You make a good point - but it’s not us playing against good young players that I have a problem with.
Something similar happened in the cricket - probably 20 years ago now (though it’s like yesterday to me). Tri-lateral series involving Australia, England and Australia B/U21. Both Aussie teams beat us, and I felt more humiliated than usual as an England fan. I didn’t like it, but at least I could accept it (after a time) as the playing field was level.
In football, you can earn top money by being in an U21 setup - probably more than in league two - because the Prem clubs can afford to pay it. I think these good young players should be learning their trade at a lower league club as a lower league permanent player (bigger crowds, better standard) - but it’s better for them financially to go out on loan from a Prem club. So we develop them - the big clubs get the financial benefit if they make it (a lot of them don’t though granted) - I don’t think that’s changing anytime soon and I’ve accepted it. The only good thing about it, is that we do get to see some good players, even though they’re not ours. So U21 sides playing at ‘our standard’ more means they’re less likely to come to us on loan and stay with their parent club. Right now it’s 3 games a season + the national league teams some play against. I reckon there’s a chance we’ll see that increase over the next few years though as the Prem clubs have all the power (FA cup replays…).
Unlike the cricket example it’s not a level playing field. These Prem clubs have two orders of magnitude more money than us and then when we play their U21 side its lose lose for us. Beat their U21 they say ‘it’s only the kids’ - LOSE to them and its far worse!
The system is what it is, and there is nothing we can do about it.
But is it really so bad? I don’t think that there is much doubt that the standard of play in the top division is higher now than it has ever been, and I believe that this is true also in the lower divisions and down the football pyramid.
I know that some people do not like the way that the game has changed, and will never agree that we are living in the best time ever to be a football fan. There are things that I miss about football in the past - such as players coming to the club as youngsters and playing out their whole careers here. But those are heavily out weighed in my opinion by the positive changes.
But the game would have changed and progressed anyway the structure of the TV money contracts is the issue and has distorted the game and it’s finances
Why can’t the money from the TV contracts be split evenly like in a number of North American sports across the entire Football League. Then perhaps we would see an even better standard than we do today , the parity would allow the game to develop in ways we can only imagine .
The EFL should in my opinion take the risk and tell the EPL to fly a kite and develop it’s own brand and join with similar leagues in Europe and even world wide to create new international comps to compete with the boring Champs league.
How about a tournament featuring teams from North America, Europe, Australiasia
It’s bad enough having to go to Carlisle, Plymouth, or Colchester on a wet Tuesday night in February, and be back in time for a decent kip before work next morning, without having to do a return trip to Phoenix, Gdansk, or Brisbane.
Three ex-Saddlers on display in tonight’s (Friday) game … Liam Kinsella and George Miller both start for Cheltenham, while Kieron Morris starts for Tranmere Rovers. There would have been four players, but Owen Evans is apparently out of favour and can only be seen on the home bench.
It’s great that the outcome of a match between two lower mid-table teams just doesn’t really matter to us. We’re no longer looking over our shoulder at these sort of games.
Anyone know what’s up with Rico? Still not involved with Brentford so has he had a setback as been out for 15 months now?
Think we have to be realistic and accept that’s another sell on that probably won’t happen as will take a while for him to get back to his previous level if he does and he won’t be far off 30 at that point.
Henry (knee) is still working his way back to the pitch, according to manager Thomas Frank. “If everything goes to plan, it will be a week until he can be involved in a game or that we are more sure. He was on track, had a minor setback, and now we are extra cautious.”
ANALYSIS
Henry had a setback a couple months ago and Brentford have been extra cautious in his return because of that. He’s been training for over a month and getting time in in-house games, but after being out for a year, he’s still clearly not 100 percent fit or even ready to play in the Premier League. It’s likely he’ll get another couple weeks of training before even having a chance to make the squad for the senior team.
Yeah think if he does move eventually it will be a smaller fee than some of those predicted 2-3 years back.
He’d still be a good pick up for a promoted club looking for player with vast prem experience which he has plenty of so many could still move for 10m in the future.