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Post by aberbeeg on Mar 21, 2024 6:01:05 GMT
I'll try and get over for the Welsh Cup final this year seeing as it's in Newport. As a County fan my views on the WPL are obviously clouded somewhat, but I personally think the league just needs to be clear on what it's role is. Unless the big Welsh sides are forced to join it would be better served as a feeder for the English system, and the Welsh clubs in it. If the clubs had an aim of delivering players to the Welsh EFL clubs, and everyone was behind that goal, surely it would be better for the national side? To become a feeder league would make the leagues even worse than they already are. Nobody would be bothered about watching English teams reserves (just as nobody watches their respective U21 sides). The leagues need work, but as this week has shown they can hold their own Vs National league opposition and thats without any of the TNS players. Why weren’t the TNS players involved?
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Post by iot on Mar 21, 2024 7:47:57 GMT
To become a feeder league would make the leagues even worse than they already are. Nobody would be bothered about watching English teams reserves (just as nobody watches their respective U21 sides). The leagues need work, but as this week has shown they can hold their own Vs National league opposition and thats without any of the TNS players. Why weren’t the TNS players involved? Because they have very few Welsh players presumably. Only TNS player was Gwion Dafydd, the young forward currently out on loan
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Post by derynglas on Mar 21, 2024 8:12:04 GMT
No TNS do have 3 or 4 Welsh players who were initially selected for the squad.But it was alluded in the commentary on the game that it had been agreed to leave them out because of their involvement in the Scottish challenge cup final this coming Sunday.
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Post by conwy10 on Mar 21, 2024 10:31:47 GMT
I'll try and get over for the Welsh Cup final this year seeing as it's in Newport. As a County fan my views on the WPL are obviously clouded somewhat, but I personally think the league just needs to be clear on what it's role is. Unless the big Welsh sides are forced to join it would be better served as a feeder for the English system, and the Welsh clubs in it. If the clubs had an aim of delivering players to the Welsh EFL clubs, and everyone was behind that goal, surely it would be better for the national side? To become a feeder league would make the leagues even worse than they already are. Nobody would be bothered about watching English teams reserves (just as nobody watches their respective U21 sides). The leagues need work, but as this week has shown they can hold their own Vs National league opposition and thats without any of the TNS players. I think this would be the best for everyone. If you were a Bala or Colwyn Bay or even TNS, would you stand in one of your players way if they had the opportunity to make it professional? I think we're seeing peak Cymru Prem right now to be honest. The only team who does well in Europe is TNS who are bankrolled, take him away there's nothing in Europe. We've got 4G allowing us to have these academies, I know theyre controversial but again take the 4G away kids are playing in schools on the surface of the moon rather than a flat perfect surface. If Cardiff/Swansea reserves was to enter the Cymru Prem and hover midtable or even Cymru South there wouldn't really be too much to lose. Even if they went on to win the league there's not much downside as it could be a staging ground for players in a system to go all the way. I hate to be harsh but playing for TNS/Connahs Quay had its ceiling. Could put in a rule that 50% of the squad must be eligible for Wales.
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Post by zserty on Mar 21, 2024 11:48:58 GMT
To become a feeder league would make the leagues even worse than they already are. Nobody would be bothered about watching English teams reserves (just as nobody watches their respective U21 sides). The leagues need work, but as this week has shown they can hold their own Vs National league opposition and thats without any of the TNS players. I think this would be the best for everyone. If you were a Bala or Colwyn Bay or even TNS, would you stand in one of your players way if they had the opportunity to make it professional? I think we're seeing peak Cymru Prem right now to be honest. The only team who does well in Europe is TNS who are bankrolled, take him away there's nothing in Europe. We've got 4G allowing us to have these academies, I know theyre controversial but again take the 4G away kids are playing in schools on the surface of the moon rather than a flat perfect surface. If Cardiff/Swansea reserves was to enter the Cymru Prem and hover midtable or even Cymru South there wouldn't really be too much to lose. Even if they went on to win the league there's not much downside as it could be a staging ground for players in a system to go all the way. I hate to be harsh but playing for TNS/Connahs Quay had its ceiling. Could put in a rule that 50% of the squad must be eligible for Wales. Playing for any club has a ceiling though. Work needs to be done to improve the league, but writing it off and making it full of B teams is not that. As someone who regularly goes to games it would kill the league entirely. The last bit is a good suggestion though and one that i would be behind. I liked the idea of 3 substitutes and then an additional 2 but they would need to be Welsh U21. To refer back to an earlier point about this being "peak" for the Cymru prem, i would say that the league would improve should TNS fall off. They rarely get a result in Europe and get a vast sum in doing so. Keeps the domestic dominance without breaking a sweat.
