[Time for change ??]

5 minutes ago, justagoalie said:

Always good to have a look at how we improve any grade of football. We need to get the right balance in any think tank/working group and all meetings fully minuted and made available. If not then there will be all sorts of accusations of self interest being made.

As for the better teams getting bigger, better players will invariably go to the top clubs. It won't make much of a difference to 'lesser' teams.

To be honest though I can't see Caley or Central being too keen as they can generally attract the better teams anyway.

I agree, i don't see them being interested at all- the reason i am asking is why are they not interested? What do they lose from having a bigger, more professional set up with better teams?

Is it ego? is it a financial thing? politics of poor personal relationships with folk in other leagues? Is it fear of the unknown or being surplus to requirements or having a lesser role in a new set up than they currently do? Maybe its none of those things at all and i am just not educated enough in the matter.

[Time for change ??]

33 minutes ago, jaggyness said:

I think a shake up in the amateur game is a great idea, especially having a super league type idea where all the best teams play. However, there are a lot of good clubs, with good people behind them who already struggle to attract enough, or suitably able players to play week in week out. If they found themselves in the bottom tier then I fear they would be forced out the game. The best and bigger teams will get bigger and better and the standard lower down will be diluted would be my worry.

Again, you make a good point and the last thing that any one would want would be for teams and good people to fall away from the game. Regarding this, it  would be an issue that would have to be taken under consideration, the example used above only affected two leagues. Some teams may leave that sort of set up and move else where and vice verse. 

However, to play devils advocate,  the standard is already diluted if you look across the vast majority of leagues. In any restructure, if done correctly, by using as much information available, there should  be more competitive leagues and divisions all throughout the country. Promotion and relegation would obviously stay, could look at maximising play off situations. League cups could be changed to divisional cups to cover ceratin divisions,  along with on "all league cup" which could possibly mean no team would in any more than 5 competitions - their league, Scottish cup, regional cup,divisional cup and "all league cup"

 

Again, a lot of waffle from my end, but just my thought on how things could be improved.

[Time for change ??]

33 minutes ago, auld yin wae knowledge said:

Redondo- We at the SAFL submitted ideas and met with the SAFA office bearers to address the issues faced by ALL leagues within The Amateur structure , it was based on regionally platform but very importantly the current Leagues still kept their own Identity [ that's why your suggestion will never happen ] and it also involved a super League. and a pyramid system.

Sadly it was rejected by the executive committee of the SAFA, though we given the opportunity to submit constitution changes.

I go to council meetings of The SAFA and at the last meeting it was  raised by a  Sunday League rep regarding issues facing the Amateur game. and it was taken on board by the office bearers and will be discussed at a future meeting and any suggestions by any parties were invited to put to the National Secretary.

 

Possibly an ignorant question here, but why is it so important that leagues "keep their own identity"? From the outside it looks nothing more than an ego trip.

Surely we already have who we need spread across all the leagues in each region, we have people who want to be involved in the game, people who want to support the game and most importantly people who love the game.

There appears to be a few office bearers/committee members of leagues who want to stifle and hinder progress for the sake of history or sentiment to a league name, which is just that, a name only.

Using Redondo's example above, i think this could be a foundation for a great idea and genuinely don't understand why some one from either league would pick up the phone and say "in our opinion, we have the 2 best leagues in the region, why don't we merge all the teams and create what would most likely be a superb set up with teams playing new opponents, going to new pitches and experiencing new referees"

I hope people dont think i am suggesting i have all the answers as i clearly don't, but whether people want to admit it or not, the amateur game as a whole is dying on its arse and it needs not just change, but radical change to give it a fresh boost.

 

[CSAFL]

3 hours ago, NewBallsPlease said:

Purely out of curiosity. What would the CSAFL have done if Eastfield had been taken to a replay in the Scottish?

I was wondering the same - but the league put on Twitter before the Scottish tie, that the final would've been moved if this was the case. 

[Amateur football is dying]

It seems that every one has some good ideas and suggestions, but who do we put them forward too?

How do we get all the leagues to see sense and drop their own agendas? Think every on has to realise that this problem is bigger than any of the individual league set ups.

You look at that Uefa report that was announced during the week about what amateur football gives back in terms of savings for the NHS and jobs and general well being of people.

Could a representative from each league set up in each area, raise issue with local MSP/MP and get them involved. With the massive drop in numbers over the years, this maybe something that us average players/clubs could be entitled to some help/support from local government or councils etc?

More questions than answers i am afraid.

[CSAFL]

Been a decent start from us this year in the league, picking up maximum points against some good teams. Think we have win all our games except one by only 1-2 goals.

Even though, we have started well, i honestly think from the teams we have played, that any one team can beat another in our division. I imagine this division will be close come the end of the season.