SPL "Think Tank" / League reconstruction discussion

[John Titor]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7730721.stm

 

Notice it's all good honest Scottish managers.

[shaun.lawson]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7730721.stm

 

Notice it's all good honest Scottish managers.

 

I can just see it now...

 

* meeting begins*

 

Walter Smith: So gentlemen - what are your suggestions for improving the Scottish game?

 

Craig Levein: Refs who aren't biased for your and Gordon's lot would be a start!

 

Mark McGhee: How about we spread the TV and prize money equally?

 

Jimmy Calderwood (stuffs a pie into his gob, spraying it everywhere): Yeah, you tell 'em Mark!

 

John Hughes: And gies our 5% back, ya pair a thiefs!

 

Gordon Strachan: Ah, stuff this! C'mon Walt - let's go count our wads in peace.

 

*meeting is adjourned*

[Jam Tarts 1874]

The SPL can have their good old "honest Scottish boys" coffee morning. Hearts were the only non old firm club represented at Europe's top table for discussions on the future of the game a little earlier this year.

[Carl Weathers]

I wonder why Jim Jefferies hasn't been invited?

[Charlie-Brown]

Hertz get nowt, moany-face Jefferies gets nowt, sorry Craigy but you get nowt either unless your already gone from Utd by that time.......Hibs? who cares....now (Walter / Gordon) "we're aaw agreed it's a carve up guys......"

[piltonjambo]

I wonder why Jim Jefferies hasn't been invited?

 

 

Eh ... Because he's ex Hearts

[Sparky]

Jim Jefferies, Gus MacPherson, Billy Reid, Craig Brewster, Mixu Paatelainen & Csaba L?szl? should form their own think tank.

 

Or maybe not.

 

Seriously though, they should have some foreign or non-spl manager in there to give a different view. They wont.

 

We need a name for this new "think tank".

Status Quo?

Manpower?

[Carl Weathers]

I wonder why Jim Jefferies hasn't been invited?

 

 

Eh ... Because he's ex Hearts

 

I seem to remember from reading his biography that he didn't get on with the Largs mafia.

[Say What Again]

Aye, good. The chosen few will sort it all out.

 

This doesn't deserve attention from any of us.

 

It's nothing.

[redm]

I'd put money on Levein falling out with someone. Possibly all of them, actually.

 

I don't quite get the point of it to be honest....surely a more effective think tank would take advantage of the fact that they have non-Scots in their midst who might be able to offer a different viewpoint, insight or suggestion?

 

I'm cringing at the thought of even suggesting that it's just another one of these very public snubs, but really...what else IS it, if not that?

[jumpship]

GBC

 

Rangers' Walter Smith and Celtic's Gordon Strachan will discuss the game

Six SPL managers are to be invited to form a so-called "think tank" aimed at improving Scottish football.

 

Old Firm coaches Gordon Strachan of Celtic and Walter Smith of Rangers are among the six who'll be asked to exchange views on the game.

 

Craig Levein (Dundee United), Jimmy Calderwood (Aberdeen), Mark McGhee (Motherwell) and John Hughes (Falkirk) are also involved.

 

The inaugural meeting has been scheduled for early next month.

 

 

Right lets have a look at the managers who are going to change our game .

 

Strachan = Celtic

McGhee = Celtic

Hughes = Celtic

Smith = Rangers

Tango man = Rangers

 

Leaving only Levein to represent the other 10.

 

 

Thats *****ing great eh!!!!!!

[Devries4]

If the others have been asked and declined then fine, but to just take those six is pretty poor.

[Rawrrrrrrr]

5 years ago there is no doubt in my mind we would have been invited before one of the others.

 

Not much point in having someone who has to have every comment authorised though

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Would not expect Levein or Hughes to roll over and be tickled by the OF.

[IMA MAROON]

Would not expect Levein or Hughes to roll over and be tickled by the OF.

 

Do you think they would like to manage the OF?