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Post by allezlesrouges on Mar 21, 2024 16:24:42 GMT
I don't think we're seeing peak Cymru Premier, I think we could rise as high as the Irish league in the coefficient, but it will take a lot of work
My opinion is that getting TNS into the Europa Conference would be a good start that can realistically be achieved. That will help lift our coefficient which would have a knock on positive effect
Expanding the league to 14-16 teams would also make it a more attractive league to watch and support
Merthyr can do what they like, but I believe every effort should be made to convince them to come across. If they moved across and also a team like Penybont was bankrolled I could envisage a scenario where we have a competitive league. The league needs to rise to TNS's standard not get rid of them imo
Big ifs but if that can happen I think you could see a quick upward spiral. Having 2-3 teams competitive in Europe (in terms of qualifying for the ECL) would be a great thing and at that point I think the league would be viewed very differently
All of that is much easier said than done, and a lot needs to happen before then. But I really don't think we're at the peak of the league, we have more potential than the average punter realises
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Post by gimli on Mar 21, 2024 16:43:50 GMT
I don't think we're seeing peak Cymru Premier, I think we could rise as high as the Irish league in the coefficient, but it will take a lot of work My opinion is that getting TNS into the Europa Conference would be a good start that can realistically be achieved. That will help lift our coefficient which would have a knock on positive effect Expanding the league to 14-16 teams would also make it a more attractive league to watch and support Merthyr can do what they like, but I believe every effort should be made to convince them to come across. If they moved across and also a team like Penybont was bankrolled I could envisage a scenario where we have a competitive league. The league needs to rise to TNS's standard not get rid of them imoBig ifs but if that can happen I think you could see a quick upward spiral. Having 2-3 teams competitive in Europe (in terms of qualifying for the ECL) would be a great thing and at that point I think the league would be viewed very differently All of that is much easier said than done, and a lot needs to happen before then. But I really don't think we're at the peak of the league, we have more potential than the average punter realises This issue with this is that there's no natural and sustainable way for this to happen while TNS are hogging all the European money. The only way it can happen is though the bankrolling of a club by a rich owner, and that's very risky - just ask Bangor, Barry, Llanelli, Neath etc. We can't rely on some external rich business men to come in and save the day when there's an equal if not higher chance that they'd end up ruining the clubs they take over. The FAW need a better and more sustainable solution. Levelling the playing field and giving everyone a chance to catch up may weaken the league in the short term (though since TNS continually fail in Europe it would make no noticeable difference anyway), but it would give the chance for the clubs with actual fan bases, that have the potential to be well-supported and sustainable, to catch up and develop organically, and over time improve the overall quality of the league. Somehow restricting TNS (or even better removing them altogether, though that's never going to happen) would be like ripping out the weeds from the garden to give the more desirable flowers a chance to grow.
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Post by welshrover on Mar 21, 2024 16:58:07 GMT
I don't think we're seeing peak Cymru Premier, I think we could rise as high as the Irish league in the coefficient, but it will take a lot of work My opinion is that getting TNS into the Europa Conference would be a good start that can realistically be achieved. That will help lift our coefficient which would have a knock on positive effect Expanding the league to 14-16 teams would also make it a more attractive league to watch and support Merthyr can do what they like, but I believe every effort should be made to convince them to come across. If they moved across and also a team like Penybont was bankrolled I could envisage a scenario where we have a competitive league. The league needs to rise to TNS's standard not get rid of them imoBig ifs but if that can happen I think you could see a quick upward spiral. Having 2-3 teams competitive in Europe (in terms of qualifying for the ECL) would be a great thing and at that point I think the league would be viewed very differently All of that is much easier said than done, and a lot needs to happen before then. But I really don't think we're at the peak of the league, we have more potential than the average punter realises This issue with this is that there's no natural and sustainable way for this to happen while TNS are hogging all the European money. The only way it can happen is though the bankrolling of a club by a rich owner, and that's very risky - just ask Bangor, Barry, Llanelli, Neath etc. We can't rely on some external rich business men to come in and save the day when there's an equal if not higher chance that they'd end up ruining the clubs they take over. The FAW need a better and more sustainable solution. Levelling the playing field and giving everyone a chance to catch up may weaken the league in the short term (though since TNS continually fail in Europe it would make no noticeable difference anyway), but it would give the chance for the clubs with actual fan bases, that have the potential to be well-supported and sustainable, to catch up and develop organically, and over time improve the overall quality of the league. Somehow restricting TNS (or even better removing them altogether, though that's never going to happen) would be like ripping out the weeds from the garden to give the more desirable flowers a chance to grow. Just a point of note: The people who "bankrolled" Bangor City were far from rich. The bloke they fronted for is!
