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Post by jokeofaleague on Apr 23, 2018 11:29:25 GMT 1
Is it just me? What a shambles this whole league structure is. Welsh premier league is a laughing stock in Wales, it would be a laughing stock to the world, if anyone knew about it! Such a big footballing nation and this is our league? A semi-pro half-arsed joke. I believe the FAW are to blame. It’s always bandied about that it’s Cardiff and Swansea’s fault. It’s not it’s faw and premier leagues fault. League hasn’t grown at all in 20 years and is receding if anything. How much money was made from the euros by faw? That should have gone into investment for this league. How the league can be allowed to accept that one pro team that’s not even based in Wales to dominate the league in such a way, is nothing short of embarrassing. Also any team that shows any ambition, like neath and Llanelli are punished for trying to kickstart this league offered no support and thrown into the doldrums when it can’t be sustained. No money is put into advertising this league. Having watched a few games, the standard isn’t far off SPL level, but it doesn’t have the commercial and promotion aspect of it. I also find it embarrassing that most of you on this forum seem content with it? And so do the clubs! What is the aim of the league? Where is the goal? Where are the ideas for improvement? 10 semi pro clubs, an amateur and one pro club that’s what we have to offer? An amateur team has come into this league and held its own? How is that even possible? A university team? Possible European qualification? I’m lost for words. If we ever want this situation sorted, it needs to be done ASAP, before this league is gone and gone for good, because that’s the way it’s going. Serious investment needs to take place, in facilities, promotion, finding sponsors, getting this game to a larger audience via negotiated tv deals (doesn’t have to be with sky) The TNS sized elephant in the room needs to be sorted out, the league profile needs to be raised, even through the use of gimmicks if needs be to kickstart it. The faw needs to step up to the plate aswell and put their investment in with time and money, I’m sorry to say but, the league needs to create big clubs in the south, if they don’t exist, and thrust into the league, if it is to work. Create a team in Cardiff and Swansea. Don’t say it can’t be done, look at the MLS, a team like LAFC can be created from thin air and have 40,000 die hard supporters within weeks. Once considered a joke of a league, now a heavyweight I would say in terms of world football. All because they have a clear vision, are able to market it sufficiently, investment is provided, and within 20 years have grown 1000 fould. This from a country who calls it soccer! And supposedly don’t understand the game. Has the WPL got a marketing or commercial team? If so they should be fired immediately because they’re not doing it. I honestly feel with a bit of passionate, dynamic and ambitious thinking this league has potential. It also has a nation who is passionate and will get behind things if it’s there and there’s a story and a good day out and part of the community, nationwide, has some importance and is seen to be ambitious it can be done. You’re telling me that, given the right vision and profile that there are no rich and powerful men who would not get behind these teams and provide the funding needed to kickstart this league into life? And just to end on this, I am disgusted and astonished this league would stop a team like Llanelli from going up, due to this stupid obsession with criteria and standards is beyond me, laughable really and if they’re lacking in some areas, why don’t the league help them? Instead of pointing out flaws and punishing hard working clubs who deserve to be rewarded. Shame on you league and faw, you are a load of old dinasours with no ambition, passion or vision. Twisted little men who sit in pubs thinking up ways of screwing over hard working people, clubs and a nation. Shane on you.
Sorry for the rant and blabbering on but I feel so passionate, but also let down by this league. It has potential, but I’m afraid it will never be realised, without any sort of plan to start with. You can bite at me and tell me I’m wrong or that I live in a dreamworld. I don’t care but at least I have an opinion and a few ideas, a vision of what this league could be. For Wales as a nation aswell, look how much we have over achieved as a football nation. Imagine if we had the backing of the faw and a league that could produce its own players.
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Post by jamesy on Apr 23, 2018 12:18:33 GMT 1
So clubs should be allowed to run up massive debts and that is seen as showing ambition? Any club could do that and then what? Teams dropping out of the league midway through the season because they can't even afford to run anymore would merely emphasise the fact that the league is a "semi-pro half-arsed joke".
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Post by jokeofaleague on Apr 23, 2018 12:31:02 GMT 1
So clubs should be allowed to run up massive debts and that is seen as showing ambition? Any club could do that and then what? Teams dropping out of the league midway through the season because they can't even afford to run anymore would merely emphasise the fact that the league is a "semi-pro half-arsed joke". That’s all you took from that? Ok. And why did they run out of money? Because there’s no support, no infrastructure, no profile and no monetary rewards in the league. Maybe a little embarrassing, but Llanelli and Neath managed to raise the profile of the league more than any league or faw official ever have and ever will. |
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Post by jamesy on Apr 23, 2018 13:28:20 GMT 1
I think everyone would agree that there needs to be growth and development not just within the WPL but across Wales, however why should the FAW invest in the creation of 'Super Clubs' in South Wales and parachute them into a league? The amount of legal action if this ever happened would be counter productive. Surely it is incumbent upon the clubs to raise their own profiles thereby increasing attendances and revenue to improve the league.
