Source: FOOTYMAD
Playing For Their Top Flight Lives Next Season?
Football in Scotland has never been known for hasty decisions. However, that could be changing as the reconstruction of the SPL could start next season The SPL could be in for radical change next season with three clubs dropping out of the top flight. SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster met the members of Managers and Coaches Scotland at Hampden yesterday to discuss reconstruction proposals which would see the implementation of a 10-team top flight and a 12-team second division. If the clubs vote to accept the proposal, the 12 clubs could start next season knowing that three of them could drop down to the second tier for the following season. Doncaster said: "Next season is the earliest. I think it is important that when clubs start a season they know what they are playing for at the end of it. Potentially, if clubs want to go in that direction, if we get agreement from our clubs, there is no reason why that shouldn't be realistic. Looking at the good meeting with the clubs we had earlier this week, we will look to revise the document and re-issue that so potentially we are looking for a vote maybe in the next month or so. It was good to meet with the managers and coaches and I was impressed with the quality of discussion." All 12 SPL clubs were represented at the meeting, as well as managers and coaches from lower league clubs. But that does not mean that the right people were there. Inverness boss Terry Butcher hit out at the timing of the meeting after he was unable to make it. He said: "It's absolutely stupid that they're having a meeting at Hampden at three o'clock. It's over three hours for us to get down from Inverness. Thursday is a big day in a football week. It's crazy. It's punished us in a way because I would have loved to have seen Neil Doncaster and put forward my opinions face to face."Alex Smith, chairman of Managers and Coaches Scotland, admitted he would have liked his members to have been consulted before the proposals had reach such a stage. The former Aberdeen manager said: "They feel that they are a big part of the game and there is a general feeling that they should be consulted at club level when information comes out. Sometimes it happens at some of the clubs, at others the decision is made by their own chairman. But this has given us the opportunity to get our views over and there was a real strong group there today with vested interests and all giving various opinions. I'm quite sure if they had been asked at an earlier time they would have been able to contribute to the debate. Like most managers and coaches I would like a 16-team top league but it isn't financially viable at the moment. If we could get more sponsorship we possibly could do that." The proposals got the approval of Celtic manager Neil Lennon who said: "On that presentation, yes it does, because it looks to be the best way to increase the revenue, not just for the clubs in the top level but for clubs across the board. Neil (Doncaster) has obviously studied this meticulously, there were some very valid points. We're not over the line with it by a long way but it's nice to have an idea of where the powers-that-be see the game going." Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba net)Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba net)This is ScottishFitba Net
