The 'Whole game solution' thread. Sponsored by If it's not broke don't fix it.

[Richard Cranium]

Plymouth then have realeased a club statement. They don't agree with all the main points. These are Winter break, Changing the FA Cup, 4 EFL divisions and most interestingly the regionalisation of it. If Plymouth don't want it regionalised then no fucker should!

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Is anyone actually for regionalisation at the EFL level? If so why?

Would hugely devalue the relative prestige of being a Football League team in my opinion.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Also if they were to ever introduce a Winter break what part of the season would it be? Christmas time? January? With the weather here you get games called off from November to March.

Why they're so obsessed with scraping FA Cup replays is beyond me. A replay for clubs like us is L1/2 and below can be a pay day that keeps our little unimportant clubs going for a few more seasons. Sure I've read they want to move it to mid week aswell. That will suit those in the European competitons so they can truly devalue the FA Cup, Sorry Emarites FA cup by playing the kids.

Regionalisation is just the most stupid thing about it all. I'm against most things modern football but this would just about kill the game for me. Will be off down Clippo park watching miners welfare play on a Sunday morning I reckon!

 

[K-Win]

The Winter break would probably be in January after the money-spinning festive period has finished. It would make that already grim month even more miserable. The premier league boys will relax by taking long-haul flights to far flung destinations to play lucrative exhibition matches in sweltering heat.

You do wonder if this is an opening gambit by the men in suits, allowing them a few chips to throw in so that they still eventually get 50 to 75% of their evil plans passed through.

 

[Gladders]

Our trust asked for feedback on the WGS and here is a summary of it, they will passing this info to the club via the board members and also feeding it back to the FSF when the EFL speak to them about the WGS.

http://www.marinerstrust.co.uk/whole-game-solution-feedback/

Pretty much the same info as what I emailed them and the same as what other clubs/trusts have said (those that have gone public at least) so it seems a large majority of fans are on the same page about this.

Unfortunately the most likely outcome of this will be premier league led and they will just threaten to reduce funding down the pyramid or offer more money and the Chairmen of the majority of clubs will lap it up and vote in favour.

Plymouth Statement
Oxford Chairman
Portsmouth Chief Exec
Wimbledon response
Stevenage says they had no choice on trophy
and Accrington have written to the EFL to say they are rejecting the "whole game solution" unequivocally.

 

[Si Robin]

Our's have also asked for fans opinions, with a member of the Trust on the board meaning we have a say at club level as well.

Personally I think the "Whole Game Solution" is a joke and can't see a single argument in favour of any of the points.

http://robinstrust.org/trustwp/?p=375

 

[Gladders]

Our's have also asked for fans opinions, with a member of the Trust on the board meaning we have a say at club level as well.

Personally I think the "Whole Game Solution" is a joke and can't see a single argument in favour of any of the points.

We did have two members on our club board but now only one as the other retired, however that didn't stop our club voting in favour of the EFL trophy changes without consulting them first!

 

[Si Robin]

Our's did as well, however, my understanding was it was along the same lines as the Southend acceptance, in that the JPT in its current guise was pointless enough as to see no harm in trialling this year's EFL Trophy.

I don't agree with "B Teams" in any 1st team comp, but I can see the logic behind why some clubs saw no harm in a trial season.

 

[djs]

I just wish the 'big clubs' would leave English football altogether, form a Euro league with no relegation, and leave the rest of us to get on with our 'Whole Game'. Everything that these idiots propose is purely for the benefit of half a dozen of the world's richest clubs who want to get even richer. I'm sure that they would be happy if the rest of the clubs just disappeared, and the supporters just sat at home watching Super Sunday.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I don't agree with "B Teams" in any 1st team comp, but I can see the logic behind why some clubs saw no harm in a trial season.

It is a democracy and the result was accepted and embraced by those who were against it, however the EFL then decided to move the goalposts which some saw as a real slap in the face. That is the most disappointing part of this affair.

We're still waiting for our £5,000 fine for trying to promote young English players.

 

[djs]

It might be a democracy, but reports suggest that too many clubs were 'bought off' with promises of funding which more than covered the losses made by low attendances, and by the promise of the top Prem clubs entering. The decision was only 'embraced' with great reluctance by the majority of clubs - just read the various statements put out by many clubs.

 

[shoddycollins]

We'll never know what the true thoughts of our board members were because they live their lives in full-on defence mode, they'd certainly never make a comment like the Stevenage chairman did because once they take any sort of decision they will always back it until some time past the point that it's starting to look ludicrous. They voted in favour of the change and I can confidently state that if it all goes tits-up they'll be the last people in the whole of football to admit it wasn't a good idea.

