Whole Game Solution - Dead in the water

[S5Blade]

http://www.sufc.co.uk/news/article/sheffield-united-efl-whole-game-solution-3140761.aspx

The EFL Board has today announced that they will cease discussions on the Whole Game Solution with immediate effect after the Football Association (FA) informed them they were no longer prepared to consider rescheduling FA Cup fixtures into midweek slots.


The decision has been taken with significant regret and disappointment and brings to an end the EFL- led debate on the possibility of the single biggest reform of the English League structure since the inception of the Premier League in 1992.


In order for the Whole Game Solution to be viable, it required the English football authorities to look collectively at the fixture schedules and create additional weekends for League football.


However, after seeking clarification on the FA's position following the recent announcement of their new international broadcasting deal, the EFL were informed that there was no longer a sufficient advantage for the FA in making the changes.


Shaun Harvey, EFL Chief Executive, said: "As a result of the FA's decision, the Board has been left with no option but to end the Whole Game Solution discussions as, in its current form, it is no longer viable. If the weekend slots are not available, then there is simply no way we can meet the financial conditions (to be no worse off) as outlined at the very outset.


"The stance the FA has adopted has brought the discussions to a premature end, before fully understanding what the financial outcome from the creation of a new distribution model could be.


"If the FA are willing to change its position then we are, of course, open to re-engaging in what is a hugely important debate that was designed to help shape the future of football in this country."

 

[raul]

Incidentally the Shaun Harvey we have sent in to bat for us is the same Shaun Harvey who signed off the Checkatrade deal and continues even now to sing its praises.

There are no good guys in this film.

 

[Ricky]

Great news!

Somebody's going to have to dream up another way of trying to justify their salary.

 

[BLADES1988]

Can someone put this into laymans terms? Forgive my ignorance

 

[Revolution]

Good. A key component of this was moving the FA cup to midweek, downgrading it even further, which I am against.

Perhaps Harvey will check to see what the fans want before introducing or proposing more half baked reforms. I doubt he will though.

 

[South London Blade]

Incidentally the Shaun Harvey we have sent in to bat for us is the same Shaun Harvey who signed off the Checkatrade deal and continues even now to sing its praises.

There are no good guys in this film.

And he's a massively arrogant, one note dirty Leeds thundercunt.

 

[S5Blade]

Can someone put this into laymans terms? Forgive my ignorance

http://www.efl.com/news/article/2016/a-whole-game-solution-3119809.aspx

 

[BushBlade]

Can someone put this into laymans terms? Forgive my ignorance

I think it was all the stuff about restructuring the divisions.

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

Was there ever a Final Solution?

 

[BLADES1988]

Was there ever a Final Solution?

I think it started in 1939

 

[Stretch]

Excellent news for now but I doubt this is going away completely. The statement says discussions 'in their current form' have ended. Some conniving fucker will table an updated proposal within the next year or so, mark my words.

 

[BLADES1988]

I think it was all the stuff about restructuring the divisions.

Ah right! we'd probs end up with a farce similar to Checkatrade! If it aint broke don't fix it!!!!!!

 

[Worksop II]

Can someone put this into laymans terms? Forgive my ignorance

No Clubs to lose out financially

Play Less Games

We pick up the Tab

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

It will reappear in a modified form. It is the FA that have scuppered this proposal not the EFL, they will come up with a different idea for restructure, possibly going back again to the B team stuff to try and placate the FA/PL.

If it was wholly about fixture congestion they would dump the Trophy competition and rework the League Cup. It will eventually get hijacked by the other bodies, the elite will join a euro league, PL will have two divisions and EFL will become a part-time sideshow.

 

[Blade for Sale]

Can someone put this into laymans terms? Forgive my ignorance

A herd of dicks earning stupid sums of money for doing f**k all decided they needed to look as though they weren't doing f**k all so drew up a plan that was never going to work but took a lot of time and money which impressed their bosses. Unsurprisingly the plan that was never going to work has now been found to be unworkable and will now be shelved. Soon the process will repeat until they find a plan that works (or perhaps, to word it better, 'doesn't not work'). They only thing that works in all of this is the millimetric timing which just enables the herd of dicks to look busy enough for long enough to justify the stupid sums of money they earn.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Reading between the lines, it would appear that Sheffield United supported this fucking shambolic farce, and the FA-The Fucking FA- actually stepped in as the voice of reason. That should tell you all you need to know about Harveys bullshit vanity project and the idiots who dignified it in the first place.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

"The stance the FA has adopted has brought the discussions to a premature end, before fully understanding what the financial outcome from the creation of a new distribution model could be".


Tells you all you need to know about the bloke and his proposals.
Chuffing bean counters trying to ruin our game with their "new distribution models" and no thought or care for what the fans like and want.

 

[BushBlade]

"The stance the FA has adopted has brought the discussions to a premature end, before fully understanding what the financial outcome from the creation of a new distribution model could be".


Tells you all you need to know about the bloke and his proposals.
Chuffing bean counters trying to ruin our game with their "new distribution models" and no thought or care for what the fans like and want.

It's bizarre too. If their idea was so great and they have this fantastic new distribution model why didn't they present it to the FA at the same time as their proposals? That's how it usually works. 'This is what we want to do and this is how it will benefit us both'.

 

[carthesis]

And he's a massively arrogant, one note dirty Leeds thundercunt.

Don't hold back - tell us what you really think!

(As an aside, I agree with you 100%. What. A. Twat.)

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Still don't see why the "EFL" needed extra weekend slots (freed up by moving FA cup games to midweek) to make this work - they were proposing reducing league sizes from 24 to 20 sides.

Anyway, great news.

