Benitez wants reserve team revamp

[BBC Sport]

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez wants to field his reserve team in the Football League.

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[Kris]

fair enough but what do you do if they get promoted to the top league's not a good idea in my opinion.

 

[Grant]

They wouldnt be allowed to be promoted. In Spain if Castilla (Real Madrid B) win the league they cant get promoted.

 

[samleggott]

what they should do is just have a league where all reserve teams just play each other which is a lot simpler

 

[thekillerdoctor]

They do don't they?

 

[Sean]

Kind of. I think Sam means there should be ONE league for Premiership Reserve teams, one for Championship etc.. etc. so that reserve teams are kind of the same level as each other.

 

[Kris]

I still think it's a poor idea don't like it in spain takes away the fun in winning the lower league if you cant go up or down.

 

[blaineyboy]

I can see both sides to the arguement to be honest, the reserve leagues are **** and Benitez is right when he says about grown men playing without passion, he would want his reserve players to adapt by playing against experience full time pros every week learning there trade - which 2 b fair the loan system is in place and works well. It would be very hard to implement the changes in the football league now and it def wouldn't be attractive to fans if for instance. Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpooll finish top 4 - but only 5th 6th 7th could be promoted that would be pretty stupid.

What they need to do is revamp the reserves league - too many divisions with not as many teams and somehow make it more attractive.

 

[samleggott]

na i was being sarcastic , prob didnt come over too well on here

was pretty much sayin what they have now is ok really they are all reserve squads of big clubs supposedly so the level should be quite even so dont see the problem, a league for all reserve teams seems the best solution that doesnt involve some stupid foreign rule

 

[Lee]

I think it's a good idea and would like to see it happen. Rafalution.

 

[blaineyboy]

I think it's a good idea and would like to see it happen. Rafalution.

U aint sayin that just coz ur an liverpool fan?

 

[Lee]

Of course I'm saying it as a Liverpool fan. It's hard for youngsters to break into our first team at the moment. We have alot of talented youngsters at the club at the moment but if we were a mid-table squad they would probably be able to force themselves into the first team for a few games a season.

With more match practice there's a bigger chance of them getting into our first team squad.

 

[samleggott]

yeah they can do that agaisnt all other promising youngsters in all the other reserve teams - they still play games and its against other players wanting to impress their reserve coach aswell so i dont see where the advantage comes

the only one i can see is maybe crowds would increase if they went in an actual professional league and it could prepare them more but seriously why change?

 

[blaineyboy]

To be honest, Villa, Everton, Newcastle, Arsenal, Boro and few more clubs have progressed with their academy players by playing them in the 1st team easing them in slowly. Why can't liverpool do it?

 

[Lee]

Any team is capable of doing it at the moment but the chances at larger clubs like Liverpool where the quality is alot higher than most other clubs the player has to be extra special to stay in the side.

We do play youngsters in our first team if we get the chance. Jack Hobbs, Lee Peltier, and Danny Guthrie to name three of them. Maybe some of the Scottish guys can back me up on this because I'm only going on what I've read but Adam Hammill one of our most promising players doesn't stand a chance of getting into our first team so he's currently on loan at Dundee or Dunfermline (Or some other SPL side, I forget) and apparently his game has improved alot in a short time. So that's kind of an example of what competitive football can do.

Arsenal are a special case. Wenger has been working on his youth policy for 10 years and alot of the youth players he has have cost them alot of money and obviously have quality.

Speaking of Arsenal, The Walcott is probably a good example. If he hadn't of played so many games for Southampton then the chances are he wouldn't be at the level he is at now. Same with Gareth Bale.

And Sam I really don't think you quite getting this. Reserve and Youth football isn't as competitive as a proffesional match.

In respons to 'Why Change?' - Didn't you do Business? You have to keep up with competitors or you'll lose the advantage.

 

[samleggott]

but wouldnt putting them in a league just bring that league down anyway to pretty much make it the level of reserve teams if a lot of reserve teams were to go in it?

i understand competitve football improves players so why not have more feeder clubs with more loaning out or whatever

the point i was tryin to make is surely a large influx of reserve teams in to a league would just make it like a reserve league or something similar

why not loan the best ones out more, help the smaller clubs get better - leave the leagues as they are though as i dont think its really fair on small lower league clubs

 

[blaineyboy]

but wouldnt putting them in a league just bring that league down anyway to pretty much make it the level of reserve teams if a lot of reserve teams were to go in it?

i understand competitve football improves players so why not have more feeder clubs with more loaning out or whatever

the point i was tryin to make is surely a large influx of reserve teams in to a league would just make it like a reserve league or something similar

why not loan the best ones out more, help the smaller clubs get better - leave the leagues as they are though as i dont think its really fair on small lower league clubs

Spot on with those points made. Lee, some very narrow-minded points made in my opinion, very unfair to turn round and say and say stick a Liverpool B team coz they are liverpool and have got history etc etc in the championship, that just devalues the championship which to be honest a good division. No club is bigger than the league its in!!

Alot of the other clubs are managing to bring their youth players in. Lets be honest your not really attempting as much as the other clubs to play academy players and if they aint good enough!! Benitez is another example of somebody trying to change English football - leave it to the english!

 

[Lee]

but wouldnt putting them in a league just bring that league down anyway to pretty much make it the level of reserve teams if a lot of reserve teams were to go in it?

the point i was tryin to make is surely a large influx of reserve teams in to a league would just make it like a reserve league or something similar.

