Worse set-ups than the Scottish Premiership "split"

Bob Belcher

Bob Belcher

Well-Known Member
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The SPFL is a joke, and the split of the top tier after 33 games is a farce, where no one ever seems to be happy, but are there examples of any other leagues with a worse set-up?

My vote is for the Belgian Pro League; 16 teams play each other for a total of 30 games in the regular season. The top 6 then enter a championship round, whereby they play each other twice (home and away), starting the group with half the points earned during the course of the regular season. This is before you consider playoff group 2, which contains the teams finishing 7th - 15th, plus three teams from the second division, entering into a playoff for a Europa League place:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_First_Division_A

Any advances on that?
 
Tried the mexican league on football manager. there are two winners each year, and not sure how the overall winner is determined. The MLS is convoluted as well with a winner of each conference getting the supporters shield and then a play off system.
 
reyna12 said:
Tried the mexican league on football manager. there are two winners each year, and not sure how the overall winner is determined. The MLS is convoluted as well with a winner of each conference getting the supporters shield and then a play off system.
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MLS is also split regionally, with 2 games against each team in their region and one game against each team in the other region. Bizarre.
 
reyna12 said:
Tried the mexican league on football manager. there are two winners each year, and not sure how the overall winner is determined. The MLS is convoluted as well with a winner of each conference getting the supporters shield and then a play off system.
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Whilst unusual and convoluted, it does make sense in comparison to other American sports, not to mention the geographical strain of travelling across the country if it wasn't run like that. Even with the conference split it'd be the equivalent of our away games all over Europe. Instead of going to Dundee, Aberdeen and Hamilton we'd be going to Dortmund, Antwerp and Helsinki every weekend.
 
I’m in the minority I guess who likes the split, granted some teams are hard done by, however when it comes to the crunch and there is actually a title race, at least it rules out the prospect of us being away to Hearts and Aberdeen for example in 2 of our last 3 games and then the mhanks being home to Hamilton and St Mirren.
 
Jimmy the Gent said:
I’m in the minority I guess who likes the split, granted some teams are hard done by, however when it comes to the crunch and there is actually a title race, at least it rules out the prospect of us being away to Hearts and Aberdeen for example in 2 of our last 3 games and then the mhanks being home to Hamilton and St Mirren.
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Playing 5 other teams 4 times a season is boring though. Would be better to have a larger league with a bit more variety and would give other teams a better chance of challenging for the title.

Due to cup replays Rangers will play Aberdeen and Kilmarnock 7 times this season. Shambles.
 
Scottish football nearly voted for a worse set-up themselves not so long ago.

Thankfully Ross County and St.Mirren scuppered it (we weren't in the top league at the time).
 
Jimmy the Gent said:
I’m in the minority I guess who likes the split, granted some teams are hard done by, however when it comes to the crunch and there is actually a title race, at least it rules out the prospect of us being away to Hearts and Aberdeen for example in 2 of our last 3 games and then the mhanks being home to Hamilton and St Mirren.
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The split, could be ok. If you were guaranteed the same number of home and away ties against each team. Since we cant, its a farce.

You could reduce it to ten teams and follow the same format.

Or.....this is wild. Expand it to 20 teams and play each side twice.
 
Papasmurf said:
The split, could be ok. If you were guaranteed the same number of home and away ties against each team. Since we cant, its a farce.

You could reduce it to ten teams and follow the same format.

Or.....this is wild. Expand it to 20 teams and play each side twice.
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Exactly. Doesn't even need to be 20; you could have a top division of 18 like Germany or the Netherlands, and then two leagues of 12 below that. The problem is that the current set-up exists to maximise the number of games between us and the scum, as they're the money-spinners. Broadcasting rights would be considerably lower (if that's even possible) if there were only 2 guaranteed OFs each season.
 
That's why I avoided managing a team in the Belgian League!

Can you imagine the uproar towards the SPFL if Doncaster came out and proposed a similar set-up here? He'd be chased out of town
 
Fantasy Football at work. Don't understand it and don't want to. All these wee guys with haircuts getting hardons over the EPL and some arsehole at a tinpot club getting a clean sheet.
 
Papasmurf said:
The split, could be ok. If you were guaranteed the same number of home and away ties against each team. Since we cant, its a farce.

You could reduce it to ten teams and follow the same format.

Or.....this is wild. Expand it to 20 teams and play each side twice.
Click to expand...

“ but but but tv companies would pull out of Scotland with only two OF games ...”

Is the usual pathetic argument against a bigger division . Nonsense of course . The game survived without any OF games for four years .
 
I don’t think introducing more teams would work at all, the quality is very poor at the moment, introducing even poorer sides at the expense of games against Celtic, Hearts, Aberdeen etc is lunacy, it would never be voted through.
 
