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The Famous Aberdeen - Season 2022/23


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13 hours ago, tarapoa said:

 

As stated elsewhere - if it's good enough for Germany, Spain, Portugal, Belgium etc - then why is it a 'disgrace' here?  Maybe because we have been conditioned to believe this is all about the vested interests of two clubs, rather than something that could equally benefit other clubs and the game as a whole if managed properly.

Is there any evidence to support this? 
 

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1 hour ago, Melanius Mullarkay said:

Is there any evidence to support this? 
 

Is there any evidence to support it isn't?   

My main problem with the proposal is this Conference thing - a ten team league including four B teams.  I don't see the point in that.  But if they want to let B teams from full-time clubs find their level (with a cap at Tier 4 or 5) then that is fine - including relegation options to introduce an element of jeopardy - get them down as far as away trips to Campbeltown or Thurso.

I'd sooner watch a Dons B team play competitive football, than watch teams that play in blue and call themselves r**g*rs at the Balmoral when there's no Pittodrie option.

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16 minutes ago, tarapoa said:

Is there any evidence to support it isn't?   

My main problem with the proposal is this Conference thing - a ten team league including four B teams.  I don't see the point in that.  But if they want to let B teams from full-time clubs find their level (with a cap at Tier 4 or 5) then that is fine - including relegation options to introduce an element of jeopardy - get them down as far as away trips to Campbeltown or Thurso.

I'd sooner watch a Dons B team play competitive football, than watch teams that play in blue and call themselves r**g*rs at the Balmoral when there's no Pittodrie option.

Ask fans of lowland league clubs about their experience. 

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3 hours ago, coprolite said:

That’s a terrible metaphor. 

Surely the fox would have been hungry before going into the hen house? And now that it's in there it would have eaten the hens and would be full? Maybe it would have preferred the eggs actually. Nutritious and less likely to fight back. I don't like foxes. Sneaky wee fuckers. 

 

2 hours ago, Frank Grimes said:

Let’s just kill the fox 

I prefer your suggestion.

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I think if any Club wants to set-up a "B' team then they should start from the bottom and work their way up with the only restriction is they are not allowed in the Premiership. 

I'm surprised Aberdeen want to get involved with this as it will cost a lot more money to get a B team organised.  Those at the club have already pointed this out previously. 

 

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I dislike the idea of B teams playing against proper teams in general. The fact that it works elsewhere (if it does work, and isn’t just tolerated as the way it is) is kind of irrelevant. We have our own football culture and each club should have its best 11 on the pitch at their own level.

I don’t see how this would benefit our younger or fringe players. Loans to other clubs put them in a better competitive environment.

I don’t see how this benefits our finances. Currently, if we don’t have a, say, right centre back good enough and ready to step up from the youths we just don’t have an u25 Rcb in the squad. Now we’ll have to fork out for filler, potentially taking a player off a fourth or fifth tier proper club. I understand this was the clubs main issue previously.

For LL or HL clubs trying to get into the league this arrangement sounds like purgatory. 
 

As far as pros go, watching the reserves used to be an occasional pleasure. More games to watch would be a plus. Also, Hearts would be bound to get relegated and have a legal tantrum again, which would be a laugh. 

On balance, it’s a big no from me.

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After Neil Simpson saying club weren’t interested in B team preferring to loan players out as was a struggle to get 11 players for the reserve games with first team calling players up to the bench. Even more so now it’s 9 on the bench (12 in Europe) will be above his pay grade but I know he’s highly involved in the youth set ups but who knows with the American influence. Going kill a lot of teams down the chain sadly I feel 

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Behind a paywall, but the Press & Journal are reporting that Aberdeen haven't made their minds up on a B Team and will consult their fans.

Hound your club into doing the right thing rather than being scabs like Hearts, please.

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22 minutes ago, Dunning1874 said:

Behind a paywall, but the Press & Journal are reporting that Aberdeen haven't made their minds up on a B Team and will consult their fans.

Hound your club into doing the right thing rather than being scabs like Hearts, please.

EXCLUSIVE: Aberdeen colts team entry into SFA’s new Conference League not a done deal yet – as Dons weigh up fifth-tier pros and cons

The Reds are mulling over substantial extra costs from the Conference League and whether involvement will significantly improve their youth development pathway.

Will Aberdeen enter a colts team into the new fifth-tier Conference League?
Will Aberdeen enter a colts team into the new fifth-tier Conference League?
 
by Ryan CryleApril 28 2023, 12.55pm
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Aberdeen have not yet committed to entering a colts side in the new fifth-tier Conference League – with Pittodrie chiefs still determining the positives and negatives of the SFA’s planned shake-up.

On Tuesday, the Dons were reported to be one of four Premiership clubs set to enter a “B” side of young players into the 10-team league which is expected to be in place for the start of the 2024/25 season.

However, The Press and Journal understands Aberdeen’s involvement in the proposals is by no means certain at this stage.

We can reveal Dons chiefs were only filled in about the full details of the SFA’s plans in recent days and are carefully weighing up the pros and cons internally, including the costs involved in taking part and whether it will boost the club’s youth development.

Dundee United and Hibernian have also been invited to join Celtic, Rangers and Hearts as the fourth Premiership club to enter their colts in the new division, with the remaining six slots in the Conference League to be filled by four teams from the Lowland League and two from the Highland League.

Premiership clubs will be committed to the playing in the new fifth-tier for at least five seasons, and will fund it by each paying £100,000 per season to take part.

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The SFA’s headquarters at Hampden Park. Image: SNS

The Reds have been given a deadline of a few weeks to decide whether they want to be involved in the Conference League, with SFA member clubs expected to vote to give the new league plans the green light at the SFA’s AGM in June.

