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It’s time for everyone connected with Scottish football to get on with the business of improving our game north of the border. I write this in the immediate aftermath of the Premier League’s decision to reject a proposal arguing for future involvement by the Old Firm in a new and expanded form of England’s top flight structure.
Perhaps now we can all forget about EPL 2, North Atlantic leagues and escape hatches generally. Rangers and Celtic are in Scotland to stay, and they would be doing themselves and all the other SPL clubs a favour, if they start talking up and empowering the domestic league.
The 12 SPL chairmen rarely dance to the same tune, but when it comes to the future of the top division, not one of them should be off key. They are all in this together, and it’s time everyone got around the table and agreed on a radical plan to serve the interests of Scottish football as a whole. If that means throwing out the current 38-match fixture list, with a split after 33 games, so be it. Likewise, if a relegation play-off would make for a more compelling end to the season, put it in. This is no time for beating about the bush.
No one can deny that this is a difficult period for the Old Firm clubs on the financial front. Yet it’s vital that they view their current off-pitch travails in the context of the league as a whole.
For many years, the top clubs in Italy and Spain have been sending their younger players on loan to other clubs in their own leagues. That a Real Madrid player might prosper wearing the colours of Getafe is deemed beneficial to that particular youngster’s development. A case in point is Esteban Granero, now back at the parent club after a highly successful loan period with Getafe.
Many of us in Scotland have been salivating at the prospect of a title race involving more than just two teams. Hibernian and Dundee United have both demonstrated in the early part of the campaign that they have the capacity to push Rangers and Celtic. It’s incumbent upon all the decision makers to find a way of making this the norm, rather than a once-in-a-decade phenomenon – and that includes the two established powers.
As I’ve argued in previous blogs, the only way forward for Scottish football is to place a strong emphasis on youth. We might all have to get used to a tumbling co-efficient for a while, but realistically there is little choice, and there will be benefits in the long run.
Comments
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Posted by peter richards on 11/12/2009
The good sense that pervades this article is what I once came to expect from Scots, but I've been wondering a bit lately...
Thanks
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Posted by Ian Wallace on 11/12/2009
What disappointing news...looks like both Celtic and Rangers are stuck in SPHell. Focusing on youth development is not the answer as small market clubs can only keep their talented kids for so long before they leave for a bigger paycheck. It is unfortunate that geography has crippled many of the big clubs of years past. For survival, the Old Firm must now focus on Plan B...The Atlantic League.
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Posted by ronald kerr on 11/12/2009
Hi Derek Your comments on scottish football is absolutley right, they used to do that many years ago. I miss you and Tommy on espn broadcasts,what are you doing these days?
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Posted by Nick on 11/12/2009
Well said. The idea that Rangers and Celtic should join the English league is ridiculous on two grounds: 1) neither team would be competitive enough to make the top division of whatever league structure was enacted for a while, thus making it detrimental to the clubs themselves in the short run, possibly catastrophic, and 2) it would leave the rest of the Scottish league with no ambassadors to the rest of Europe (I think the Scots are are all failing in Europe this campaign) which will put the entire nation's development back a couple of decades. Focusing on youth and a more competitive league will see more people tuning in and thus more revenue, which will beget the cycle as the league winners will be able to compete with the bigger fish of Europe again, eventually.
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Posted by Bear on 11/12/2009
Wholeheartedly agree. Would have hated to see Rangers and Celtic in England. Just wouldn't have felt right and in the long run it would kill football in Scotland. I hope the teams get their act together soon.
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Posted by Rogi on 11/12/2009
Well it is glaringly obvious something has to change. This continuation of the Old Firm winning league after league is not good for Scotish Football. It is even more obvious when Scottish teams qualify for some form of football in Europe.Most crash and burn in the first qualifying round and get no where. The standards compared to European clubs in very poor. If a salary cap was introduced for all premier league clubs, a more "even playing field" situation would be achieved. It would also help reduce the amount of club debt. If this meant sacrificing europe for a few years, then so be it. The main thing here is, to get Scottish Football more competative at home, have more cash to develop youth and eventualy help the national side.