Jimmy the Gent said:
I don’t think introducing more teams would work at all, the quality is very poor at the moment, introducing even poorer sides at the expense of games against Celtic, Hearts, Aberdeen etc is lunacy, it would never be voted through.
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I agree, never get why people want to expand the league. 10 of the teams are utter shite and one is a midden for nonces so aye let's introduce another 6 teams. Another 6 opponents sticking ten fat diddies in their own box for 87 minutes.
 
Axelrod said:
“ but but but tv companies would pull out of Scotland with only two OF games ...”

Is the usual pathetic argument against a bigger division . Nonsense of course . The game survived without any OF games for four years .
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Why did they revert to a smaller league then? The previous set up wasn’t working.

As mentioned already, to remove games against Celtic, Hearts , Hibs and Aberdeen and instead bring in teams like Ross County, Inverness, Alloa and Morton for example is just mental and will never be approved.
 
Czech League was 16 teams/30 games. But has changed.

Now 16 teams/30 games. Then split into 3........with top 6 playing another 5 games for champtionship. The middle group winner plays bottom in top group for place in Europa League.........
 
Bob Belcher said:
The SPFL is a joke, and the split of the top tier after 33 games is a farce, where no one ever seems to be happy, but are there examples of any other leagues with a worse set-up?

My vote is for the Belgian Pro League; 16 teams play each other for a total of 30 games in the regular season. The top 6 then enter a championship round, whereby they play each other twice (home and away), starting the group with half the points earned during the course of the regular season. This is before you consider playoff group 2, which contains the teams finishing 7th - 15th, plus three teams from the second division, entering into a playoff for a Europa League place:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_First_Division_A

Any advances on that?
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That Belgium one is terrible , Went Anderlecht once in fifa n had no idea what was going on.
 
Jimmy the Gent said:
Why did they revert to a smaller league then? The previous set up wasn’t working.

As mentioned already, to remove games against Celtic, Hearts , Hibs and Aberdeen and instead bring in teams like Ross County, Inverness, Alloa and Morton for example is just mental and will never be approved.
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Alloa :rolleyes:are nowhere near being promoted but I’m sure you didn’t use them to advance your point .....

So because we changed to a smaller league 40 years ago that means it MUST be better all these years later and we can never go back to a bigger league ?

Don’t talk pish .
 
Papasmurf said:
The split, could be ok. If you were guaranteed the same number of home and away ties against each team. Since we cant, its a farce.

You could reduce it to ten teams and follow the same format.

Or.....this is wild. Expand it to 20 teams and play each side twice.
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First point would mean a split after two rounds of fixtures.
 
Axelrod said:
Alloa :rolleyes:are nowhere near being promoted but I’m sure you didn’t use them to advance your point .....

So because we changed to a smaller league 40 years ago that means it MUST be better all these years later and we can never go back to a bigger league ?

Don’t talk pish .
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As well as not addressing the point, you appear to be missing it spectacularly.

Why dilute an already poor league with more dross?

Fewer bigger games, smaller attendances, less money?

The tv companies will be falling over themselves for that one.

Thankfully everyone who doesn’t reside on planet bullshit can see that it’s a complete non starter.
 
Axelrod said:
No they don’t and they proved it the four years we were not in the top league .

Next .
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And look at the state of the game , they knew we’d be back so they’d get that money again, longer term would harm them so they wouldn’t vote it.

Also , you would rather play teams like Morton , Ayr , Qost than playing Aberdeen Celtic hearts etc home and away twice ? That’s all the league needs , filled up way even more crap with worst stadiums and lower attendances. You’d suit running the SFA , not got a clue like the rest of them.
 
Jimmy the Gent said:
As well as not addressing the point, you appear to be missing it spectacularly.

Why dilute an already poor league with more dross?

Fewer bigger games, smaller attendances, less money?

The tv companies will be falling over themselves for that one.

Thankfully anyone who doesn’t reside on planet bullshit can see that it’s a complete non starter.
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What “ great quality “ would be getting diluted ??

Our games are turgid pish . Playing Aberdeen 7 times , Kilmarnock 7 times , apart from one good game at Pittodrie we won 4/2 point me to a good game of football in any others ?

This famous “ ah but but it would dilute the quality “ is laughable .

What quality ? Our league is awful .
 
Graemeh89 said:
And look at the state of the game , they knew we’d be back so they’d get that money again, longer term would harm them so they wouldn’t vote it.

Also , you would rather play teams like Morton , Ayr , Qost than playing Aberdeen Celtic hearts etc home and away twice ? That’s all the league needs , filled up way even more crap with worst stadiums and lower attendances. You’d suit running the SFA , not got a clue like the rest of them.
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No you’ve got you’re head firmly stuck up your arse .

As I predicted straight away the usual suspects excuses “ but but the quality will be diluted “ :rolleyes: what quality ??

And the tv companies nonsense , two old firm games with massive interest still would have us with a similar tv deal . Fact .

And finally the “ other teams won’t want it they need to play the old firm twice a season for income “ well in afraid that was blown out the water when we weren’t in the league and they all boasted how great they got on without us . Why the Fck should we subsidise the rest of the league by filling their stadiums for them ?

