Leasing.com Trophy - Is there any point boycotting ?

[B Block]

Astonishing how we can lose on penalties, and lose another game, but still qualify for the next round. This competition is so weird.

[westchestertonbear]

Nov 12, 2024 20:58:47 GMT B Block said:

And we’re through to the next round

When is the draw ?

Don’t get the hate for this trophy - it’s a second tier bit of fun.

[hersey]

Were (maybe are) the kid at the back of the class who spent all of his time picking his nose rather than paying attention.

Fortunately this whole experiment seems to be failing.

[barry]

Nov 12, 2024 22:31:24 GMT westchestertonbear said:

Nov 12, 2024 20:58:47 GMT B Block said:

And we’re through to the next round

When is the draw ?

Don’t get the hate for this trophy - it’s a second tier bit of fun.

It’s hated because it’s an entry point for B teams entering the football pyramid at a high level (EFL or National). I would rather we played their first team and not their kids on an equal basis. This is a very dangerous competition.

[Funky Monk]

Hatred for B teams in this competition certainly brings some unexpected folk together!

[westchestertonbear]

Nov 12, 2024 23:12:42 GMT barry said:

Nov 12, 2024 22:31:24 GMT westchestertonbear said:

When is the draw ?

Don’t get the hate for this trophy - it’s a second tier bit of fun.

It’s hated because it’s an entry point for B teams entering the football pyramid at a high level (EFL or National). I would rather we played their first team and not their kids on an equal basis. This is a very dangerous competition.

Sure - the same people hating on this will be cheering on young England players in the World Cup who had experience in this competition.

[milesfenton]

Nov 12, 2024 21:22:08 GMT milesfenton said:

Nov 12, 2024 21:03:50 GMT cufcdenmark said:

Only two of the premiersh1t teams got out of the group stage. Waste of time them being there

We'll win the World Cup because of this, or something.

For the avoidance of doubt, this was sarcastic. Didn't think anyone would actually be making the argument seriously...

[rozza1]

Nov 13, 2024 7:44:45 GMT westchestertonbear said:

Nov 12, 2024 23:12:42 GMT barry said:

It’s hated because it’s an entry point for B teams entering the football pyramid at a high level (EFL or National). I would rather we played their first team and not their kids on an equal basis. This is a very dangerous competition.

Sure - the same people hating on this will be cheering on young England players in the World Cup who had experience in this competition.

Oh yes I'm sure B teams that have featured 30+ year olds like Laurent Koscielny, Eduardo, Sokratis have been invaluable to youngsters reaching the England squad. This would never have been achieved without Premier league clubs hoarding young players they then don't play, and saves them the horror of having to loan them out.

[cambsno]

Nov 12, 2024 23:12:42 GMT barry said:

Nov 12, 2024 22:31:24 GMT westchestertonbear said:

When is the draw ?

Don’t get the hate for this trophy - it’s a second tier bit of fun.

It’s hated because it’s an entry point for B teams entering the football pyramid at a high level (EFL or National). I would rather we played their first team and not their kids on an equal basis. This is a very dangerous competition.

I appreciate there is far more to it than B teams, but German football has B teams in the equiv if L1 & L2 I believe and is a great system. Ok, how much of that is down to the ownership of the clubs etc... but there you can get tickets for not much more than L1 prices (Bundesliga), beer while watching the game (good beer at that at under £5 a pint), good affordable food, and they seem to develop teams that get to semis and finals most of the time.

[hersey]

No one is or is going to have a long and storied England career because of this competition. The fact that teams seem to use it as reserve football (remember that?) rather than U21/23 doesn't help their case.
But the whole idea of development teams in this competition has failed. Three games spread over the first three months of the season isn't enough for academy players, so the better ones are still going out on loan. As a result the teams PL clubs (mainly) are fielding in the competition aren't able to compete - 1/16 qualifying is terrible when half the entrants go through to the knockout stage is pretty humiliating for the big boys - so we can a Cambridge United XI beating what is probably Chelsea's 4th or 5th team. It neither proves or disproves the argument that the "big" clubs should be able to enter B teams into the fourth or fifth tier of the game - and questionable how many would actually want to play 40+ games each season, have to stage 20+ home games and have to do the kind of things (media etc) that are expected at such a level.
I doubt the fan boycott has made a huge difference (there's an argument it could be ended for the knockout stage as just 1/32 teams are from outside L1/2 - though I won't be attending) but the competition has failed on the football pitch.
So it's time to knock it on the head

[Brophypants]

Nov 13, 2024 10:34:25 GMT cambsno said:

Nov 12, 2024 23:12:42 GMT barry said:

It’s hated because it’s an entry point for B teams entering the football pyramid at a high level (EFL or National). I would rather we played their first team and not their kids on an equal basis. This is a very dangerous competition.