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Posted by Oliver Chettle on 11/12/2009
The thing that needs to be recognised that NOTHING is going to make Scottish clubs consistently competitive in Europe. Scotland is a country of 5 million people, and no other country that size expects to do well in the Champions League.
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Posted by Jason on 11/12/2009
This needs to happen throughout Europe and Fifa needs to disjoin leagues from federations. Scotland, Ireland, North Ireland, and Wales merge to form 1 league.
Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark form 1 league.
Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg form 1 league.
Austria and Switzerland form 1 league.
The Balkans form 1 league.
And so on.
This is where the money will come from if these regions banded together. It would make for much more interesting league play among teams in the "lesser" leagues, but more importantly, those teams would play in bigger markets (more revenues for 1st and second division clubs) and would thus be able to compete more effectively in Champions league. Really quite simple.
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Posted by Rab haw on 11/12/2009
The once in a lifetime tilt at the SPL by clubs such as Aberdeen ,Hibs,Hearts and Dundee Utd.to try and break the dominance of the "Auld Firm" will never change because of the bigger pay cheques available elsewhere.
Both Rangers and Celtic seem unable to organise their own talent from their ranks including managers and have been relying on poaching from other clubs who do manage to produce talent through their youth policies.
As long as there is a "Man U" syndrom that people are atracted to winners no matter where they are located then minnows will struggle when the sharks offer the bait.
True fitbae supports support their local clubs and the others are frustrated glory hunters.
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Posted by jouster on 11/12/2009
I'm a Celtic fan, but I am not a fan of moving south. I value the rivalries we have with other Scottish clubs aside from Rangers. I'd prefer an Atlantic League, though I think it's even more unlikely.
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Posted by Scott on 11/13/2009
EPL2 is not a good idea. Celtic and Rangers are big fish in a very small pond. In the EPL they would be dwarfed by the big boys and would struggle to make UEFA/Europa cup slots. As it stands now, they get to split a CL spot between them, and all the potential glory and money that that brings.
A much better idea and easier to implement would be to expand the FA cup into an all British cup. That way you would occasionally get your Celtic/Liverpool matchups.
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Posted by Rob on 11/13/2009
Economics is the driving force behind all of the proposals floating around England and Scotland. The "have nots" want their share while the "haves" want more. Globally, the tv revenue of the EPL is astonishing and it makes sense to trickle down some of those funds which would assist the smaller clubs in their being more competitive. The Old Firm should stay in Scotland and the EPL should keep its top flight as is as long as there is a better distribution of funds. Unfortunately, the smaller domestic leagues will not stack up in comparison to the big European giants. The money involved is too great for radical change.
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Posted by davo on 11/13/2009
There was never going to be any other outcome to the question of Rangers and Celtic heading to England. What right did they have to expect it, I found this more embarrasing as a scot, watching scottish football go on bended knee to the english FA, hoping they would take in the poor cousins from the north. Who ever tabled this notion has not got Scotlands interests at the fore front of their minds. should be take these turncoats back into scottish football, when they were actively seeking to run as far away from it as fast as they could.
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Posted by earthquakes on 11/13/2009
Well said Mr. Rae. Something needs to change but this was not the answer.
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Posted by yahmpy on 11/13/2009
How stupid is it to say that Celtic and Rangers wouldn't succeed on a more even financial playing field in the Prem, when there was a time not too long ago Celtic was knocking off the likes of Liverpool, Barcelona, and Manchester United.
When the money issue wasn't as pronounced then the Old Firm could sign who they wanted and beat Europe's best.
The only thing that seperates the Old Firm from Prem teams is access to the broadcast money the Prem in general and the Big Four specifically currently enjoys, and doesn't want the Old Firm to have access to.
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Posted by andrew on 11/13/2009
Rangers and Celtic winning the silverware year after year is not much different than Real and Barca dividing the spoils in Spain.
