Don't Desert Us !

[Haggischomper]

Got told u couldnt here the motherwell fans atol on the tele!

 

 

I know its actaully quite embarrassing how apart from one wee section the rest of the fans don't create any atmoshpere apart from the odd song which lasts for about twenty seconds.

 

You do know there are no effects microphones anywhere near the east stand, yes? Think they are usually on the main stand side...

[numpty]

You do know there are no effects microphones anywhere near the east stand, yes? Think they are usually on the main stand side...

There was one right in front of me in the East Stand on Sunday, on the halfway line.

[Tassinari]

There was one right in front of me in the East Stand on Sunday, on the halfway line.

 

There wasn't much to shout about bar Sutton's header and the penalty decision. Maybe that's why it sounded so quiet.

[Haggischomper]

There was one right in front of me in the East Stand on Sunday, on the halfway line.

 

 

Ach, you should have given us a wee rendition of Chanson D'Amour or something then. A chance missed!

[Scarecrow]

The SPL is guff pure and simple.

 

Sure the Meedjia will try and dress it up otherwise, but the majority of those who attend will probably admit that they do not get value for money.

 

Something REALLY radical will have to be done soon if the game in this country is to get back anywhere near where it was a couple of decades ago. Back then even non OF teams got to European finals and on the odd occasion actually won.

 

My suggestions.....(it will never happen but it should), get back to basics, get rid of the live TV at the end of the current one and get back to highlights only on a Saturday night. 3pm kick offs on a Saturday. Parent and child gates. Realistic pricing in respect of the fare on offer. Salary capping to an agreed percentage of a clubs turnover.

[Wellfan1984]

You do know all that would do is turn us part-time quicker (see Icelandic/Welsh football for our level) than anything the SPL are currently doing. No TV Revenue will not help Scottish Football one bit, unless Sky somehow decide to bin the Premiership and Spanish Football, along with ESPN binning all their leagues.

 

I thought we wanted a better football in the SPL, to do that you need better surfaces and better players, easiest way to do that? Make more money - not gonna do that through bums on seats alone. We need to sell our product to the highest bidder, bullshitting to get the money in (see the Premiership), get our local governments on the side of their clubs (ala Spain) and pray the TV Companies that fall for it don't go bust (ala Setanta UK)

[Scarecrow]

No TV Revenue will not help Scottish Football one bit

 

 

The ills of the game are not all down to money.

 

Scottish football went for the best part of a century without a TV deal and folk actually came out in droves to watch it. Since the big TV money came in we have not produced one world class player, ask most 'experts' and they will tell you that Souness was the last one in a long line.

 

We have to get back to the grass roots in all aspects of the game, the quicker the people running our game get their collective heads out of the sand and actually do something about it the better.

[Brazilian]

I tend to agree with getting football back to a saturday afternoon and all games scheduled to allow fans to plan for it, and as such would support ditching TV to gain that schedule

 

but If there are still live games beamed into pubs and houses on a Saturday morning and a saturday evening with Soccer saturday filling the 3pm slot, then I can see it would not deliver the required benefit on the gates

 

whoever instigated the no TV games at 3pm should have it extended to no saturday live games at all.

 

 

( as a compromise I could live with an Saturday 7/8pm live game )

[Wellfan1984]

The ills of the game are not all down to money.

 

Scottish football went for the best part of a century without a TV deal and folk actually came out in droves to watch it. Since the big TV money came in we have not produced one world class player, ask most 'experts' and they will tell you that Souness was the last one in a long line.

 

We have to get back to the grass roots in all aspects of the game, the quicker the people running our game get their collective heads out of the sand and actually do something about it the better.

 

Totally agree but as Brazilian said, if we take Scottish Football off the telly it's not gonna improve our attendances that much (we're not on that often!). Especially when there is Premiership, Championship, La Liga, Serie A, Liga Vitales, Eredivise, Brazilian Serie A, Argentine Premier Division etc. they're not gonna come and watch us!

 

Also take away the money, and we'll be left fighting off the Welsh for players, never mind the English.

 

As I mentioned in the East Stand moaning thread, we need more coaches (those who won't let the kids down), better pitches (synthetic all purpose pitches), and less parents on the sidelines sticking their oar in! And if that fails getting more and more youngsters going to continental europe to be coached

 

Also, did there not use to be a 5.25pm spot on Sky Sports when they had us origianlly on Sky?