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Post by conwy10 on Mar 21, 2024 19:02:43 GMT
Say if TNS fall off what would we have? Connahs Quay won it twice and did nothing with it. You'd just have a team with 200 fans having a money pit and blowing it on failed football league players. The cycle continues.
I love domestic Welsh football but I'm not blind to it either. Everything they get just inflates the economy for average players. I even think a salary cap would work wonders as they'll have all this UEFA money they can't spend on average players. Some of it might have to be spent on facilities and promoting young players through the system. It's just too easy to throw £600 a week on someone who's made 50 football league appearances, most off the bench.
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Post by zserty on Mar 22, 2024 7:30:31 GMT
Say if TNS fall off what would we have? Connahs Quay won it twice and did nothing with it. You'd just have a team with 200 fans having a money pit and blowing it on failed football league players. The cycle continues. I love domestic Welsh football but I'm not blind to it either. Everything they get just inflates the economy for average players. I even think a salary cap would work wonders as they'll have all this UEFA money they can't spend on average players. Some of it might have to be spent on facilities and promoting young players through the system. It's just too easy to throw £600 a week on someone who's made 50 football league appearances, most off the bench. Wasn't exactly thinking CQ to be fair, there are a lot of clubs who have the geographic location and current fans that show there is a lot of room for growth. The league quality needs to improve to the point where the teams are able to make some progress in the European qualifiers. Id think this would happen if it became more competitive at the top end. Whilst i dont agree with a £ cap on wages as this could hold the league back I would be fully behind a Nationality quota. I.e starting XI must contain 6 Welsh players. Bench is 5 players with 3 subs or 7 players and five subs if two of them are Welsh U21. Lots of things they could do to promote homegrown players.
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Post by conwy10 on Mar 22, 2024 12:36:28 GMT
Say if TNS fall off what would we have? Connahs Quay won it twice and did nothing with it. You'd just have a team with 200 fans having a money pit and blowing it on failed football league players. The cycle continues. I love domestic Welsh football but I'm not blind to it either. Everything they get just inflates the economy for average players. I even think a salary cap would work wonders as they'll have all this UEFA money they can't spend on average players. Some of it might have to be spent on facilities and promoting young players through the system. It's just too easy to throw £600 a week on someone who's made 50 football league appearances, most off the bench. Wasn't exactly thinking CQ to be fair, there are a lot of clubs who have the geographic location and current fans that show there is a lot of room for growth. The league quality needs to improve to the point where the teams are able to make some progress in the European qualifiers. Id think this would happen if it became more competitive at the top end. Whilst i dont agree with a £ cap on wages as this could hold the league back I would be fully behind a Nationality quota. I.e starting XI must contain 6 Welsh players. Bench is 5 players with 3 subs or 7 players and five subs if two of them are Welsh U21. Lots of things they could do to promote homegrown players. If we do take TNS away, and if we don't consider CQ, then it would be Bala who again don't have a large following. Caernarfon have a decent one, but Welsh football just isn't about attendances. It's all about being bankrolled by someone. It will be hard to break a system that has proved gets results since the creation of the league. I'm not even sure if I can think of one example of an exception to that. We even see bankrolled clubs going bust trying to catch up with the bankrolled teams. I doubt we'll ever see a team there as the income through their support allows them to be or through natural growth. I could be and do hope I'm wrong though.