I appreciate there is far more to it than B teams, but German football has B teams in the equiv if L1 & L2 I believe and is a great system. Ok, how much of that is down to the ownership of the clubs etc... but there you can get tickets for not much more than L1 prices (Bundesliga), beer while watching the game (good beer at that at under £5 a pint), good affordable food, and they seem to develop teams that get to semis and finals most of the time.

I don't really care for it there, either. SC Verl (a considerably smaller club than us) are facing crowds of 20-30k on merit. But is it merit or just money that means Dortmund II, Stuttgart II, and Hannover II can throw another thirty players that aren't near their first team into their first team competition?

[igorbiscan]

Nov 13, 2024 8:11:43 GMT rozza1 said:

Nov 13, 2024 7:44:45 GMT westchestertonbear said:

Sure - the same people hating on this will be cheering on young England players in the World Cup who had experience in this competition.

Oh yes I'm sure B teams that have featured 30+ year olds like Laurent Koscielny, Eduardo, Sokratis have been invaluable to youngsters reaching the England squad. This would never have been achieved without Premier league clubs hoarding young players they then don't play, and saves them the horror of having to loan them out.

I'm not sure any of those players did play in the trophy but a few of the youngsters Arsenal played have done ok
www.skysports.com/football/coventry-vs-arsenal-u21/400927

[Andrewlang]

There's a few others like Mason Mount, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice who played in the EFL Trophy but I think it'd be a hard argument to make that it had much of an impact on their careers. I'd assume Mount got more out of his loan at Derby, Smith-Rowe from Huddersfield and Eddie Nketiah from Leeds myself. Some players, like Saka and Rice, were probably always destined to reach the top with or without playing against Colchester and Wimbledon.

Andrew

[rozza1]

Nov 13, 2024 12:18:27 GMT igorbiscan said:

Nov 13, 2024 8:11:43 GMT rozza1 said:

Oh yes I'm sure B teams that have featured 30+ year olds like Laurent Koscielny, Eduardo, Sokratis have been invaluable to youngsters reaching the England squad. This would never have been achieved without Premier league clubs hoarding young players they then don't play, and saves them the horror of having to loan them out.

I'm not sure any of those players did play in the trophy but a few of the youngsters Arsenal played have done ok
www.skysports.com/football/coventry-vs-arsenal-u21/400927

All of those mentioned, as well as many more have made an appearance in the trophy for "under 21" teams, they use these games to get minutes into their reserves.

What's of more value playing U21 football all season, and a handful of games against EFL clubs, who play 2nd or 3rd string sides in empty stadiums, or maybe loaning these supposed wonder kids out to play professional competitive football week in week out? Or even better not hoarding them?

Furthermore what's better for club football in this country and the overall quality of it? Having the best youngsters play at clubs all over the country, or clubs like us being stuck with Kachunga, whilst the best young talent is hoarded by the same 10 Prem teams?

Can anyone seriously think these kids playing in the EFL trophy makes any difference to the development and success of the England team? Or is it the fact that Harry Kane, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Jordan Pickford, Jude Bellingham, Harry Maguire, Kieran Trippier and most of the England squad who've made big contributions to the team have all played for EFL clubs.

[Denton]

Nov 13, 2024 10:34:25 GMT cambsno said:

Nov 12, 2024 23:12:42 GMT barry said:

It’s hated because it’s an entry point for B teams entering the football pyramid at a high level (EFL or National). I would rather we played their first team and not their kids on an equal basis. This is a very dangerous competition.

I appreciate there is far more to it than B teams, but German football has B teams in the equiv if L1 & L2 I believe and is a great system. Ok, how much of that is down to the ownership of the clubs etc... but there you can get tickets for not much more than L1 prices (Bundesliga), beer while watching the game (good beer at that at under £5 a pint), good affordable food, and they seem to develop teams that get to semis and finals most of the time.

I'll add the 2nd and 3rd division of German football is about the same standard as the conference and below


Source- I went to some games last year, God they were painful