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Football league 2016-2017


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The format of the 2016-17 EFL Trophy, which will include 15 Premier League academy sides, has been confirmed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36725310

Draw is today and the EFL have had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to make up the numbers by including academy teams from Wolves, Blackburn, Brighton, Derby, Norwich and Reading.  Not exactly the 15 Premier League academies they were harping on about.

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The Premier league academy teams were invited to take part and not all accepted, hence having to dip into the Championship. Would hardly call it scraping the bottom of the barrell considering (I think) all academy sides taking part are category 1 meaning it doesn't really matter if their seniors are in the premier league/Championship. 

 

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10 hours ago, C. Muir said:

The Premier league academy teams were invited to take part and not all accepted, hence having to dip into the Championship. Would hardly call it scraping the bottom of the barrell considering (I think) all academy sides taking part are category 1 meaning it doesn't really matter if their seniors are in the premier league/Championship. 

 

 

31 minutes ago, Martin Nelson said:

A few of the lower league sides now saying they wouldn't have voted in favour of the change had they known that so many EPL clubs weren't on board.

Exactly, the clubs who voted in favour were probably thinking they could get a pay day from hosting the academy sides from the likes of Manchester Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal.  Instead they have Blackburn, Reading and the like.

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It was put on the table as a sop to Greg Dyke and the FA's idea of introducing an extra division and putting 'B' teams into it: adding EPL 'B' teams to the Football League Trophy - and doing so only for a minimum of only 1 season, with the cup already lacking a sponsor, then with a group-stage to weed them out before the Last 32 and playing the games on autumn international weeks - allows EFL to claim they're doing something to help youth development and the England national team, and oppose wider moves, while actually doing very little.

To have to include 'B' teams of Wolves, Blackburn, Derby, Reading, Norwich and Brighton just to fill the requisite number of places in the tournament is pretty damning however... Indeed only Aston Villa 'B' and Fulham 'B' haven't been called-in. Bournemouth 'B', Burnley 'B', Crystal Palace 'B', Hull 'B' and Watford 'B' aren't eligible?

I see they're allowing the 'B' teams to field 5 over-agers.

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Sheffield Wednesday have signed Daniel Pudil on a permanent basis after spending last year on loan and also midfielder Almen Abdi both from Watford. According to Watford fans we have just signed a midfielder that will be the 'best midfielder' in the the championship next season which is fantastic to read. Delighted with the signings so far and really expect us to push for an automatic promotion this season. 

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