In terms of the licensing to attain WPL status, it is my understanding that the clubs are told where they have failed and given a specified period of time to rectify the situation.
I'm curious to know how you would measure the success of a league in a country the size of Wales? Average attendances, European Results or by alternative means?
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Post by john1970 on Apr 23, 2018 13:53:32 GMT 1
long time to read and digest all that, lots of true fair points, I too believe that the FAW is doing an insufficient job in developing Welsh football, I have pointed out many times on this forum the "postcode lottery" criteria where you can have rope around the field of play in Mid Wales at tier 3 yet need solid barriers in the south at tier 7. Not many if any people even comment on the subject, it is as if people and clubs accept it! Well I think its terrible and that you would have to look hard to find another country in Europe with such a terribly run league and structure.
Jamesy is correct though, it's not right that the focus is put on South Wales, the whole league and structure needs to be re-vamped and standardised.
When I was on holiday in Cyprus I went to watch a local team play Paralimni,they play in tier 2 in the Cypriot league the entrance fee was about £8.00 and there must have been about 2,000 people minimum there, their stadium holds 5,500. Cyprus has a population of 1.1 million, South Wales has double that with a population of 2.2 million, Lucky to find more than 300 supporters watching a tier 2 match. Its not just the FAW's fault but we should be asking the question, where are all the supporters?
The rest of wales has a population of 900,000 - 1 million yet they have far bigger crowds watching teams in the North, why is that?
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Post by jokeofaleague on Apr 23, 2018 13:54:53 GMT 1
I think everyone would agree that there needs to be growth and development not just within the WPL but across Wales, however why should the FAW invest in the creation of 'Super Clubs' in South Wales and parachute them into a league? The amount of legal action if this ever happened would be counter productive. Surely it is incumbent upon the clubs to raise their own profiles thereby increasing attendances and revenue to improve the league. In terms of the licensing to attain WPL status, it is my understanding that the clubs are told where they have failed and given a specified period of time to rectify the situation. I'm curious to know how you would measure the success of a league in a country the size of Wales? Average attendances, European Results or by alternative means? They should in the interest of the state of football, in this country. No league action, if you change the league to a franchise league where clubs apply for membership. It’s just an idea in increasing interest, marketing and profile. I get what you’re saying, but how do clubs do that in this current league setup? Clubs can’t improve their profile if the league has no profile to speak of. 10 days?! Ha! And no help from the league? And why is this sorted at the end of the season? Carmarthen don’t know if they are going to be relegated or not, name me another league in Europe where this would happen? I would determine success on many factors. Tv money, individual sponsorships, average attendance growth, quality of football, European results, social media, league website visits, number of players playing international football etc. |
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Post by unclefester on Apr 23, 2018 13:55:52 GMT 1
There is 1 way to fix everything in your post. All the “supporters” from Wales who “support” Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Wolves, Leeds etc. From their armchairs need to go outdoors and take in a local WL, HGA or WPL game.
I’ve worked with lots of these “supporters” who couldn’t point out the clubs they claim to support on a map. Embarrassing really.
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Post by jamesy on Apr 23, 2018 14:07:34 GMT 1
There is 1 way to fix everything in your post. All the “supporters” from Wales who “support” Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Wolves, Leeds etc. From their armchairs need to go outdoors and take in a local WL, HGA or WPL game. I’ve worked with lots of these “supporters” who couldn’t point out the clubs they claim to support on a map. Embarrassing really. Totally agree with you there! One thing which may be open to debate is whether allowing the drinking of alcohol pitchside would have any effect on attendances as the measures in place at the moment seem somewhat draconian to say the least. |
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Post by jokeofaleague on Apr 23, 2018 14:12:58 GMT 1
long time to read and digest all that, lots of true fair points, I too believe that the FAW is doing an insufficient job in developing Welsh football, I have pointed out many times on this forum the "postcode lottery" criteria where you can have rope around the field of play in Mid Wales at tier 3 yet need solid barriers in the south at tier 7. Not many if any people even comment on the subject, it is as if people and clubs accept it! Well I think its terrible and that you would have to look hard to find another country in Europe with such a terribly run league and structure. Jamesy is correct though, it's not right that the focus is put on South Wales, the whole league and structure needs to be re-vamped and standardised. When I was on holiday in Cyprus I went to watch a local team play Paralimni,they play in tier 2 in the Cypriot league the entrance fee was about £8.00 and there must have been about 2,000 people minimum there, their stadium holds 5,500. Cyprus has a population of 1.1 million, South Wales has double that with a population of 2.2 million, Lucky to find more than 300 supporters watching a tier 2 match. Its not just the FAW's fault but we should be asking