 

[shoddycollins]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154402672590982

Alan Shearer on academies

He may not be making his argument specifically against meddling with lower-league football to benefit premier league academies but his argument still supports that as the most common argument for why we need to do this or do that is that not enough future England players are going to top-class academies and kids in academies don't get enough competitive football.

If changing the academy system isn't going to make England into world beaters then certainly sacrificing competitive lower league football so that premier league academies can hoard even more players and give them a handful of matches against real teams each season certainly won't.

The FA don't care, they just want to be seen to be doing something to deflect criticism of them
The FL don't care they're just listening to marketeers in suits who tell them they need to think outside the box
The PL don't care they just want to keep as much of their wealth as they can

 

[Grecian O'Grecian]

Good little statement from our club.

Whilst Exeter City FC has strongly opposed ‘The Whole Game Solution’ from the outset - with Club representative, Julian Tagg, speaking against it at the EFL conference in Portugal last June; the Club did support the proposed changes to the Checkatrade Trophy, being persuaded by the promised financial advantages, and the advantages outlined for Youth football in general and Youth football at Exeter City in particular, as it would help us achieve our goal of giving young players first team experience.

The fact that this was to be a one-year pilot, and because Richard Scudamore had rebutted the accusation that this would mean B teams by the back door saying, ‘it won't ever happen’ quashed fears and confirmed the vote in favour.

However, the detailed case for change as outlined in the ‘Whole game Solution’ remains unconvincing. City supporters, along with those from many other clubs, are vociferous in their condemnation of the proposed changes and potential wider outcomes for English football. The timetable allowed by the EFL does not allow for detailed consultation with our own supporters or with other Clubs, both of which are necessary to reach an informed and practical solution.

The exercise is to enable more opportunities to screen Premier League games on primetime, weekend TV and thus increase income for the PL and FA which should trickle down to lower league clubs. From past experience Exeter City Football Club has no confidence that this will happen.

To answer specific points:

Additional teams

There should be no additional teams or extra leagues. The pyramid works and increasing the number of leagues would make living the dream for non-league teams more difficult, if not impossible. The question assumes there WILL be additional teams, asking only which is the lesser of the two evils, this is not conducive to a proper, reasoned debate.

Regionalisation

There should be none at EFL level. This would take away a huge attraction for many and destroy decades old rivalries and friendships.

Winter Break

Changes deemed necessary because of fixture congestion and the need for a winter break are not recognised by clubs at our level and are not desirable for either club or supporter. It could mean no matches on a playable weekend whilst others on winter Saturday's could be postponed, in fact this could cause fixture congestion, not solve it. The argument that a winter break would improve English performance is confounded by the recent success of the Welsh national team who came through the same youth system as their English counterparts.

In addition, midweek games are not financially sound for clubs such as ours. They do not generate as much income as Saturday games, away support is often minimal especially for games arranged at short notice, such as FA Cup games. Indeed, the proposal to play later rounds of the FA Cup midweek will have far reaching consequences. This will diminish our most senior English cup competition which captures the football imagination worldwide and which has provided financial salvation for many lower league clubs, including our own.

For all these reasons, and taking account of the forceful arguments from our own supporters, Exeter City Football Club will continue to oppose the proposed changes in the ‘Whole Game Solution’.

http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/...ame-solution-3303412.aspx#27e13eFT65jU05xb.99

 

[shoddycollins]

I'm just wondering how long it will be before our club come out with a statement in support of it.

 

[TommoCUFC]

Can't the lower league clubs just release a unanimous statement saying 'you want to improve the England team, start giving your own young players a chance and stop dicking about with the lower leagues'

 

[Gladders]

We have a fans forum tonight and obviously the WGS came up, we have sent a letter back and whilst they did not go into details, the basis was that they said the changes won't lead to the benefits the FA has in mind and will not benefit the league clubs. They feel the changes will devalue the FA cup further, questioned were the extra clubs will come from. They also say rationalisation has not worked in the past and a winter break is not needed.

So it seems we are against it as well which is good. Fenty also said that there needs to be 90% in support of it and not a single club will be in favour of premier league intervention, and its difficult to know what the league have up their sleeve.

 

[shoddycollins]

We have a fans forum tonight and obviously the WGS came up, we have sent a letter back and whilst they did not go into details, the basis was that they said the changes won't lead to the benefits the FA has in mind and will not benefit the league clubs. They feel the changes will devalue the FA cup further, questioned were the extra clubs will come from. They also say rationalisation has not worked in the past and a winter break is not needed.