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Do you think they would like to manage the OF?

 

Do you think any manager in the SPL would want to manage the OF?

[IMA MAROON]

Do you think any manager in the SPL would want to manage the OF?

 

Of course. Levein will not be causiing a fuss, he would love to get an OF job.

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Of course. Levein will not be causiing a fuss, he would love to get an OF job.

 

Like I said, dont think Levein or Hughes are the type to roll over the the OF. Even if both would jump at the chance to manage the OF.

[shaun.lawson]

I'd put money on Levein falling out with someone. Possibly all of them, actually.

 

I don't quite get the point of it to be honest....surely a more effective think tank would take advantage of the fact that they have non-Scots in their midst who might be able to offer a different viewpoint, insight or suggestion?

 

I'm cringing at the thought of even suggesting that it's just another one of these very public snubs, but really...what else IS it, if not that?

 

It's hardly a public snub, redm. Hibs aren't being represented; and Jefferies won't be there either. Not everything is about us, you know!

 

As an aside, if I had to choose the six most experienced/influential SPL managers (though I wouldn't: I'd invite all twelve, or no think tank would happen under my watch), I'd only make one change. Hughes out, Jefferies (the weirdest omission of all) in.

[Carl Spackler]

Csaba's not invited simply because they want to have a "meeting" not a three day conference!

[Toxteth O'Grady]

John Hughes - Think Tank:eek:

[John Titor]

Frankly i find the whole thing laughable. Apart from corrupt referees who constantly give descisions to the old firm and Watty and Gord who always complain there is a conspiracy against their team WHAT exactly IS the point?

 

Bad Ref's and the police action they will "might" take

 

Codswallop!!

[Guest JamboRobbo]

I wonder why Jim Jefferies hasn't been invited?

 

 

Eh ... Because he's ex Hearts

 

I expect that's why Levein never got invited either.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

John Hughes - Think Tank:eek:

 

I reckon he could just about manage to follow those instructions, if someone read them out to him.

 

[MacDonald Jardine]

GBC

 

Rangers' Walter Smith and Celtic's Gordon Strachan will discuss the game

Six SPL managers are to be invited to form a so-called "think tank" aimed at improving Scottish football.

 

Old Firm coaches Gordon Strachan of Celtic and Walter Smith of Rangers are among the six who'll be asked to exchange views on the game.

 

Craig Levein (Dundee United), Jimmy Calderwood (Aberdeen), Mark McGhee (Motherwell) and John Hughes (Falkirk) are also involved.

 

The inaugural meeting has been scheduled for early next month.

 

 

Right lets have a look at the managers who are going to change our game .

 

Strachan = Celtic

McGhee = Celtic

Hughes = Celtic

Smith = Rangers

Tango man = Rangers

 

Leaving only Levein to represent the other 10.

 

 

Thats *****ing great eh!!!!!!

 

And folk complain the media have an OF obsession.

Like him or not, Hughes played for Celtic for a relatively short period, hasn't been near them in a managerial role and claims to be a Hibs fan.

McGhee is much the same professionally although seems to be a Celtic fan.

 

In what way do they represent Celtic?

 

Do you really think they'll all sit round (apart from Levein of course) and plot how to ensure the OF remain dominant and get all the decisions?

 

Apart from anything else Levein is the last manager you'd have there is that was the aim.

[jumpship]

And folk complain the media have an OF obsession.

Like him or not, Hughes played for Celtic for a relatively short period, hasn't been near them in a managerial role and claims to be a Hibs fan.

McGhee is much the same professionally although seems to be a Celtic fan.

 

In what way do they represent Celtic?

 

Do you really think they'll all sit round (apart from Levein of course) and plot how to ensure the OF remain dominant and get all the decisions?

 

Apart from anything else Levein is the last manager you'd have there is that was the aim.

 

OK

 

You are saying iv got everything right apart from Hughes. Don't you think its pretty much geared toward the old firm.