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Post by welshowl on Mar 23, 2024 14:21:19 GMT
There was an announcement from Rhyl FC today. Wasn't sure what it would be, but I'll take good news where I can find it "We are delighted to inform you that our application for a Community Ownership Fund has been successful to approve in principle the award of the maximum 80% grant. The funding value is £369,600 capital and £9,000 revenue which will go a long way towards securing the famous Belle Vue stadium in support of our club and community ambitions. " It would be great to see them back in the Cymru Premier, but not before Bangor City get there themselves and Bae Colwyn maybe establish themselves
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Post by zserty on Mar 23, 2024 14:43:37 GMT
Wasn't exactly thinking CQ to be fair, there are a lot of clubs who have the geographic location and current fans that show there is a lot of room for growth. The league quality needs to improve to the point where the teams are able to make some progress in the European qualifiers. Id think this would happen if it became more competitive at the top end. Whilst i dont agree with a £ cap on wages as this could hold the league back I would be fully behind a Nationality quota. I.e starting XI must contain 6 Welsh players. Bench is 5 players with 3 subs or 7 players and five subs if two of them are Welsh U21. Lots of things they could do to promote homegrown players. If we do take TNS away, and if we don't consider CQ, then it would be Bala who again don't have a large following. Caernarfon have a decent one, but Welsh football just isn't about attendances. It's all about being bankrolled by someone. It will be hard to break a system that has proved gets results since the creation of the league. I'm not even sure if I can think of one example of an exception to that. We even see bankrolled clubs going bust trying to catch up with the bankrolled teams. I doubt we'll ever see a team there as the income through their support allows them to be or through natural growth. I could be and do hope I'm wrong though. It certainly will require some imaginative solutions to try and fix the Cymru Prem. One issue that seriously impacts support is the geography, the north south divide of the country severely impacts support. Whether there is anyway around that is a lot more difficult than quotas, league structure etc A strong welsh league would be fantastic for welsh football and the national team as the pathways to pro football would increase.
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Post by welshrover on Mar 24, 2024 19:22:59 GMT
TNS narrowly beaten by Airdrie in the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup.
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Post by Sam-arvey on Mar 24, 2024 20:05:35 GMT
TNS narrowly beaten by Airdrie in the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup. Considering Airdrie are also full time, and currently sat in the play offs for the Scottish premiership I think TNS made a good account of themselves. Think this and the win against England C recently shows the improvement of the league.
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Post by conwy10 on Mar 24, 2024 22:18:38 GMT
TNS narrowly beaten by Airdrie in the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup. Considering Airdrie are also full time, and currently sat in the play offs for the Scottish premiership I think TNS made a good account of themselves. Think this and the win against England C recently shows the improvement of the league. Not too sure to be honest. CQ beat Kilmarnock a few years ago.
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Post by welshowl on Mar 24, 2024 22:37:58 GMT
TNS narrowly beaten by Airdrie in the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup. Trist iawn, very sad.
New World record attempt gone, and maybe some of their players might just rue not taking a Cymru C cap last week.
What now for TNS? Maybe take the next month off and start pre-season in May to be better ready for the UEFA qualifiers so that they actually get through a few rounds and benefit Welsh football for once (as well as themselves)?
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Post by welshrover on Mar 25, 2024 0:35:45 GMT
TNS narrowly beaten by Airdrie in the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup. Trist iawn, very sad.
New World record attempt gone, and maybe some of their players might just rue not taking a Cymru C cap last week.
What now for TNS? Maybe take the next month off and start pre-season in May to be better ready for the UEFA qualifiers so that they actually get through a few rounds and benefit Welsh football for once (as well as themselves)?
A bit of total nonsense trivia, the lad who scored for TNS today, Ben Clark, I run Parkrun with his dad most weeks 🙂
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Post by aberbeeg on Mar 25, 2024 6:44:37 GMT
Thought Airdrie were by far the better side tbf. TNS offered very little going forward. Away support looked about 150 ish.
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Post by zserty on Apr 5, 2024 8:18:38 GMT
The FAW are doing a lot to drag the league into obscurity considering their apparent £6m blockbuster plans which nobody has heard and they probably havent even come up with yet.
How can proper football clubs be denied a licence when theyve been granting them to teams such as Cardiff Met or Pontypridd.
If i were a club in the North/South i would be desperate not to go up.