This narrow mindset does my nut in .

A 20 team league isn’t perfect but it’s better . No stupid split , fixture imbalance and uncertainty , no playing teams 7 times a Fcking season , games where we may actually see some young players get a chance , playoffs for relegation / promotion the same as the EPL / championship which has been a resounding success , loads of positives .

So many fans on here seem to love playing the likes of Aberdeen , hibs , Kilmarnock 7 times a season and would be panicking about “ diluting the quality “ ??

Pish .
 
Papasmurf said:
The split, could be ok. If you were guaranteed the same number of home and away ties against each team. Since we cant, its a farce.

You could reduce it to ten teams and follow the same format.

Or.....this is wild. Expand it to 20 teams and play each side twice.
Click to expand...

What was mooted a few years ago would work, two leagues of 12, SPL1 and SPL2, play each other twice, split to 3 leagues of 8, play each other twice, personally think it would work nice.
 
I actually quite like the idea of the split. It means every game in the league for the last 5 fixtures actually has meaning, whether it’s chasing the title, European spot or fighting relegation.
 
Axelrod said:
What “ great quality “ would be getting diluted ??

Our games are turgid pish . Playing Aberdeen 7 times , Kilmarnock 7 times , apart from one good game at Pittodrie we won 4/2 point me to a good game of football in any others ?

This famous “ ah but but it would dilute the quality “ is laughable .

What quality ? Our league is awful .
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In your scenario, for us there would be 8 games less against Celtic, Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen, the mhanks obviously would have the same, all those games missing from
the schedule, to be replaced by games against Ross County, Ayr Utd or whoever.

You honestly think the quality won’t be diluted? Seriously?

It’s already a poor league, adding teams of poorer quality will not improve it.

It’s a crazy argument.
 
I would prefer an 18 or a 20 team league.
If there must be a split, a14 team league, each team plays home and away.
After that, top 6 play home and away - 38 games each
Bottom 8 play home and away - 42 games each.
 
Jimmy the Gent said:
In your scenario, for us there would be 8 games less against Celtic, Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen, the mhanks obviously would have the same, all those games missing from
the schedule, to be replaced by games against Ross County, Ayr Utd or whoever.

You honestly think the quality won’t be diluted? Seriously?

It’s already a poor league, adding teams of poorer quality will not improve it.

It’s a crazy argument.
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I see no difference in “ quality “ , correct .

You’ve still to name this mystery “ quality “ that we would lose by expanding the league ?

I asked you to name one good football game from the fourteen against Kilmarnock and Aberdeen outwith our 4/2 win at sheepville

You can’t because the games have been turgid .

If you think there is a massive difference in “ quality “ between st Mirren and Hamilton accies than say Dundee United , Falkirk , Dunfermline , Ayr United , Inverness then that’s up to you . I don’t .

And I’m sick to death of playing the same turgid teams 7 times a season . It’s madness even Gerrard has alluded to it .
 
Scooby said:
I would prefer an 18 or a 20 team league.
If there must be a split, a14 team league, each team plays home and away.
After that, top 6 play home and away - 38 games each
Bottom 8 play home and away - 42 games each.
Click to expand...

Commonsense mate Itll never catch on .

Wouldn’t you miss the “ quality “ of our showstopping maches against Kilmarnock 7 times a season though?
 
Axelrod said:
I see no difference in “ quality “ , correct .

You’ve still to name this mystery “ quality “ that we would lose by expanding the league ?

I asked you to name one good football game from the fourteen against Kilmarnock and Aberdeen outwith our 4/2 win at sheepville

You can’t because the games have been turgid .

If you think there is a massive difference in “ quality “ between st Mirren and Hamilton accies than say Dundee United , Falkirk , Dunfermline , Ayr United , Inverness then that’s up to you . I don’t .

And I’m sick to death of playing the same turgid teams 7 times a season . It’s madness even Gerrard has alluded to it .
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Are you thick dude?

Losing several games every season against Celtic, Hearts and Aberdeen to be replaced with games against Ross County and Ayr?

I’m any case how often do we face teams 7 times a season ffs? It rarely happens.

I also never said there was a massive difference in quality but the point remains, it’s a poor league, to add more teams of a poorer standard doesn’t make it better, despite your ludicrous prostestations the teams are poorer, they are in a lower division for a reason.
 
Jimmy the Gent said:
Are you thick dude?

Losing several games every season against Celtic, Hearts and Aberdeen to be replaced with games against Ross County and Ayr?

I’m any case how often do we face teams 7 times a season ffs? It rarely happens.

I also never said there was a massive difference in quality but the point remains, it’s a poor league, to add more teams of a poorer standard doesn’t make it better, despite your ludicrous prostestations the teams are poorer, they are in a lower division for a reason.
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And he asks if I’m thick :rolleyes::D

Don’t bother replying .
 
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