the question, where are all the supporters? The rest of wales has a population of 900,000 - 1 million yet they have far bigger crowds watching teams in the North, why is that? Where are all the supporters? I would prefer to ask the question, what is there to support? Postcode lottery is a massive issue and again creates this divide between clubs and leads to disenchantment from a lot of clubs. Exactly the population is there but the product isn’t. Why would anyone give up there Saturday to watch Cardiff met play Llandudno for the 10th time in a season?? I mention the south of wales because 1) I’m from South Wales and have no club to support 2) south is where the money is 3) there is a lot of untapped talent here. The point you made about the Cyprus game, highlights how we are massively failing. Representatives of the league should be visiting other leagues around the world and studying what they do? Instead of sitting on their hands and playing god with this league. |
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Post by jamesy on Apr 23, 2018 14:13:27 GMT 1
I think everyone would agree that there needs to be growth and development not just within the WPL but across Wales, however why should the FAW invest in the creation of 'Super Clubs' in South Wales and parachute them into a league? The amount of legal action if this ever happened would be counter productive. Surely it is incumbent upon the clubs to raise their own profiles thereby increasing attendances and revenue to improve the league. In terms of the licensing to attain WPL status, it is my understanding that the clubs are told where they have failed and given a specified period of time to rectify the situation. I'm curious to know how you would measure the success of a league in a country the size of Wales? Average attendances, European Results or by alternative means? They should in the interest of the state of football, in this country. No league action, if you change the league to a franchise league where clubs apply for membership. It’s just an idea in increasing interest, marketing and profile. I get what you’re saying, but how do clubs do that in this current league setup? Clubs can’t improve their profile if the league has no profile to speak of. 10 days?! Ha! And no help from the league? And why is this sorted at the end of the season? Carmarthen don’t know if they are going to be relegated or not, name me another league in Europe where this would happen? I would determine success on many factors. Tv money, individual sponsorships, average attendance growth, quality of football, European results, social media, league website visits, number of players playing international football etc. This is something I completely agree with you on. How you can have a situation where teams are not sure whether they are up or down until after the season ends is amateurish in the extreme. It also has ramifications all the way down the pyramid and think this should all be done once the final game of the season is played. |
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Post by jokeofaleague on Apr 23, 2018 14:26:02 GMT 1
There is 1 way to fix everything in your post. All the “supporters” from Wales who “support” Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Wolves, Leeds etc. From their armchairs need to go outdoors and take in a local WL, HGA or WPL game. I’ve worked with lots of these “supporters” who couldn’t point out the clubs they claim to support on a map. Embarrassing really. While I take your point, a lot of these “supporters” support these teams because there isn’t really an alternative. And most people support the club their dad did. My nearest club is Barry Town, I have no affinity with Barry it’s half an hour away and to be honest I’ve got no interest in watching them play Cefn druids like I said for the 10 th time in a season. What’s the incentive? Drab football no atmosphere pointless and boring game. No thanks. Now for instance a franchises team from Cardiff, playing a franchised team from let’s say Newport, with maybe one or two players who are biggish names in uk football playing, in a 20 team league? Now that is something I would love to watch. A fantasy, I know.... |
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Post by jamesy on Apr 23, 2018 15:49:24 GMT 1
But if more people went to watch their local clubs the atmosphere would surely improve?
You bemoan the lack of atmosphere and poor quality yet until more people go through the turnstiles it will remain the same. Surely you have a team competing in the Welsh League (tiers 2-4) near you? If so, why not give them a try?
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Post by majormoments on Apr 23, 2018 15:54:28 GMT 1
Come and watch Llantwit Major v Pontypridd on Saturday, can't be too far from you and ground 5 minutes walk from the station.
It would Also give you an idea how expensive it is for a club to get the necessary facilities
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2018 16:00:35 GMT 1
Someone mentioned that WPL level of football isn’t far off SPL.
What planet is he on, get a grip.
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Post by There We Are Then on Apr 23, 2018 16:08:47 GMT 1
The money made by the FAW is not just for the welsh league its for all welsh football male and female young and old. If you put a freedom of information request in to the FAW they will get someone to tell you the truth instead of just guessing.
No affiliation to any club as Im a ref but I have been to watch Barry , Cardiff Met and Bridgend street this season, paid my dosh.
After 30 yrs on the Welsh League I have watched some clubs grow and a lot of clubs crumble.
As for the licence to enter the Welsh prem this is pre requisite for uefa as qualification into Europe means 200000 euros. I really hope Barry or Cardiff Met get into Europe as the money earnt should then be spent on the club from ground up (hopefully)
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