Should We Change The Play-off System?

Should the Football League change the Play-off structure?

Across the Football League, the play-offs are an exciting time of the season, they can make or break your season, four teams finishing outside the promotion spots, have their chance to gain promotion to the next level, currently the system is set in a ranked way, the top play-off side plays the bottom and the middle two play each other, over two legs, with the goal of getting to Wembley for a 90 minute winner takes all match.


How about, if we change the system so its a lot fairer, as I think the system is a tad unfair perhaps, you play one side in your play-off area, and then get to the final. Why not pit your team against all four sides in a mini-league round robin competition. Where the two highest ranked sides have the extra home advantage.. Sounds complicated, yes?. Let me explain...

You have four teams,

1st West Ham (C)
2nd Middlesborough (P)
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3rd Hull City
4th Ipswich
5th Cardiff
6th Middlesborough

So there's your table..

Hull vs Cardiff
Ipswich vs Middlesborough
Ipswich vs Cardiff
Hull vs Ipswich
Cardiff vs Middlesborough
Middlesborough vs Hull

Basically, the two highest ranked sides, will have TWO home advantages, whilst the lower ranked sides won't have two home advantages, they will have only ONE. The games could be played easily over 2 weeks, and the eventual winner of the round robin table claims the last play-off spot, so it adds a little more spice and fairness to all the teams, that they have to prove themselves against everyone, not just two sides. Before you jump on my back and have a go about ticket prices, all these games should have specially reduced prices for games such as £5-£10, and should be free to ST holders.

It would generate a little extra revenue for the clubs at the end of the season, and also add some more excitement to the season. Although I doubt a change like this would be made by the Football League. A lot of people would argue, getting to Wembley is what makes the season so worthwhile, I understand that, theres nothing like seeing your team triumph at Wembley no doubt. I am just passing on a thought or two about the play-off structure!

Manchester City - A Ticking Time Bomb of Arrogance and Money

Sergio Aguero is one of many 'Galatico' Players

Spending multi-millions on players over the past couple of seasons, Manchester City, have a team which are the English 'Galácticos'. The term being coined from Real Madrid having the world elite squad, with the likes of Luis Figo, Zinadine Zidane, David Beckham and Ronaldo in their team in the early part of last decade. Fast forward to 2011 and you have the names such as Tevez, Aguero, Silva, Balotelli, in the ranks. Having all these world class players in your side, seems like a fantastic idea on paper. But a team is not based down to individuals, a team is based on how good they work together, you can have a world class team, and fail, if they do not perform well together on the pitch. Yet, on the flip side of the coin you can have a team of players who aren't that good yet play well together and achieve success, an example for this is Stevenage, no offence intended to Stevenage fans here. But they are a side who gained promotion from the BSP two seasons ago, now find themselves going to places such as, Hillsborough, Bramall Lane, Deepdale etc. A huge change to going to places such as Forest Green and Southport on a Saturday.

Stevenage are an example of a team who works well together

So what I am trying to say is, you can achieve success without spending multi-millions. Now back to Manchester City, I feel, their downfall is a very simple one, and that is, they have too many world-class players on the pitch, and too many sat on the bench, they can field two very strong Premiership sides, these players are becoming frustrated with the lack of action in the team, as they're used to seeing their names on the team sheet when they play due to them being first choice at their old club, and also on the international basis too. Remember the other season with all the in-fighting at Man City, that is one of the recipes for disaster with having too many big name players in your side, its all about balance. Chelsea suffered a similar problem with squad rifts and player unhappiness, and it cost them a huge bill and they lost money hand over fist to resolve it. Look at Manchester United, they have a well balanced squad with a few world class players and then they have those that rung or two down from the elite, and they win trophies left right and centre.

Man City could face a big downfall

The second part of Man City's downfall will be money, eventually their owners will get bored of their 'toy' or whatever you want to call it, and will walk away, leaving the club to rot away, you cannot pay an entire side 200k per player per week, and sustain a profit, even if you was paying them over 100k a week, you cannot sustain a profit, end of the day, football is a business, if your not making money, you'll eventually walk away. I fear for the future of the club due to this, all these players will be tied onto stupid money deals, and they wont want to let go of them. Players greed and arrogance will be the downfall of this club, and its going to end in tears, for fans and players alike.