Junior football, what is the future?

[Che Dail]

On 07/12/2017 at 11:08, Burnie_man said:

Does anyone have any further info on the SJFA "Pyramid working group" and what their remit might be?

I thaw the minutes... seems things are still frozen:

PYRAMID

As previously reported, there had been no recent discussions on the structure below the SPFL.  To date, the discussions had centred round how Junior Football might participate in the Pyramid, namely:

(i) Joint East / West Superleague heading the Junior Pyramid.

(ii) Existing Junior Structure, i.e. East and West integrating to Pyramid

(iii) Existing East and West Juniors feeding into Lowland League

(iv) North Pyramid, i.e. above Tay - no discussions of note to date on this point.

A date for a further meeting was awaited.

 

TRANSLATION:

Below zero progress, head buried in snow / blizzard 

[kefc]

Iv heard there’s a meeting between the SFA and Tom Johnstone in January on how Juniors can be introduced into the pyramid.

If there is a meeting which you would think would be an important one in the interests of Junior clubs then you would think the SJFA would canvass clubs opinion and try and get clubs on board, then again I heard TJ isn’t in support of the pyramid and isn’t very forward thinking in his role so he maybe wants it kept hush hush.

 

[Che Dail]

52 minutes ago, kefc said:

Iv heard there’s a meeting between the SFA and Tom Johnstone in January on how Juniors can be introduced into the pyramid.

If there is a meeting which you would think would be an important one in the interests of Junior clubs then you would think the SJFA would canvass clubs opinion and try and get clubs on board, then again I heard TJ isn’t in support of the pyramid and isn’t very forward thinking in his role so he maybe wants it kept hush hush.

 

Maybe the SJFA have asked for a meeting to discuss initial thoughts from the Pyramid Working Group.

The agenda will be to discuss ideas (i) to (iii) referred to in the minutes.

 The SFA will respond with a 'No'  on each point.  "What do your clubs say?" No idea.

"Pyramid is flawed"

Back to the start.

(P.S - UNLESS -  SJFA proceeds with (ii) below / into SoS and EoS, if that is their intention)

 

Edited December 11, 2017 by Che Dail

[edinabear]

22 minutes ago, kefc said:

Iv heard there’s a meeting between the SFA and Tom Johnstone in January on how Juniors can be introduced into the pyramid.

If there is a meeting which you would think would be an important one in the interests of Junior clubs then you would think the SJFA would canvass clubs opinion and try and get clubs on board, then again I heard TJ isn’t in support of the pyramid and isn’t very forward thinking in his role so he maybe wants it kept hush hush.

 

Major news this and perhaps indicates that the juniors could move on mass to the Pyramid system.

[kefc]

 

12 minutes ago, edinabear said:

Major news this and perhaps indicates that the juniors could move on mass to the Pyramid system.

Strange if there is a big meeting planned that no SJFA club know about it considering how big it could be and it’s a matter of weeks away. I may have got duff info but I have no reason to doubt the source that I heard it from.

Edited December 11, 2017 by kefc

[Che Dail]

1 minute ago, edinabear said:

Major news this and perhaps indicates that the juniors could move on mass to the Pyramid system.

I suppose at this point it's only fair to give the benefit of  the doubt - but following on from what kefc said, why has this not been reported, and why are clubs being kept in the dark and not properly consulted? 

 

[theshed]

Iv heard there’s a meeting between the SFA and Tom Johnstone in January on how Juniors can be introduced into the pyramid.
If there is a meeting which you would think would be an important one in the interests of Junior clubs then you would think the SJFA would canvass clubs opinion and try and get clubs on board, then again I heard TJ isn’t in support of the pyramid and isn’t very forward thinking in his role so he maybe wants it kept hush hush.
 

Maybe he would be like a turkey voting for Christmas hence the hush hush if this is true ?

[Burnie_man]

I thaw the minutes... seems things are still frozen:
PYRAMID
As previously reported, there had been no recent discussions on the structure below the SPFL.  To date, the discussions had centred round how Junior Football might participate in the Pyramid, namely:
(i) Joint East / West Superleague heading the Junior Pyramid.
(ii) Existing Junior Structure, i.e. East and West integrating to Pyramid
(iii) Existing East and West Juniors feeding into Lowland League
(iv) North Pyramid, i.e. above Tay - no discussions of note to date on this point.
A date for a further meeting was awaited.
 
TRANSLATION:
Below zero progress, head buried in snow / blizzard 

There needs to be further consultation with clubs to gather current views on the way forward.

[parsforlife]

Iv heard there’s a meeting between the SFA and Tom Johnstone in January on how Juniors can be introduced into the pyramid.

 

 

On the face of it a very positive step.

 

However given TJ's previous i can't see this ending well.

 

[superbigal]

I can confirm the meeting is on the agenda. Marked down as discussion point at 11.55am.
Btw lunch is at 12.00 and ends at 16.30.

