The Daily Diatribe: The cry of despair from the small, uh, I mean, League clubs

By: Brian | March 21st, 2007

Wow, I guess no one really gives a shit if Mourinho says it, but once Rafa reiterated the idea of having a ‘B team’ in the Football League, that shit hit the fan. Former Jockey and now Swindon Town Chairman Willie Carson doesn’t understand why Benitez would propose such a thing. Carson seems to think that the loaning out of players, how it’s been done forever, is the best way to develop players. I disagree since football is a team sport and players who learn to work the best together tend to be the better team. Learning the intricacies of your teammates’ game, their strengths and weaknesses and what you can do to make them a better player and vice versa is an integral part of the development process. It can take years to figure out another’s habits and abilities. How can they do that if one is at Stockport County, another is at Luton Town, a third is at Preston North End, and so on and so forth? Also throwing their two cents into the matter are Wonderbra campaign innovator and Brighton & Hove Albion chairman, Harry Richard ‘Dick’ Knight, the Peterborough director of football, Barry Fry, and former Sheffield United striker and current Mansfield Town head, Bill Dearden. Frankly, I find the short-sightedness and trepidation of their comments to be more alarming then Rafa’s. Insulting the history of the League? Laughable, save for a few top teams and a few great young players, most of the League is shit anyhow. Was that insulting enough for ya, Wonderbra-man? Barry Fry seems to think saying 16 million people attending 1728 games is impressive. For a comparison, the MLS, which I think is about on the same level as the Championship averages nearly twice per a game. Not impressive. He’s also out of his gourd if he doesn’t think LFC supporters wouldn’t go to watch a B team compete for something. Finally, we have Billy Dearden, who thinks plenty of players would be ‘out of work’ if this happens. I think he meant to say plenty of players that aren’t good enough to play in the higher levels of competition. If you’re shit, you’re shit, and that may be harsh, but who the hell wants to watch Johnny-down-the-street who can’t kick a ball into the ocean play? Let him go to school, get a degree, and start a Wonderbra campaign or something.