They'll have some way of preventing it from impacting on the leagues quality too much. It's not as if the reserve teams will all just flood into the leagues. They'll have to make sure the team has the ability to compete in the league.

i understand competitve football improves players so why not have more feeder clubs with more loaning out or whatever

why not loan the best ones out more, help the smaller clubs get better - leave the leagues as they are though as i dont think its really fair on small lower league clubs

Loaning will still happen but it wouldn't be effective as the proposed reshuffle. It's harder to watch players when they are out on loan whereas if they are playing week in week out for your team . The facilities at most of the bigger clubs are also alot better than the clubs they loan their players too so there is possibly a better chance of development if they stay put.

Lee, some very narrow-minded points made in my opinion, very unfair to turn round and say and say stick a Liverpool B team coz they are liverpool and have got history etc etc in the championship, that just devalues the championship which to be honest a good division.

I know Rafael Benitez is saying we should be put into the Championship and I don't agree with that. But if we get 'put' into League 2 and work our way up then we have every right in being there just like any other club in the league.

Alot of the other clubs are managing to bring their youth players in.

Yes, I know they are.

Lets be honest your not really attempting as much as the other clubs to play academy players and if they aint good enough!!

We play our reserves and academy players whenever we can. It's not Liverpool's fault we have atleast 2 first team players for every position. Our youth team has reached the FA Youth Cup final two years in a row now and they have plenty of ability but they are not ready for the first team and probably won't be for a few years.

No club is bigger than the league its in!!

What? :|

Benitez is another example of somebody trying to change English football - leave it to the english!

Some narrow minded views there.

 

[blaineyboy]

1. So how would it be decided which clubs would have a reserve team featuring in a mainstream league? Surely it would be unfair to the other reserve teams.

2. If the facilities at the club is so good, surely keep them there in the reserves, they can develop there as reserve league standards are not poor.

3. If the reserve team were to stop at the bottom and work their way up they wouldn't be able to play in the same league. For instance Liverpool get relagated and you have then got the reserves in the same league - all of which those players at that club could play for either side. It would also be unfair on smaller sides who get financial gain from promotion being taken up by a rich club playing a reserve team.

4. If liverpool want to bring youth players in they need to ease them into the first team. There is no point them playing the reserves for a season and then sticking them straight into the 1st team. The players develop into first team players by playing them into the first team and easing them in. Benitez should take a leaf out of Wengers book. Simple as.

5. Yes it is liverpools fault if they have 2 players for every position, they buy the players not the FA.

6. If your youth team is not ready for the first team they learn their trade in the reserves of get loaned out to smaller clubs. That way they learn their trade playing next to experience professionals. No point in changing the system if it works.

7. You mentioned previously that because Liverpool are a large club with alot of good players that as they have more quality than other clubs and they need to be much better to break into first team action, that they should have a reserve team in the lower leagues. Football needs to be fair meaning just because they are good they can have a reserve team in the lower leagues then so should all the other clubs. At what point would a team qualify to have field a team in lower league?

8. Please remind me which English managers called for changes in our system in respect of structure of leagues? Mourinho, Benitez and Wenger have all mentioned having a reserve team in the lower leagues because they have it in foreign leagues. Thats not being narrow minded thats me stating a fact. Its our league so let the FA decide how the structure is without a foreign managers influence.

 

[Lee]

Ok...

1. Like I said they'll have some way to do all this fairly.<br />
   
2. If they do develop better at Liverpool then of course they would be kept here. But I wasn't implying that, I was trying to make the point that better facilities and playing competitive football could aid the players development alot more.<br />
   
3. The two teams wouldn't be allowed in the same league as each other. Yes it wouldn't be fair on the smaller teams who need promotion money. Leave this to the FA to sort out, they're sensible guys they'll find a solution.<br />
   
4. Ok this is a very naive comment but I'll let you off simply because you aren't a Liverpool fan so I wouldn't expect you to know alot about our wonderous club. Here are a few points:
   • Gerrard Houllier basicly cut off our youth team. Benitez has been rebuilding our youth team (and first team) since he arrived.
   • Our current Youth team is excellent, thanks to the work Rafa and the backroom staff has done but obviously these players are still 2 or 3 years away from even making it for the first team.
   • I mentioned in a previous post that Wenger has had 10 years to work on his side and has spent a fortune on his young players so they are obviously good enough. The amount of players breaking into Arsenals first team in Wenger's first few seasons was very small. He sold off pretty much all of them (Pennant, Bentley, etc...).
   • Oh and we do ease players into the first team. Do you honestly think we'd be stupid enough to expect a young player to just find a role in our squad.
   <br />
   
5. IDo you not realise having two players capable of playing in every position is a situation any manager would love. Why should we be punished for having a strong first team squad?<br />
   
6. I've covered loans earlier and I'm pretty sure everything I say is about how reserve/youth football is not competitive enough. The current system works I don't argue with that, but it may not be working as well as it could.<br />
   
7. Leave it up to the FA to decide.<br />
   
8. As far as I know no English managers have. They're probably all busy thinking up something as ground breaking as renaming all the divisons in the football league again.
   
   You really are being narrow minded. Everyone has a right to their opinion even if they are foreign. Who knows maybe some English managers might even agree with the foreigners.<br />

Please come up with some new points next time. I'm tired of repeating myself and the views echoed in the article.