So it seems we are against it as well which is good. Fenty also said that there needs to be 90% in support of it and not a single club will be in favour of premier league intervention, and its difficult to know what the league have up their sleeve.

You underestimate our owners.

 

[DarkSithLord]

GET THE FUCK IN!

EFL ‏@EFL 1m1 minute ago
BREAKING: Whole Game Solution - Premier League B Teams ruled out following first phase of consultation

http://www.efl.com/news/article/201...wing-first-phase-of-consultation-3322371.aspx

 

[Gladders]

A step in the right direction but a little concerning that they have only ruled out non English clubs, premier b teams and a winter break so far.

What about regionalisation and even the need for a lge 3? They still seem to be on the table.

 

[Tom_CUFC]

Very good news, now they just need to scrap the rest of the ridiculous shite in this proposal and ensure Mr Harvey resigns having overseen this shambles.

 

[shoddycollins]

Very good news, now they just need to scrap the rest of the ridiculous shite in this proposal and ensure Mr Harvey resigns having overseen this shambles.

Call me pessimistic, but I feel that it won't be seen as a shambles from their perspective, it will just be 'not the right time' or 'currently too much opposition' or something else that implies there was still merit in the idea... and I'm sure it'll soon be back on the table.

 

[Habbinalan]

Very good news, now they just need to scrap the rest of the ridiculous shite in this proposal and ensure Mr Harvey resigns having overseen this shambles.

Surely the Championship clubs must be fed up with him as well by now. I disagree with Shoddy, most of the clubs will feel they were misled in a flawed process. As for the WGS, I've already said in the Non-League Forum, where there's understandably more interest in a L3 and regionalisation:

They've ruled out a winter break for all but Championship - and presumably only if Premier League go for the break option. That could benefit L1, L2 and any new L3 by offering more TV money opportunities and less competition for a few weeks.

Just need to get rid of regionalisation (can do it below L3 if that's what Nations League clubs want) and I could live with a smaller L1/L2 and fewer league matches if the clubs can make the sums add up.......or we could keep present numbers and perhaps offer 3 up and down to the National League. That would be 1st, 2nd and play-off winner or (if regionalised) 1st N, 1st S and winner of playoff between playoff winners or 2nd places in N & S.

 

[hellogregory]

Is anyone actually for regionalisation at the EFL level? If so why?

Would hugely devalue the relative prestige of being a Football League team in my opinion.

Despite all the long journeys we have to do, I'm totally against regionalising.

It's the English Football League, not the Northern Football League or the Southern Football League. I want the possibility of playing any team in this country at the level we're at, not just clubs within a certain distance.

Regionalising is a crap idea.

 

[Habbinalan]

Cambridge Fans United (supporters trust) clarified Cambridge's United's response to Whole Game Solution with the following statement

http://www.cambridgefansunited.org/home.html

 

[Tom_CUFC]

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/f...n?shareToken=67316c057e9fac6d8f0c2c7e73e38fe9

As if we didn't know already.

"We need a winter break for the good of the national team"

"Here's a load of money"

"Winter what?"

 

[Amber Nectar]

So that the premier league teams can take part in mini tournaments in Dubai or Asia?

Winter break, my arse!

 

[Casey]

Regionalisation; div 3 south relegated to National league. National league champions promoted to div 3 north. Team shunted from north to south to accommodate said promotikn and relegation.

Take it from someone who has watched clubs having to travel across the country to compete with teams in their region that it soon throws up some gawd awful travelling for teams in the Midlands. Check it out. Gloucester, Tamworth and Kiddiminster are in the National league North.

That is, off course, unless they regionalise the national league too. In which case you may well start to think of Crawley as a big club when you see some of the smaller clubs who may get promoted.

Casey

 

[shoddycollins]

Regionalisation; div 3 south relegated to National league. National league champions promoted to div 3 north. Team shunted from north to south to accommodate said promotikn and relegation.

Take it from someone who has watched clubs having to travel across the country to compete with teams in their region that it soon throws up some gawd awful travelling for teams in the Midlands. Check it out. Gloucester, Tamworth and Kiddiminster are in the National league North.

That is, off course, unless they regionalise the national league too. In which case you may well start to think of Crawley as a big club when you see some of the smaller clubs who may get promoted.

Casey

Barrow - Lowestoft as a National League North fixture the other year (760 miles - 12 hours round trip) takes the biscuit, especially considering the longest trip in League One is Fleetwood - Gillingham (570 miles - 9:20 hours round trip)

 

[dedwardp]

The league have now announced that the proposals are being abandoned, for the time being at least. Good news.