 

I change it then

 

Strachan = Celtic

McGhee = Celtic back up Because he is a fan of Celtic and has stated he would love to manage Celtic.

 

Smith = Rangers

Tango man = Rangers Back up Because he is a fan of Rangers and has stated he would love to manage Rangers.

 

Hughes = Other 10

Levein = Other 10

 

 

Nope . I'm still old firm obsessed.

[vegas-voss]

They woould need to make it a 4 day meeting just so they could hear Csaba's thoughts on the game.

[MacDonald Jardine]

OK

 

You are saying iv got everything right apart from Hughes. Don't you think its pretty much geared toward the old firm.

 

I change it then

 

Strachan = Celtic

McGhee = Celtic back up Because he is a fan of Celtic and has stated he would love to manage Celtic.

 

Smith = Rangers

Tango man = Rangers Back up Because he is a fan of Rangers and has stated he would love to manage Rangers.

 

Hughes = Other 10

Levein = Other 10

 

 

Nope . I'm still old firm obsessed.

 

You are.

I'm not convinced McGhee, who has a track record of jumping ship to anyone when it suits him, will conspire to ensure Celtic (or more accurately Celtic and Rangers) continue to dominate.

Calderwood is a self confessed Rangers fan. So what? Do you think he wants to ensure a team his club's fans see as rivals do well?

[redm]

It's hardly a public snub, redm. Hibs aren't being represented; and Jefferies won't be there either. Not everything is about us, you know!

 

As an aside, if I had to choose the six most experienced/influential SPL managers (though I wouldn't: I'd invite all twelve, or no think tank would happen under my watch), I'd only make one change. Hughes out, Jefferies (the weirdest omission of all) in.

 

The public snub thing was mostly about us but I was really referring more generally to the idea of this dodgy wee Largs mafia thing and the all Scots line up for this meeting.

 

If this is just the first in a series of 'think tank' meetings and the invited managers are going to be changed around each time, then fine. But I bet it isn't...

[Toxteth O'Grady]

Jim Jefferies is not happy at being snubbed

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/k/kilmarnock/7782535.stm

[Thunderstruck]

"SPL Think Tank": along with it being rhyming slang it is an oxymoron

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

Why do we need these numpties to talk about anything?

 

16 team SPL (rising to 18 after a few years), 18 team Div 1, three up, three down with a pyramid system underneath. Job done.

[Ben Dover]

Hmmm, so we have a get together and according to JJ

 

"When I got a call from Lex to invite me in the back door he said he didn't think it was my cup of tea - which was a strange comment," added Jefferies.

 

Right away you have to ask what their remit was then ?

[JamboAl]

GBC

 

Right lets have a look at the managers who are going to change our game .

 

Strachan = Celtic

McGhee = Celtic

Hughes = Celtic

Smith = Rangers

Tango man = Rangers

 

Leaving only Levein to represent the other 10.

 

 

Thats *****ing great eh!!!!!!

 

You are 100% correct. 5 of the 6 have OF connections and to them you can add

Lex Gold - (ex provisional Rangers signing)

G Smith - ex Rangers

So they'll all, but one, fully understand how important it is that OF needs are met as opposed the more compelling need of Scottish football.

[Spellczech]

Lip service.

 

The OF want the SPL to improve, unless it actually threatens their duopoly of course...

 

The SFA want the SPL to improve as it is harder to justify the jollies to foreign lands on the company ticket if Scotland aren?t actually qualifying for the competitions. This has to be done without actually threatening the OF duopoly though so it must involve all SPL clubs being denied WPs so that Scottish players get priority and can feed the OF and the NT.

[jamboinglasgow]

Absolutely. That gives us a 30 game season allowing free weekends to provide the ailing League Cup a platform to regain some prestige and prevent hideous over-crowding of fixtures as witnessed last season.