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Post by allezlesrouges on Apr 9, 2024 21:16:47 GMT
Briton Ferry Llansawel promoted to the top flight for the first time in 30 years. Would be a shame to see Colwyn Bay go down, but BFLl will be a good addition, hopefully then can stay up and grow
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Post by zserty on Apr 11, 2024 13:58:54 GMT
Briton Ferry Llansawel promoted to the top flight for the first time in 30 years. Would be a shame to see Colwyn Bay go down, but BFLl will be a good addition, hopefully then can stay up and grow I offer my sincere congratulations and commiserations to Ferry. Fantastic effort to see off Llanelli and win the league, just unfortunate that means they are promoted.
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Post by surge on Apr 11, 2024 14:25:00 GMT
Welcome to the dance Briton Ferry. A chance to be seen more regularly on TV, a chance to get into European football and a chance to be champions of the whole nation - the challenge and opportunities hopefully are exciting for you all.
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Post by davefishwick on Apr 22, 2024 17:08:51 GMT
Pleased for Aber staying up yesterday. A big, historical club (in terms of the league since its creation) but interesting points made by Taff after the game about getting more local players, one which I'm pleased was challenged by Tomi Morgan on sgorio - its easy to give nice soundbites on the TV but Tomi agreed, get out there looking at local players who might be able to make a difference in the lower leagues, Aber can't keep continuing to survive by the skin of their teeth every season
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Post by rhys on Apr 24, 2024 7:10:10 GMT
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Post by talyfan on Apr 24, 2024 7:57:17 GMT
Positive but if we're wanting results the Mickey mouse clubs have go to go. TNS, Bala, Connahs Quay and Cardiff Met. Regardless of league format, played on any day of the week, in the summer or had Messi and Ronaldo playing for them they just won't get the crowds or interest to be sustainable or sustainable to the level FAW wish.
One of the things for me FAW need to realize is they need to treat people as a finite resource and almost like a map of an oil reserves around the stadium. Those clubs I've mentioned they'd have next to nothing. Bala only population of 2000 people. TNS, CQ and Met zero local interest. They're all non starters for drawing in supporters and then in turn potential players, coaches, volunteers and admins etc.
Somewhere like Colwyn Bay, Bangor, Rhyl, Barry etc. Their people reserve is far greater. Historically capable of achieving big crowds and in turn generate more local support from people in one capacity or another.
These are the clubs FAW should be backing. Ditch the Mickey mouse clubs.
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Post by winsumluzsum on Apr 24, 2024 8:36:25 GMT
It shows the distorting effect of UEFA money that our national league must be the only one where all the leading clubs have very poor support.
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Post by garynysmon on Apr 24, 2024 9:20:29 GMT
It shows the distorting effect of UEFA money that our national league must be the only one where all the leading clubs have very poor support. It does but there are some very encouraging aspects to the plans to at least try and close the gap. This is the document in full: media-faw-cymru.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/faw/20240424100651/FAW-Cymru-Prem-Strategy-Launch-APR.pdfSomewhat predictably, Facebook is full of older gentlemen having a pop because their idea of improving the league is it being of Caernarfon and District League standard but everything would be fine because TNS aren't in it "ruining the league" as they have the audacity to be a full-time club in the country's top flight. I'd encourage anyone to watch the full presentation as it explains some of the points people are jumping on. faw.cymru/redwallplus/videos/jd-cymru-premier-strategy-launch-2024-2030/Or... In terms of Welsh football more widely its interesting that they're amending the loan rules so that Welsh-based EFL clubs can loan out players to CP clubs on 'work experience loans' at any point of the season, and outside of the transfer window. Jack Sharp said that at present the EFL clubs are loaning out players to the English non-league and the players are often ending up there once they get released, they want more of these young players in the Welsh pyramid.
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Post by rhys on Apr 24, 2024 11:16:10 GMT
Friday night is going to be a nightmare as a player/away fan. I can’t see it having a positive impact.
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Post by allezlesrouges on Apr 24, 2024 11:25:52 GMT
Friday night is going to be a nightmare as a player/away fan. I can’t see it having a positive impact. Sounds like the idea is for the league to be regionalised in phase 1 which will make it easier Also this move will certainly increase home support, which is more likely to impact attendances than away support I imagine common sense will be applied too, e.g Haverfordwest won't be playing Caernarfon on a Friday night you'd imagine
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