B league plan unpopular

Among the proposals from Greg Dyke’s FA Commission, that for a new league for B teams has attracted most controversy.   A not uncommon response is why the lower leagues should be expected to sort out problems caused by the Premiership’s ‘greed’.

Under the plan there would be a new League 3 from 2016-17 with ten ‘B’ teams from top sides and ten Conference sides.   There would be promotion and relegation, but ‘B’ teams could not be promoted beyond League 1.  

Among the proposals from Greg Dyke’s FA Commission, that for a new league for B teams has attracted most controversy.   A not uncommon response is why the lower leagues should be expected to sort out problems caused by the Premiership’s ‘greed’.

Under the plan there would be a new League 3 from 2016-17 with ten ‘B’ teams from top sides and ten Conference sides.   There would be promotion and relegation, but ‘B’ teams could not be promoted beyond League 1.  

The Commission also proposes ‘strategic loan partnerships’ between clubs which is a euphemistic way of referring to the idea of nursery clubs.   It is also proposed to reduce the number of ‘non homegrown’ players in the Premiership.

The response of the Football League to the ‘B’ league plan has been tactful in terms of saying that it is not timely, but in effect rejects it by seeking to kick it into the long grass.   However, Greg Dyke hopes that the Football League might be attracted by a ‘sweetener’ of £20m made up of a payment of £2m from each club fielding a ‘B’ team.  The Conference has been more robust in its response, complaining that they were not consulted or their views sought.

The idea is now on the agenda, but it may not go very far.   Much depends on the attitude of the Premiership which holds the real power rather than the FA.   They would probably settle for a ‘beefed up’ under 23 league.

The underlying difficulty is the stockpiling of talent.  Top clubs sign up too many promising young players who then have limited development opportunities.    In practice very few of them will make the grade at the top level, but one motive for having them on the books is to stop other clubs having them in case they do turn into a star player.

‘B’ teams exist in a number of other countries including Spain.   However, they are unpopular in Germany and are not seen as a source of the country’s success in international competitions.  Bayer Leverkusen are thinking of getting rid of their ‘B’ team.