 

Celtic

Rangers

Hearts

Aberdeen

Dundee Utd

Hibernian

Falkirk

Motherwell

Kilmarnock

Inverness CT

St Mirren

Dundee

Dunfermline

St Johnstone

Partick Thistle

Livingston

 

That's still a pretty strong league, with sides like Hamilton, Airdrie, Raith, Morton and Queen of the South all vying for promotion in the second tier.

 

Stuff yer "Think Tank" - let JKB bring reform to the Scottish game!

 

That would be a good league, it would open the league up and give smaller sides a chance of coming up and those at the bottom of the second league a reason to fight each week. Also a good mix of teams from all over scotland (even Ross County could make it up.)

 

I would also like an incentive for teams to invest in youth development, not too sure what but something.

[brownkg]

OK so here is the 10 point plan

 

1. Charge the gruesome twosome double entry fees to have their games beamed back to their own ground with 50% going to the "host" club
   
2. Limit their away support to a special executive behaviour inducing package (at triple the normal price they get a personal steward and a personal snack getter. this helps the unemployed,helps dilute their bile and generates more money for the other clubs)
   
3. Debar the two of them from buying players from other clubs just to use as reserve/bench fodder just coz so and so played well against/is the best player the opposition has
   
4. Ban inane winter midweek fixtures i.e Aberdeen away to killie or Falkirk away to inverness when celtic get motherwell or rangers get st bribery
   
5. Red cards count double for their players coz they are rarer than hens' teeth
   
6. Ditto yellows
   
7. Take 5% admin costs of all their gate receipts to fund the lower divisions/grass roots
   
8. Take 5% of their telly receipts to fund a school of objective journalism
   
9. Expand the leagues to 16-18 with a chance of promotion below the 2 senior leagues
   
10. Install soundproof perspex/whatever around their pitches so their bile/influence cannot sway the officials
    

Think tank complete no need for the full fee to be paid just reimburse me my bottle of 18 yo Highland park:bravo:

[jamboinglasgow]

I have a 10 point plan:

 

1. restructure league system so that there is two leagues of 16 with 3 team promotion/relegation (with a play-off in the SPL2.) Than set up a pyramid system below with leagues allowing teams to move up, say a north and south league with the winners of both leagues moving up.

2. Have a winter break in January, thus allowing clubs not to be cluttered with postponements.

3. Make referees professional and accountable for mistakes by an independent review board.

4. The Government get off their backside and scrap any bid for 2016 euro championships and instead puts money into improving facilities and pitches in Scotland, plus stop any purchase of playing fields by property developers.

5. Invest heavily in grass roots, give youth coaches the best training and advice on how to coach youngsters decent technical football. Leagues and competitions set up to benefit development and the possible creation of Futsol leagues.

6. Setting up a Scottish elite section - this is similar to the Welsh where they took a group of really talented Welsh youngsters and gave them extra specialised training together and it is now paying dividends.

7. The Government creates a fund for Scottish clubs, specificly the smaller ones, where they can apply for financial assitance to install and run undersoil heating or make stadium improvements.

8. Merge the SFA, SFL and SPL into one organisation, which is accountable and officals can be investigated if three or more clubs call a complaint.

9. Increase number of U21s in the match day squad to 5 (not including goalies.)

10. Something else...i got stuck.

[JamboAl]

I have a 10 point plan:

 

1. restructure league system so that there is two leagues of 16 with 3 team promotion/relegation (with a play-off in the SPL2.) Than set up a pyramid system below with leagues allowing teams to move up, say a north and south league with the winners of both leagues moving up.

2. Have a winter break in January, thus allowing clubs not to be cluttered with postponements.

3. Make referees professional and accountable for mistakes by an independent review board.

4. The Government get off their backside and scrap any bid for 2016 euro championships and instead puts money into improving facilities and pitches in Scotland, plus stop any purchase of playing fields by property developers.