What will factor into Aberdeen’s Conference League decision?

The Dons – who do not have a colts/B team at present – have kicked off internal discussions on whether they will enter a side into the Conference League.

It is understood Aberdeen chiefs see clear positives in the plans, which the SFA have drawn up due to their belief Scotland’s 16-to-21-year-old footballers are lagging behind players in European countries where B teams are part of the league structure.

However, Reds bosses also have some concerns – and are determined to do their due diligence in order to assess whether they can throw their weight behind the project.

Significant additional costs

One key element in Aberdeen’s review of the SFA proposals will be the significant costs of committing to participate in the Conference League.

In addition to the six-figure yearly entry fee, the Dons would face further costs from having to effectively create a new team, ranging from coach and player recruitment, to kit, coach travel to games and hiring stadiums for the B team to play their matches in. Pittodrie is not an option for fixtures.

shutterstock_1677193729.jpg_40488262-34y
Aberdeen are weighing up the Conference League proposals. The B team wouldn’t be able to play at Pittodrie. Image: Shutterstock

Would Conference League involvement improve Dons’ youth pathway?

The club’s top-brass are also sounding out staff in their football department and youth academy – including first-team boss, and former under-18s coach, Barry Robson – on whether they think involvement in the new fifth-tier would enhance Aberdeen’s youth development pathway enough for it to be worthwhile.

SFA bosses are convinced the Conference League – made up of young sides from the most well-resourced Premiership clubs, and top Highland League and Lowland League sides – will guarantee the top-flight clubs’ rising stars regular competitive matches.

Celtic, Rangers and Hearts’ colts teams have been playing in the Lowland League this term, however, the SFA believe the Conference League will ensure every game the youngsters face will be of a high standard.

Although the Dons are thought to see the merits of this, there is also a view inside Aberdeen the SFA’s proposals are in no way a youth development silver bullet, and must be judged against the club’s current youth development model, which has produced the likes of Calvin Ramsay, Ryan Duncan, Scott McKenna and Connor Barron.

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Aberdeen boss Barry Robson – formerly a key part of the club’s youth development operation. Image: Shutterstock

Currently, the Pittodrie outfit have youth teams up to under-18s.

They have made the call to send players who are between 18 and 21, and not ready for first-team action, out on loan to the Championship, League One, League Two or the Highland League to finish their development.

Pathways manager Neil Simpson explained the benefits of this approach for their youth academy graduates to The Press and Journal in January last year – pointing to the need for the players to face matches with real stakes against different teams, styles and opposition players, in proper grounds with crowds and varying surfaces. 

The resource drain of creating a colts team to play in the Conference League – where the Premiership B teams will be ineligible for promotion or relegation – could spell the end of the Dons loaning players out like this.

And even if they did keep those players around, it is understood they would still need to recruit more older youngsters to ensure they had a squad with a suitable age profile for the demands of playing in the division against experienced Highland and Lowland League sides.

However, while reduced stakes in the Conference League and the need to build a squad to participate are potential issues, a B team would help the Reds coaches ensure their players do not pick up the kind of perceived bad habits and other problems which can come from sending them to clubs further down the pyramid for loan spells.

Fans will be consulted on Conference League before Aberdeen make a decision

It is also understood Aberdeen plan to consult stakeholders – including supporters – for their views on the Conference League plans.

The Dons know some fans have misgivings – including those who are concerned about the impact the league restructuring plan will have on the much-loved Highland League in its current format.

There are fears strong clubs leaving the Highland League to join Conference League will damage the former product.

Meanwhile, the insertion of a new league into the existing pyramid has been criticised for condemning hundreds of clubs from the current fifth-tier down to what is effectively relegation.

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The Highland League. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson

If the Pittodrie hierarchy are thought to be keen to make responsible decisions which do not cause unnecessary damage to the wider Scottish game.

However, they are balancing this against whether they could find themselves lagging behind other Premiership clubs in terms of youth development, if they are involved in the Conference League, but Aberdeen are not.


https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/aberdeen-fc/5667916/exclusive-aberdeen-colts-team-entry-into-sfas-new-conference-league-not-a-done-deal-yet-as-dons-weigh-up-fifth-tier-pros-and-cons/

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15 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

 

 
However, they are balancing this against whether they could find themselves lagging behind other Premiership clubs in terms of youth development, if they are involved in the Conference League, but Aberdeen are not.

Well, we're lagging behind Celgers - quelle surprise - but we're not lagging behind Hearts, so it's a "No" from me.

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7 hours ago, coprolite said:

For LL or HL clubs trying to get into the league this arrangement sounds like purgatory. 

Imagine spending decades trying to get a pyramid system in place.

You finally get it but youve to dance through hoops to get it as theres no automatic promotion spots available.

Then, as a final kicker, theyll allow automatic promotion spots but only if you play in a division where half the teams are youth sides and half your games will mean nothing.

Believe a team in 5th could get promoted while a team in 6th, a point behind, could get relegated. 

But aye, we'll have a whole breed of Internationals being brought through because theyre playing 5th tier football and other nations, who spend hundreds of millions on their youth development at a national level, have it and arent shit, so its worth shafting hundreds of clubs over.

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42 minutes ago, lubo_blaha said:

We’ve probably produced or developed more Scotland internationals than any other club in the country. The current system is working, get the B teams in the bin.

First bit is a big claim and a bit subjective but yeah we haven't long opened the leagues up now is not the time for another huge shake up and we definitely do not need another 'national' league any time soon.

Edited by gannonball
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