooney, van Persie et al to their B team? Or would the B team be a completely separate entity – in which case it just means the bigger clubs can get round the financial fair play bit by keeping their lesser players on one side.
Possibly – repeat possibly – good for the rich big clubs – no use to the small strugglers.