Premier League B League plans.

[davieG]

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has confirmed that there are plans for a 'B' league to come into existence.

The new league would replace the current Under-21 league format, and would be for Under-23 players with four over age players allowed.

The league would involve the same teams that are in the Under-21 league - which is those who are classed as category one in the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP).

That would mean that current Premier League sides Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle, Norwich, Southampton, Stoke, Sunderland, Tottenham, West Brom and West Ham would be involved along with Football League clubs Bolton, Blackburn, Leicester, Middlesbrough, Reading and Wolves.

Other clubs such as Crystal Palace, who aim to achieve category one status soon, would also be allowed to compete in the competition - with the plan to broadcast the games played from the main club stadiums.

Scudamore outlined his hopes for what he believes will be a much-needed component to youth development in English football.

"We understand the challenge of developing English talent good enough to play in the Premier League first team is how do you get them to transition from Under-18s into first-team squads? It is such a huge leap. You have to have the transition phase, the 'professional development phase' we call it," he explained to the Daily Telegraph.

"The Under-21 League is technically very good but not where it needs to be in terms of meaningful competition for these youngsters.

"The minute you call it 'Under-21' people think it is no use. It needs a better name and a better focus. All clubs recognise that. We need proper kick-off times, using main stadiums, anything to create an experience that is more competitive and more like the first team so it doesn't come as such a shock. And those players in that group should be interchangeable with the first team.

"They should be category one clubs and we are happy for them to be in that league with 16 of ours, and six of the Championship. If more cat one clubs come along you structure it accordingly.

"It should be in all our interests that people have more cat one academies because that's the best it can be.''

Scudamore insisted that the new league would have no impact on the Football League or its structure.

"Having been chief executive of the Football League, I believe in the pyramid. If you set up a club behind the Dog and Duck, make your way up through those 44,000 others, and climb over enough to get to us - brilliant, we'd love to have you," he continued.

Scudamore insists that the Premier League is firmly behind the Football Association's drive to improve the youth development in England.

"The night (in 2007) we lost to Croatia 2-3, poor old Steve McClaren under the umbrella, I flipped. I said: 'This can't go on, we aren't taking this reputational damage any more.' It took a while to get this EPPP into place.

"It is incongruous that we have the (successful) league that we have and aren't seen to be doing better on the international stage. The last eight of the World Cup is where we naturally should be. The last four is bloody good. To get to a final would be absolutely fantastic. It will happen in my lifetime, that England will get to a final.''

FA chairman Greg Dyke has set up a Commission to look into the problems within the English game and how they can build towards a successful England side, and Scudamore feels that the Premier League will show they are doing their bit.

"I know the Commission will be taking a very good look at EPPP and will be pleasantly surprised as to what is in place already,'' said Scudamore.

"All our clubs are searching for that local boy who can make it, the Steven Gerrard, the Jamie Carragher, born within the environs of that club. That's the holy grail. Fans will love any player who is good for their club but there is a special place that fans reserve for the local boy made good.

"I hope the Commission spend some considerable time in their report addressing the biggest issue we've got which is the propensity of people to want to play at grass-roots level. But it's fragile.

"Grass roots is always fragile. We mustn't kill the willing amateur. Are we sure that young people have access to the facilities, to play regular football, in this winter of all winters, when you hear of teams who haven't played since November? Put in a decent 3G facility and you could play a whole league over the weekend.''

Scudamore believes Dyke needs to push the Government for better funding of the game at grass roots level.

"The money we are putting into grass roots is never enough but it wouldn't be beyond the wit of the FA to find some more of their resources and then Government funding again,'' said Scudamore.

"The key objective for the FA chairman is to get that sorted. The urban areas of Britain aren't well served. There are lots of young people living in high density accommodation without an escape through football which is why our clubs are trying to do their bit through their community schemes.

"We can only do so much. What we are doing could be scaled (up) with input from the FA and more input from Government. It is happening. Sport England have now come along part-funding Kickz programme; they see the power of using our club brands and expertise to grow this engagement.

"Raheem Sterling and Wilfried Zaha came through a Kickz programme in a pretty challenging area in this country (London) and there must be loads of kids like them. I can't believe there aren't some more kids of 13, 14, 15, 16, living in these huge tower blocks, who if they had the facilities and a safe coaching environment would become footballers.''

[davieG]

With all the money PL has and the beneficiary of stars of the future surely it falls on them to ensure grass roots football is properly funded not the government.

[kingcarr21]

clubs should reduce wages to players and use the money saved to develop grass roots football. Shouldnt need funding from the government surely theres already enough money in football. These players on 200K+ A WEEK surely can all contribute more time and money to help with these developments

[Fox92]

clubs should reduce wages to players and use the money saved to develop grass roots football. Shouldnt need funding from the government surely theres already enough money in football. These players on 200K+ A WEEK surely can all contribute more time and money to help with these developments

 

There is something wrong with football that lies deeper than that. There should be somesort of wage cap, the money talked about is ridiculous. I don't blame the player, because if someone said to me I'll pay you £200,000 a week to play for xxx, then I'm going to do it. It's the authorities, rules and owners we should be looking at.