The lack of genuine footballing talent in Scotland is more disturbing. I was told that the Scottish Parlament has banned football in Scottish schools which for decades was the incubator for the Law's, Bremners and Dalgleish of top flight football. If this is true, the SPL is finished.
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Posted by Kieran O'Hara on 11/13/2009
Look at Rangers AGM, they are still loosing money and falling deeper into debt. This wouldn't happen with the income provided by TV rights etc in the EPL. Celtic on the other hand continue to make money but the team is the weakest in a decade. Most clubs run with a small amount of debt, Celtic for some reason do not. If they spent money on the players, european football would improve for them and bring some success to the SPL and credibility. Why can't some saudi oil billionaire jump in for another club in the SPL?
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Posted by BadgerDawg on 11/13/2009
Rogi, the clubs have absolutely nothing to do with national side. It is not and should not be their concern. Their loyalty is to their club.
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Posted by Carson 08 on 11/13/2009
I just don't see how the focus on youth development is going to make a difference for Scottish football. The problem is money, bottom line. With the EPL so geographically close, the tv contracts between the two leagues are not even remotely close in terms of $$$, coupled with the fact that investors/owners can not gain anything from clubs like Hibs and Hearts. At the this point Celtic is struggling to keep up with teams like Wolverhampton and Stoke and it has nothing to do with not having enough money in the owners pockets but it has to do with how much money the teams are getting from sponsors and tv rights. If Celtic and gers were to enter the EPL next year both teams would be completely reconstructed and vasts amount of money would be coming into the club from outside investors. Celtic and gers might as well get used to being feeder clubs to the likes of Everton and Bolton because they are never going to be able to compete in Europe at this rate.
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Posted by Joseph Martin MUSOKE on 11/13/2009
I couldn't agree with you more Derek. What will happen to the national leagues in the future? I s everyone planning to have continental leagues now? We already have the Champions' League, Europa League, European Championship and the World Cup.
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Posted by Joe on 11/13/2009
This is a cop-out article, "more emphasis on youth" is a euphemism for accepting a lower domestic standard of play and no European success. Why would Celtic and Rangers do that?
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Posted by Pat on 11/13/2009
The only way forward for Celtic (and Rangers) is to leave this dying league. Times have changed and football is not what it was 20-30 years ago. The SPL has virtually no TV revenue, no outside media coverage, and no potential to grow, the only way for the Old Firm to survive is in a different league. And we're not the only ones. Teams from across Europe are pushing for a change, a European league is not far off.
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Posted by Robert on 11/14/2009
What was wrong with Jason's suggestion?
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Posted by alex on 11/14/2009
For too long the SFA has done SFA to change the decline in Scottish football quality, marketing, development & growth. Too many old school thinking, stubborn traditionalists have killed the game over the past 30 years.. Retail is where football is at globally, making money is the only way to develop interest , marketing and talent to the fold. Agree something needs done, but youth is what Scotland have been trying for the past 25 years and look where we are. Open up to Retail Sales strategies and bring in young dynamic visionaries with a passion for the game and an eye for growing a business.
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Posted by Davo on 11/14/2009
What evidence of greatness has Scotland shown in the past, that make us think the current state of affairs is that bad at the national level. Can some one please point to any point of time that we haven't been embarrased at a world cup, or that we have shown nothing but inconsistant performances that has shown our naivety on the world stage. Is there any silverware in the trophy cabinet at hampden, no. Is there a scottish player that has been labelled world player of the year, no. We have done nothing to justify a place in a world cup, or european championship for years. We live next door to a footballing powerhouse (domestically) internationally, not so much again, they have done nothing to justify the label of greatness.
Everyone just take a breath, and repeat - 'We aren't that good, we aren't that good'
We aren't even on the park when it comes to competing with the worlds best, as soon as we all realise that the better everyone will be...