[Jimmo]

Totally agree but as Brazilian said, if we take Scottish Football off the telly it's not gonna improve our attendances that much (we're not on that often!). Especially when there is Premiership, Championship, La Liga, Serie A, Liga Vitales, Eredivise, Brazilian Serie A, Argentine Premier Division etc. they're not gonna come and watch us!

 

Also take away the money, and we'll be left fighting off the Welsh for players, never mind the English.

 

As I mentioned in the East Stand moaning thread, we need more coaches (those who won't let the kids down), better pitches (synthetic all purpose pitches), and less parents on the sidelines sticking their oar in! And if that fails getting more and more youngsters going to continental europe to be coached

 

Also, did there not use to be a 5.25pm spot on Sky Sports when they had us origianlly on Sky?

I don't think sending our young players over to places like Spain to be coached is a real solution as with new rules if they are there long enough and become good enough then they will probably end up in teams like Spain. We need to look at what other countries are doing that we aren't. For example, youngsters in Holland start off with really small goals and no goalkeepers to encourage passing and technical play. I personally think that Scottish kids move up to a full size elevens pitch at too young an age, it simply results in youngsters with far too much space and an unrealistic shooting target with a wee boy between a set of full size goals. Traditionally Scottish player have always played with their heart on their sleeve and that should certainly be maintained but i'm sure most people will agree that something needs to be done throughout all levels of the game in our country to improve the technical side of our country's football sooner rather than later.

[Wellfan1984]

Good idea and you're right about the goals etc, but if we remove Goalkeepers - you kind of put me out me of a job Currently at the team I coach with we're trying to get them to try simple, one-two touch football and passing, and although it's tough on game day (not helped by the parents moaning aw the time - makes the East Stand at times look like the happiest place on earth) it will benefit Scottish Football if even 2 or 3 of those players decide to try and go professional in ten years time.

[Jimmo]

Good idea and you're right about the goals etc, but if we remove Goalkeepers - you kind of put me out me of a job Currently at the team I coach with we're trying to get them to try simple, one-two touch football and passing, and although it's tough on game day (not helped by the parents moaning aw the time - makes the East Stand at times look like the happiest place on earth) it will benefit Scottish Football if even 2 or 3 of those players decide to try and go professional in ten years time.

Fair enough, but i'm not saying use small goals till like 16, at what age do young players really confirm their preferred position?

Fair play to you for trying to focus on the type of football that the youngsters should be aspiring to and I fully understand that parents do not make youth coaches jobs any easier.

[Steve Diggle]

I remember playing competitive school and youth team games on a full sized pitch aged 11 -15 - it was fucking marvellous - some of the most enjoyable memories I have.

 

Fuck all wrong with it - Mix that with a consistent country wide approach to some great education & coaching about the way the game could be played.

[Brazilian]

back to TV

 

it'll be interesting to see how many Hamilton get in for their game v Rangers this weekend which is being shown live for free on ESPN

[fatcalf]

I remember playing competitive school and youth team games on a full sized pitch aged 11 -15 - it was fucking marvellous - some of the most enjoyable memories I have.

 

Fuck all wrong with it - Mix that with a consistent country wide approach to some great education & coaching about the way the game could be played.

 

My lads finally moved onto 11 a sides at the age of 11, 2 years after his coaches judged him to be ready to step up. Daft rules like forcing those of a certain age to stay with 7 a sides hold boys back as well.

Done well in his first few games, played in a few different positions to give him a feel for the problems posed all over the pitch. There is no set pattern for success, has to be tailored to individuals and that's where good coaches come into it. If they see a boy ready to step up they promote him, not some stupid age rule.

[Welldel]

My 9 year old son plays sevens at the moment and although he has progressed well in the past year, I think his team are more than ready for 11's.

 

The main probelm they have however is the lack of decent pitches both for training and playing their games. He plays for Cleland 2001's and they play in the Monklands soccer sevens, last year most of the teams played their games at Coatbridge outdoors. This year their are more teams many of the clubs have had to find alternative pitches to play home games.

 

This has forced Cleland to play their home games on the corn parks in Cleland, which to be honest are ok at the moment, but as soon as winter comes they will pretty much be unplayable.

 

There is not enough 3G pitches in Lanarkshire and the council are quoting £100K to builld a new complex, money which has to be raised by private finance which the council will reimburse over a long period. This at the time where thay have just completed the Ravenscraig facility which for most clubs is far to expensive to train on let alone play every week.

[Wellfan1984]

There are not enough synthetic pitches in Scotland, never mind Lanarkshire. There are not enough football pitches altogether. The team I have signed up to coach with had a game at the weekend in Linlithgow, it was due to kick off at 12pm but didn't until 1pm due to overbooking of the pitch!