 

Nobody seems to care about grassroots and where potential/future players come from. It seems to be all about the Premier League now, we need him, him and him and let's pay them all millions and millions so that we can win the league. After all it's the "best league in the World" eh Sky!?

[davieG]

You maybe can't blame the players for their obscene wages but you could expect them to take a much more active involvement in grass roots football, maybe some of them do but I'm sure it could be more. They could spend some of their well known idle time in schools and other grass roots football it doesn't even need to be coaching just supporting by their presence.

[Freeman's Wharfer]

Think this is only going to increase the gap between Premier League and Football League....

 

So you're now wanting to create a league in which you have to have a Category One academy to be a part of, for the development of our future generations?

 

Well what about 'Joe Bloggs' who plays for Ipswich for example?!

 

Because Ipswich haven't got a Category One academy the only way he can play against a high standard of player without being in the first team is for him to leave Ipswich and go and join one of the Category One clubs. So all of the best young players go to these Category One academy clubs... no more Crewe bringing through the Ashtons, Lennons and Murphys. No more Leeds bringing through the Byrams, Woodgates and Robinsons. No more Southamptons bringing through fine young players and selling them for £10million in League One.

 

All because they are not Category One. This exclusive, elitist Category One.

 

One of the biggest problems in the game at the moment is the biggest clubs stock-piling the best young players without putting them into their first teams. Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal probably have 10 players that could adequately perform in The Championship/lower Premiership that are currently sat just waiting in reserve teams. This is supposed to solve that problem rather than getting these players into the first team at their existing clubs?!

 

Nathaniel Chalobah is the epitomy of what is wrong with the game at the moment. An 18 year old kid, who has proved last season he has the ability to play in The Premier League, is sat on £35k a week because Chelsea don't want to lose him, yet still won't play him. At the same time, Chelsea are allowed to go and spunk £21million on a Serbian kid who plays in exactly the same position!

 

This initiative is made as a solution for situations and 'problems' like this. But not a solution which genuinely suits the player, one that genuinely suits the club and The Premier League.

 

The fact that this is 'Premier League B' and is going to have the full marketing push of Scudamore and co. makes me think that this is only intended to create another layer between The Premier League and The Championship. To give the Premier League another product to sell worldwide and to give the big clubs the opportunity to make more money, keep more players and strengthen their hold on English football. All of this only serves to widen the gap and make it harder for clubs initially excluded from this to better themselves.

 

The quote from Scudamore about a team working their way up from the bottom goes against everything that he is putting in place. It should read: "Having been chief executive of the Football League, I believe in the pyramid. If you set up a club behind the Dog and Duck, make your way up through those 44,000 others, build a Category One academy, have enough players to fill two teams, and climb over enough to get to us - brilliant, we'd love to have you"

 

As a Leicester fan I'm glad we're not getting left behind with this for the moment. But God do I despise The Premiership and everything that it has and could become.

[kingcarr21]

You maybe can't blame the players for their obscene wages but you could expect them to take a much more active involvement in grass roots football, maybe some of them do but I'm sure it could be more. They could spend some of their well known idle time in schools and other grass roots football it doesn't even need to be coaching just supporting by their presence.

 

Exactly my point.

 

The issue isnt in them accepting the wages the issue is surely as a professional on ridiculous wages they can spend some time and money making kids development better. I would personally love the idea of having kids look upto u and appreciate your involvement and input of your skills. Its not as if players would have to spend half there wages and not like there gonna struggle to pay household bills.

 

dont necessarily need a wage cap but maybe once earn over a certain amount then it should be a duty in there contract as a well paid professional to help out in the local community with regards to grassroot development and not just to turn up and support the kids but to actually donate money to facilities and coaching programs.

[Corky]

You maybe can't blame the players for their obscene wages but you could expect them to take a much more active involvement in grass roots football, maybe some of them do but I'm sure it could be more. They could spend some of their well known idle time in schools and other grass roots football it doesn't even need to be coaching just supporting by their presence.

 

They should look at their own skills really, can't believe players nowadays with the training and time afterwards to improve can be so one-footed in some cases. You should train up to be comfortable with either foot. All midfielders should be able to take a set-piece too, practice free-kicks and corners so there is variety within the game situation.

[davieG]

They should look at their own skills really, can't believe players nowadays with the training and time afterwards to improve can be so one-footed in some cases. You should train up to be comfortable with either foot. All midfielders should be able to take a set-piece too, practice free-kicks and corners so there is variety within the game situation.

So true and something that I've commented on.

 

They have time to do both surely.

[AyewJoking]

i assume the proposed b league will be british players only