Villas-Boas: Top clubs should have second XI in Championship
Andre Villas-Boas
By Chris
January 20 2012
Chelsea boss André Villas-Boas wants to see top Premier League clubs like Manchester United fielding ‘B’ teams in the Football League Championship. The Chelsea’s boss has sparked much controversy with his comments – with a Football League chief labelling the suggestion as “offensive”.
Villas-Boas feels that top Premier League clubs should be able to field ‘feeder’ teams in the Football League to aid the development of youth players.
The Chelsea manager feels reserve team and youth team football is “not competitive” in this country, and feels a “radical” solution is required to help youngsters progress at top clubs.
He is advocating a system similar to the one which exists in Spain – in which Barcelona B and Villarreal B currently compete in the second flight.
Villas-Boas said: "The youth development system in England is not right, in my belief. There is plenty of effort and talks to get it right but in my opinion it is not. The reserve team league is not competitive. The youth levels are not competitive enough. The FA Youth Cup: does it favour talent or competition?
“In my opinion there is a missing link between age groups in all competitions”.
He added: “The gap between the reserve team and the first-team is immense here.
"What happens in Barcelona 'B' is a good model in terms of competitions. And it could be a great benefit because you don't have to work with a 26-man squad, but a 19-man squad and just recall the best young guys.
"Barcelona 'B' play in the equivalent of the Championship. If the European model is applied in England, it could be tested. The reserve team serves the first-team, but it doesn't serve the progression of talent coming through”.
The Football League has dismissed the suggestion, with chief Andy Williamson describing the idea as “offensive”.
"Our clubs are constituted as sovereign entities which represent their town or city with pride, rather than being a subsidiary of another club in another part of the country," he added.
"These are senior professional football matches that matter - they are not just platforms for developing other clubs' players."
Whilst Villas-Boas raises important points about how reserve team and youth team football lacks a competitive edge, his idea is at total odds with the ethos of meritocracy that the English football pyramid is largely built on.
Every club – from the very bottom of the pyramid – should have the chance to climb at the top, and fielding ‘B’ clubs in the Football League would undermine divisions outside of the top-flight.
Instead, football’s authorities should look at making reserve team football more competitive and more valued by top clubs – as it was to a much greater extent years ago, whilst enhancing public interest.
Presently, United’s second string are top of the FA Premier Reserve League North, having picked up 19 points from 8 league outings.
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