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Posted by Roger on 11/14/2009
Celtic & Rangers cannot stay the same course. I like an Ireland, N. Ireland, Wales & Scotland combined Isles league. Would be interesting. Also, all these teams get to play in the FA Cup. If not that, then have the Scottish teams play some Coca Cola League teams. DO SOMETHING. It's not working and no one wants to watch Scottish games. Also, Scotland National Team should at least be on par with the Ireland National Team. NEEDS TO BE FIXED. This is not the 1950s. 2010 now. Change is necessary for survival
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Posted by Michael on 11/15/2009
As a fellow Scot I am totally ashamed at the state of Scottish football. The world cup situation & today's debacle against Wales. We need to re-establish talent to the days when we where qualifying for World & European cups. Although with the Old firm's financial situation it is making it a competition this year, one can only hope that Dundee Utd. & my Hi-Bees can sustain for the rest of the season
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Posted by benga on 11/15/2009
TS TIME FOR RADICAL ACTION AS THE SCOTTISH GAME IS ON ITS DEATH BED.
The fact is The OF must stay in Scotland. They are not the problem the problem is we have too many diddy teams to play week in week out, we must improve the opposition.
Too many small minded communities, they must amalgamate local clubs Dundee City for instance, maybe one team to represent Fife , Ayrshire UTD, Borders F.C.etc etc.
It worked in Australia,the game is starting to flourish down here with not half a dozen ethnic teams in say Melbourne and Sydney but two strong sides in Melbourne Victory and Sydney F.C etc.
The Aus game needed drastic action so they suspended the league for two years, said if you want in come back in two years here's the criteria, if you meet it then your in.
We could keep our premiere league going, scrap the rest and ask for 30 odd teams to come back as say 18 and create SPL 1 and Spl 2.Fewer teams better opposition bigger crowds better stadiums that is what we need to create or we are dead and buried as a football nation. Its drastic but something has to change.
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Posted by OzJambo on 11/17/2009
You just have to think about what on earth would happen to the other clubs financially if celtic and rangers left the SPL.
Who on earth would want to watch it?
Now, I say that in terms of international audiences - celtic and rangers have huge amounts of fans around the globe and they're the ones forking out for Setanta pay TV in oceania, asia and north america.
I support Hearts, and there isn't a following all over the world to the scale of the auld firm. Would "the best of the rest" clubs such as Hibs, hearts, dundee united, Aberdeen and motherwell generate a viewing demand?
I can hardly think so...
So as much as its bloody boring watching the glasgow clubs win everything year in, year out...I don't think the SPL would survive if they left, purely on the lack of appeal around the remaining clubs.
(Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see hearts battle it out on the last day of the season against Hibs for the crown...!)
;-)
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Posted by mike clarey on 11/17/2009
developing young players is the duty of every club it means a pay cheque for the clubs when they produce a "gooden" cause they aint going to keep the lad down on the farm,and the club ,if they are good at rearing champs arnt necessarily going to improve their position cause they buy average players with the money they have made and dont really get anywhere,a case in point is west ham who have been doing this trade for thirty years,they have reared and sold millions of pounds worth of players and look at them,no i think scottish football doesnt have a silver bullet.
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Posted by Francis McGinn on 11/19/2009
Celtic is a publicly traded company. It is incumbent upon mgmt to maximize the value of the Company (not "Scottish football")for the shareholders. Unless 30 million people move to Scotland some time soon the full value of Celtic will never be realized! The only viable option lies outside Scotland.
On a higher level, Ssomething radical needs to happen in European football (not just Scotland). The concentration of wealth in such a few number of teams is killing (has killed?) competition. The reality is that only 6 or 7 teams can now win the Champions League...where is the fun in that?
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Posted by Aitchie on 11/20/2009
Hearts and Hibs need to move on from the SPL - for too long the Edinburgh teams have been dragged down by the mediocrity on show in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee.
Hearts and Hibs are massive clubs, who deserve to be included in the English Premier League - and if they had as much money as Man Utd they woudl easily compete with the best in Europe.
They deserve an even financial footing.
The lack of finances due to being part of the SPHell is keeping the Hibees and Jambos from competing at the latter stages of the Champions League.
It is only fair and right that Hearts and Hibs should have more access to TV revenue to compete on an even playing field with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Man Utd, AC Milan etc.
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