[Jambo'ness]

10 hours ago, kefc said:

Iv heard there’s a meeting between the SFA and Tom Johnstone in January on how Juniors can be introduced into the pyramid.

If there is a meeting which you would think would be an important one in the interests of Junior clubs then you would think the SJFA would canvass clubs opinion and try and get clubs on board, then again I heard TJ isn’t in support of the pyramid and isn’t very forward thinking in his role so he maybe wants it kept hush hush.

 

TJ wants to protect his position.  Probably worried that if the juniors were integrated, the SFA would want to install a new director of operations. 

Like so many leaders, when it all boils down, it's a case of 'what's in it for me?'

[Burnie_man]

1 hour ago, Jambo'ness said:

TJ wants to protect his position.  Probably worried that if the juniors were integrated, the SFA would want to install a new director of operations. 

Like so many leaders, when it all boils down, it's a case of 'what's in it for me?'

That's the long and the short of it, he's on a very healthy salary and part of it will no doubt be discussions on what happens to him if the SJFA integrates.

[jimbaxters]

44 minutes ago, Burnie_man said:

That's the long and the short of it, he's on a very healthy salary and part of it will no doubt be discussions on what happens to him if the SJFA integrates.

I've said this before, but can anyone imagine what he does for 40 hours a week? Monday. 9am. Takes his jacket off and gets stuck into................??????

[Jason King]

...made a cuppa when I was there.

[glensmad]

17 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

I've said this before, but can anyone imagine what he does for 40 hours a week? Monday. 9am. Takes his jacket off and gets stuck into................??????

Perhaps he helps the West Region meet their constitutional fixture issuing..... 

[Burnie_man]

51 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

I've said this before, but can anyone imagine what he does for 40 hours a week? Monday. 9am. Takes his jacket off and gets stuck into................??????

Well, he is (or was) on the 8 man SFA Executive Board running our game, unbelievable but true.

[HTG]

Hopefully this is a step towards a 3 way split at Tier 5. If it's not that then whatever is necessary to unblock the issues that are preventing the game getting a proper structure.  That'll need movement from SPFL clubs though. Their preferred option was a national tier 5 structure but that's just nuts I'd have thought.  348 miles from Dalbeattie to Wick if both made it to tier 5.

[Burnie_man]

30 minutes ago, HTG said:

Hopefully this is a step towards a 3 way split at Tier 5. If it's not that then whatever is necessary to unblock the issues that are preventing the game getting a proper structure.  That'll need movement from SPFL clubs though. Their preferred option was a national tier 5 structure but that's just nuts I'd have thought.  348 miles from Dalbeattie to Wick if both made it to tier 5.

A split LL into  16 team West and East with full Junior involvement would be a much stronger set-up than the existing single LL with little or no Junior involvement.  It would be a better environment for relegated SPFL clubs to drop into without the prospect of facing Edusport or Hawick.

[parsforlife]

How many south of Tay licences clubs are there now?

16 LL,
Glasgow uni
Linlithgow
Kelty
Burntisland
Preston
Coldstream
St cuthberts
Girvan
Newton Stewart
Threave
And in theory I guess Wigtown.(they are still listed)

Probably enough to go to a 12 team LL east and west, or even 14 east and 10 west
with the ability to accept more teams once licensed.

LL east
Kelty
Burntisland
Coldstream
Preston
Hawick
Gala
Vale of leithen
Civil service
Whitehill
Edinburgh uni
Spartans
east Stirlingshire
Stirling uni.
Linlithgow

LL west
Glasgow uni
Gretna
BSC Glasgow*
Edusport
East Kilbride
Cumbernauld
Dalbeattie
Threave
Newton Stewart
Girvan
St cuthberts


It's probably just about do able but it isn't exactly pretty especially in the west. Think we probably need to have a tier 6 WoS to build a stronger game in the west before LL can split.

[kefc]

23 minutes ago, parsforlife said:

How many south of Tay licences clubs are there now?

16 LL,
Glasgow uni
Linlithgow
Kelty
Burntisland
Preston
Coldstream
St cuthberts
Girvan
Newton Stewart
Threave
And in theory I guess Wigtown.(they are still listed)

Probably enough to go to a 12 team LL east and west, or even 14 east and 10 west
with the ability to accept more teams once licensed.

LL east
Kelty
Burntisland
Coldstream
Preston
Hawick
Gala
Vale of leithen
Civil service
Whitehill
Edinburgh uni
Spartans
east Stirlingshire
Stirling uni.
Linlithgow

LL west
Glasgow uni
Gretna
BSC Glasgow*
Edusport
East Kilbride
Cumbernauld
Dalbeattie
Threave
Newton Stewart
Girvan
St cuthberts


It's probably just about do able but it isn't exactly pretty especially in the west. Think we probably need to have a tier 6 WoS to build a stronger game in the west before LL can split.

Rangers and Celtic Colts in the West?