Enter two teams!
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Last night's Carling Cup quarter-finals saw what was essentially Man Utd's reserves beat Arsenal's reserves 1-0. If Man Utd go on to win the cup (and the same would have been true of Arsenal) they will not expect to compete in next year's UEFA Cup because they will be competing in the Chapmpions' League. But if they win entry to the UEFA Cup with a different side should they not be allowed to compete? Think of the Winter Olympics, where you get A and B teams in the bobsleigh, for instance. Why not do the same for football?
Imagine a scenario where the rich clubs actually put a second team into the league - starting in the Conference, perhaps - and then a few years later that team reaches the Premiership. Man Utd B vs Arsenal A, Liverpool A vs Aresenal B etc.
This is the real sign of the gulf in resources between top clubs and those struggling to make the lower divisions at all relevant. We're heading more and more for a US-style football league (and this time I mean the American sort of football - or rugby for wimps, as it should be called) where only a few franchises dominate. In terms of TV and general media coverage we're there already to all intents and purposes. The top four or five clubs in the top four or five leagues in Europe get all the coverage and most of the money.
Imagine a scenario where the rich clubs actually put a second team into the league - starting in the Conference, perhaps - and then a few years later that team reaches the Premiership. Man Utd B vs Arsenal A, Liverpool A vs Aresenal B etc.
This is the real sign of the gulf in resources between top clubs and those struggling to make the lower divisions at all relevant. We're heading more and more for a US-style football league (and this time I mean the American sort of football - or rugby for wimps, as it should be called) where only a few franchises dominate. In terms of TV and general media coverage we're there already to all intents and purposes. The top four or five clubs in the top four or five leagues in Europe get all the coverage and most of the money.