5. Invest heavily in grass roots, give youth coaches the best training and advice on how to coach youngsters decent technical football. Leagues and competitions set up to benefit development and the possible creation of Futsol leagues.

6. Setting up a Scottish elite section - this is similar to the Welsh where they took a group of really talented Welsh youngsters and gave them extra specialised training together and it is now paying dividends.

7. The Government creates a fund for Scottish clubs, specificly the smaller ones, where they can apply for financial assitance to install and run undersoil heating or make stadium improvements.

8. Merge the SFA, SFL and SPL into one organisation, which is accountable and officals can be investigated if three or more clubs call a complaint.

9. Increase number of U21s in the match day squad to 5 (not including goalies.)

10. Something else...i got stuck.

 

Your tenth point is probably to move the new SFA out of Glasgow to a more neutral location thereby diluting the weegie influence in all matters.

[scott_jambo]

If this happened it would be chosen on the top four of the first division no doubt. But if we got to choose, mine would be.

 

St Johnstone

Partick Thistle

Dunfermline

Dundee

 

Evening up the East/West coast divide quite nicely!

[vegas-voss]

The 4 that finnish highest in the division the season before league reconstruction(if it ever happened).**** with this elitest view every team deserves a shot.

[scott_jambo]

The 4 that finnish highest in the division the season before league reconstruction(if it ever happened).**** with this elitest view every team deserves a shot.

 

Feel free not to read the first part of the post though.

[Gabriel]

Dunfermline

Raith Rovers

Berwick

East Fife

 

I would prefer to see the league loaded with teams from the east.

[vegas-voss]

Feel free not to read the first part of the post though.

 

I did and would want whoever finished in the top 4.I have no preference to any team in that division but unlike yourself i think if a 16 team came about there would be a carve up and the teams you suggest would probably get in regardless of league position.

[Charlie-Brown]

In the late 80's & early 90's the SPL frequently had a combination of east coast teams with Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen, Dundee, Dundee Utd, St Johnstone, Dunfermline, Raith & Falkirk - I liked that.

[scott_jambo]

I did and would want whoever finished in the top 4.I have no preference to any team in that division but unlike yourself i think if a 16 team came about there would be a carve up and the teams you suggest would probably get in regardless of league position.

 

You may be right, they may put stadium requirements as a factor and so if a small team like Brechin managed to finish 4th they would be made to swap there place for a team like st johnstone, which would be wrong IMO.

[vegas-voss]

You may be right, they may put stadium requirements as a factor and so if a small team like Brechin managed to finish 4th they would be made to swap there place for a team like st johnstone, which would be wrong IMO.

 

Exactly.

 

I think they should recieve some sort of grant to improve their stadium not build a brand new one right away but a temporay upgrade.After all you can play a cup game at their ground so what is the difference.

[Genghis Khan]

You may be right, they may put stadium requirements as a factor and so if a small team like Brechin managed to finish 4th they would be made to swap there place for a team like st johnstone, which would be wrong IMO.

 

If they added undersoil heating, Motherwell & Killie would have to drop out !! :xmasunsure:

[Marmeladent?rtchen]

I really hope this never happens!!! :xmasunsure: Personally I would rather play 3/4 times against OF and Hibs then 2 games against teams worse then Gretna and Hamilton!!

 

To answer the question; If it did happen I would go for a top team 1st division team in conjunction with best stadia and cash flow.

 

Might be unfair to a few teams thou.:xmascrazy:

[Cut The Crap]

I really hope this never happens!!! :xmasunsure: Personally I would rather play 3/4 times against OF and Hibs then 2 games against teams worse then Gretna and Hamilton!!

 

To answer the question; If it did happen I would go for a top team 1st division team in conjunction with best stadia and cash flow.

 

Might be unfair to a few teams thou.:xmascrazy:

 

With you all the way there.

 

Swap games against Rangers, Celtic and Hibs for encounters with Dunfermline, Dundee, and St Johnstone? No thanks.