 

[Grecian2000]

Can someone put this into laymans terms? Forgive my ignorance

A bunch of cunts, with the express concern of justifying their large salaries, have hit an obstacle in trying to destroy the best Cup competition in the world.
They aren't going to let it lie though as that would mean we could save their salary and fuck them off into an HR department somewhere.

 

[I should coco]

From the Beeb http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37998768

"Exeter City chairman Julian Tagg: "People were very uncomfortable with it, and as a result were watching very carefully and trying to understand the nuances and reasoning behind it.

"Many fans across the country didn't like the idea of change and I think that was the same with our club. I think there'll be a little bit of a sigh of relief.

"As you go down the pyramid the more you're reliant on your gate receipts, unless you have some kind of philanthropic chairman who's going to throw money in, which we don't."

Fleetwood Town chairman Andy Pilley:"Delighted to see EFL 'Whole Game Solution' proposal shelved. It's not broken so leave it alone."

Shrewsbury Town chief executive Brian Caldwell: "From our point of view it's a relief that it's not going any further.

"We would have liked further information before we would have done anything fully, but from all the information we got it didn't make any sense to change it."

I think the EFL Trophy / Checkatrade abortion has made club owners and directors realise what a bunch of wankers are in charge. I would be very surprised if DirtyLeeds man Harvey gets their unconditional support in future as I'm sure they realise what a tosspot he is. The fans voted with their feet and for once it got through.

 

[ZoneManWilf]

Those at the top of football simply do not have a clue.

The English lower league set-up is the best and strongest of its kind in the world. By a mile.

So many more teams with stadiums, fan-bases and training setups than in other countries, look at Italy, by the time you get to the third tier it's basically pub football.

Yet the the fucking arseholes at the top of the English game continue to waste all that with mis-guided priorities. the lower leagues should be a breeding ground for young English players, but the ridiculous money in the premier league ensures they hoover up all the talent but they can't get games ahead of the foreigners, so they rot in the reserves with the odd loan.

The solution is not 'b' teams or other such shite, it's a fairer distribution of football's wealth, and less reliance on foreign talent in the premier league. the suits know they can't compete against the money though, so we're left with nonsense like this trying to mess around with something that is fine.

 

[Booker4]

Whats worrying to me is that I doubt this is the last of the "Whole game solution"! The name says it all doesn't it, which bright spark thought that one up! I think the EFL will try another proposal and its becoming every season now that we're hearing a proposal for a change to the current league system with the winter break coming up for discussion on an increasingly common basis.

• The difference between the F.A and the fans is that the F.A are primarily bothered about developing the English national team which is secondary to club football fans. We all want a decent England team but it appears to me that having a winter break is suddenly going to make us into world beaters! Have they watched the national team of late! A winter break is going make sod all difference to this current bunch of international players! Try appointing a decent club manager for a start not yes man Southgate!
• The difference between the EFL and the fans is that the EFL hierarchy are determined to piss about with the current structure which has sufficed for decades to try and implement less games in a 20 league format presumably again to benefit the national team, without consideration for the loss in revenue to clubs from less games.
• The difference between the Premier League and the fans is that the Premier League are determined to make as much money as possible for the Premier League in TV deals which means that kick off times range from Friday evening to Saturday, day and evening, Sunday throughout the afternoon and finally Monday evening.

If one of the above organisations actually gave consideration to the fans then maybe we can actually see progress on what really needs changing, then it would definitely get backing from the fans groups but it appears that we're the last to matter if even be consulted. Issues like the following:

• Reduced ticket prices not just for away fans of the Premier League, which has taken over 24 years since Brian Deane nodded the first goal of the Premier League! The current TV deal means that Premier League clubs don't rely on the gate money like they used to but that increase is just going to players, chairman and agents.
• A fairer distribution of the TV revenue between all leagues so that the Premier League clubs are not given the ridiculous advantage over the football league and club chairman might not be so intent on spending way over their budget and bankrupting their club to get to the Premier League to get a slice of the inflated TV money. The percentage on TV money between the Premier League and the Championship needs to be far closer.
• Scrapping the Checkertrade Trophy entirely. Fans don't want it, clubs certainly don't and even more so in the current format.

 

[Linz]

Two proposals I would not be adverse to:

* Having the League Cup solely for Football League teams i.e. Championship to L2. This makes it a more competitive offer and frees up fixtures for Premiership teams. And then make the Charity Shield FA Cup winners v. League Cup winners.

* This Checkatrade shambles. Boot out PL U23s and instead invite the Conference to partake. Strict knockout competition. Cap the ticket prices at a tenner and if they want to encourage young talent, say that five of the starting XI have to be U23. I'd be satisfied with that.

And of course, don't dick about with the FA Cup. Weekend ties, replays midweek.

 

[Selly]

Still don't see why the "EFL" needed extra weekend slots (freed up by moving FA cup games to midweek) to make this work - they were proposing reducing league sizes from 24 to 20 sides.

Anyway, great news.

Quite. 8 less games per season. Why those 8 couldn't have come from the midweek fixtures is beyond me.

It's almost like it wasn't really thought through properly.

 

[FleaPitBlade]

I do long for the day that the fans of clubs (and i include those scoffing at the top table) united themselves properly to absolutley demand proper reform with fairness and proper distribution of wealth at its core.

Most want it to change. We have the power to make it happen. We dont demand it.

A blanket walk out and switching off of the TV with a vow towards no reform = no return and it'd change in a shot.

Maybe the FSF should be pushing for some kind of Unionisation of supporters so points can be made as a true collective?

 

[8lade]

Well to me this issue appears to be all about revenue, the FL Trophy turned into the cock up it is to coin a few hundred grand from the PL (an absolute pittance for them). The FA won't change if they suspect they are going to lose money from FA Cup fixtures and the EFL don't want to lose money from league fixtures being on less attractive dates. Not about the game, not about the clubs, not about the national side, it's only about money.