B team scheme gets a pasting

The suggestion put forward by André Villas-Boas that top clubs should be allowed to field reserve teams in the Football League has got a pasting from all quarters.   Hardly anyone had a good word to say for it on 606 on Saturday evening.   But some of the arguments against it seem spurious and the suggestion deserves a bit more consideration.

One of the presenters argued on 606 that it was against the spirit of the English game.  The fact that it happened in Spain was irrelevant as the Spanish league was different although it was not explained what the difference was.   Arguably there is a sharper fall away in quality in the lower divisions in Spain.

Therefore Villas-Boas is certainly wrong to say that there should be reserve teams in the Championship.   They should start in League 2 and should not be allowed to go above League 1.  There should also be rules about who they can play.

Another argument put forward was that it would undermine the competitiveness of the lower leagues, although again it was not explained why.   It was also suggested that it would hit attendances as Arsenal or Chelsea fans would not go to see their reserve teams play in Torquay on a Tuesday night in winter.   But then you probably don't get many away fans at such a game anyway.

Arsene Wenger has argued that the loan system provides the development that is needed.   That is where another suggestion of Villas-Boas comes in, that lower league clubs should act as nursery teams.   One would not want to go so far as the 'farm' team system found in some American sports, but lower league teams could enter into season long or two or three year contracts with Premiership clubs which would be to their mutual benefit.

Probably the real concern is that either of these suggestions would benefit top clubs at the expense of the rest.   In any event opponents should not worry as neither of them is likely to be implemented given the inherent conservatism of the English game.