[Onthefringes]

My lads finally moved onto 11 a sides at the age of 11, 2 years after his coaches judged him to be ready to step up. Daft rules like forcing those of a certain age to stay with 7 a sides hold boys back as well.

Done well in his first few games, played in a few different positions to give him a feel for the problems posed all over the pitch. There is no set pattern for success, has to be tailored to individuals and that's where good coaches come into it. If they see a boy ready to step up they promote him, not some stupid age rule.

Pros and cons to the debate.

 

In Germany, my younger cousins weren't allowed to play full size untill 15 years old as was the norm over Europe, this was over 20 years ago. The confined space encouraged closer control and use of smaller goals improving accuracy. At 15 deemed of correct size and ability to cover the larger area with ease as a natural progression. Perhaps why we are years behind in development?

 

I suspect some of the kids development in formative years is 'coached out' of them. My son has moved up to 11-a-sides this year, luckily under the supervision of decent coaching. Emphasis based on passing through, they aren't rewarded for going long, hitting it the hardest, win at all cost unlike others. For example, playing Celtic on Saturday past, the opposition coach encouraged 'aiming high' when in a scoring position. They did once at 12 nil in a 14-1 drubbing! In a youth system with the resources available at their disposal, I'd wager Mr McCart wouldn't agree...

 

In the interests of 'traditionalism', the move to full size is favoured at this age. Seen enough and spoke to many in the past few weeks, coaches despairing as kids threaten to give football up as others inflict defeat after defeat by double figures by aerial attack. 10 & 11 years old lost to the game? Nobody in power understanding of this? The average 10/11 year old is half the height of the goal equipment at best, where is the development in technique in both defence and attack?

[Welldel]

I have seen that in several teams, the wee man is coached during training always to pass the ball out from the back, a high clearance or lumping it over midfield results in a penalty to the other team in training. As a result the teams passing has improved incredibly in the past year, some other teams coaches set their team out to both attack and defend using the high ball, which teaches the kids nothing. Rules have been changed this year for the sevens to include an exclusion zone around the area for shots at goal, maybe similar rule changes would improve the standards for passing and ball control.

[Wellfan1984]

That's what we're (I say we, but tbh I have nothoing to do with it as I'm the keeper coach) do. Trying to get through the parents though that although we may lose more than we win, we're at least trying to teach the very basics of touch, control and pass, instead of hump it and smash it!

[Yabba's Turd]

If you play football in an association, then all money made should go to the association and be divvied up with a straight percentage spilt and a prize fund guaranteed on league placing.

 

We're too far gone the other way and personal greed for a football club will only mean the biggest stay the biggest and fuck all will change except the wee teams get smaller

[Brazilian]

back to the crowds:

 

5172 for the league opener against hibs in August, Sunday at noon with 9207 against the Tic Sunday at noon

 

5251 turned up yesterday for a Saturday 3pm ko with the full support and promotion of the SPL family fun day extravaganza

 

will the SPL realise and react to the blatent problem of over pricing and years of driving fans away from the grounds

 

(as well as all the other problems )

[Welldaft Mk1]

What is most notable is the alarming decline in away fans. Whilst the Old firm can still shift 5000+ tickets Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen away support has halved at least over the lst 2 seasons. Factor in a 10-20% drop in home fans explains why we got just over 5000 yesterday. TBH it did not look like their would be over 5000 with all the empty seats in the East stand.

 

Some of it you can put down to the standard of football but in the main peoples are watching the pennies this weather and who can blame them.

 

Our away support at Killie and St J was actually in keeping with recent seasons.

[Iain7_mfc]

A member the days when Aberdeen, Hibs and Hearts could come here and fill the Lower of the south and maybe even fill of the upper but then again that's when Scottish football was the least bit decent and the prices weren't as high.

 

Now 20 odd quid for Aberdeen to get in to watch there team play Motherwell and it's costing Dortmund fans £19 to see their team in a derby vs Schalke today. And even the Dortmund fans are moaning about they prices!

[Finlay]

back to the crowds:

 

5172 for the league opener against hibs in August, Sunday at noon with 9207 against the Tic Sunday at noon

 

5251 turned up yesterday for a Saturday 3pm ko with the full support and promotion of the SPL family fun day extravaganza

 

will the SPL realise and react to the blatent problem of over pricing and years of driving fans away from the grounds

 

(as well as all the other problems )

 

What did that contain? All I saw was two (well received from the East Stand) mini games of football in the centre of the park. Was that it?