parkcircus Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 In the past few weeks we've had calls from 5 team managers looking to loan players due to injuries and now we are starting to see our injury list build to the point we are including our U21s players in the squad Don't get me wrong, The league is doing a great job getting the fixture list out but is it a bit too much for the players to handle? These 15 games don't include preseason friendlies and we went out of the Sectional at the group stage which could have given us more games. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parkcircus Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 the 15 games are till the end of September 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason King Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Blame the dinosaurs on management committees who insisted that the sectional cup had to remain. Should have been binned last year but too many clubs still living in the past rather than embracing the now. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glensmad Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 It is unquestionably too many games. Compare it to the professional game in our country, for example Rangers, who have played through four rounds of European qualifiers as well as League Cup and League matches. With all their full time professional training and professional medical facilities, Rangers have only played 14 games in that 2-month period. Expecting part time semi professional teams with volunteer committees and sometimes minimal medical facilities to play more than full time professionals with top notch facilities is just not sensible, and it's hardly surprising that many teams are hanging together at the moment. I do understand, however, that this situation is currently being discussed and assessed by the West Region management. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kilsyth ranger Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 we've suffered from this and we"re still feeling the effects of it now , seems crazy to say i wished we hadnt won our sectional cup section but that gave us 2 more games v rob roy and pollok and 2 midweek league games v Gartcairn and petershill aswell realy killed our squad , these guys work during the day aswell , hard going on players at this level [emoji849] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chis Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 46 minutes ago, Jason King said: Blame the dinosaurs on management committees who insisted that the sectional cup had to remain. Should have been binned last year but too many clubs still living in the past rather than embracing the now. Decision to continue with the Sectional Cup was made by the Clubs who wanted this competition to continue not the Management Committee. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason King Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Clubs, Management - whatever! With the welcome increase in league games following the end of the district leagues it was a daft decision to keep the cup. Especially at a time of the season where more important league games could be played midweek instead. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bestsinceslicebread Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 The league cup, believe it or not is invaluable to some clubs in getting their players ready for the league. The problem is there's too many teams in it. it used to be in two league cups, one for Ayrshire and one for central, groups of 5 teams then went to quarterfinals and then was over quickly, it did seem to drag on this year, that's for sure, obviously with the poster stating Kilwinning hand injuries and Pollok too are still suffering and I'm sure many other teams are the same. Players do want to play in games and win cups and nothing wrong with that but can understand why others want the league cup binned. I remember staring my first game of the season was against Pollok at Newlandsfield in the league cup and it let us get our rustiness over with but the following year because we had 5 teams in our group we had to play a league game against Johnstone Burgh for our first game and again rustiness was a problem, we did win the game 2.1 but definitely its good to get the league cup sectional games in for all the player to gel in time for the important league games. So really I'm not sure what can be done 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 In my opinion there are 2 options: Either Ayrshire & Central Cups straight knock out from February / March onwards. Or go back to Ayrshire & Central League Cups but have the knock out stages played in February to May so just 3 league cup group games that are played in July that gets players ready for league but not knackered out with 6 league cup games and all teams just have 3 games so fairer? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmontheloknow Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 3 hours ago, Bestsinceslicebread said: The league cup, believe it or not is invaluable to some clubs in getting their players ready for the league. The problem is there's too many teams in it. it used to be in two league cups, one for Ayrshire and one for central, groups of 5 teams then went to quarterfinals and then was over quickly, it did seem to drag on this year, that's for sure, obviously with the poster stating Kilwinning hand injuries and Pollok too are still suffering and I'm sure many other teams are the same. Players do want to play in games and win cups and nothing wrong with that but can understand why others want the league cup binned. I remember staring my first game of the season was against Pollok at Newlandsfield in the league cup and it let us get our rustiness over with but the following year because we had 5 teams in our group we had to play a league game against Johnstone Burgh for our first game and again rustiness was a problem, we did win the game 2.1 but definitely its good to get the league cup sectional games in for all the player to gel in time for the important league games. So really I'm not sure what can be done The league Cup is a waste of silver polish and should go. Friendlies are what most clubs use to get ready. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btw lads Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 has last seasons evening times cup been played yet? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timeforchange Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Chis is right it’s the clubs that voted to keep the Sectional League Cup going. It helps clear any player suspensions that carry over and also they get a few local derby gates that help the finances. I would scrap it if it was my decision . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNU_Linux Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 has last seasons evening times cup been played yet? Nope. Competition needs binned & it doesn't have the evening times sponsorship anymore iirc. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc57 Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 From last weekend in July to last weekend in September we will have played 17 matches over 10 weeks, which is ridiculous. We have suffered terribly from injuries and fatigue. Crazy to cram in so many fixtures. Whilst the prospect of a cup final in October is nice, I'd happily have settled for 7 fewer fixtures( which would include the final) to give us a much better chance of promotion. Club may well say different having had two pay days from fixtures at Pollok and Talbot. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superpollok Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Agree, it’s a crazy amount of games to play, all driven by the sectional cup and protecting local derby matches. So far out of the Pollok squad the only players I can think who have always been available this season and haven’t sat out at least one game through injury are Lumsdon (GK) coutes Mackenzie esplin fraser Stuart McCann The rest of the squad I can think of occasions where they have been unavailable due to injury. Can’t think of a time when it’s been that bad. Last week v Ladeside we had at least 4 players who would have been in our first choice 16 still out and then lost Forde during the game. 5 players who were regular starters or always coming off the bench in the first few games missing. We have recalled a young player back from a loan and brought in another U21 a few weeks ago to help fill the bench. On top of that we lost McGregor at the start of the pre season, who was a regular start last season. When you think how late the season ends for some clubs ( Talbot a good example) to then start soon after and play so many games at the start doesn’t seem right. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 10 hours ago, Bestsinceslicebread said: The league cup, believe it or not is invaluable to some clubs in getting their players ready for the league. The problem is there's too many teams in it. it used to be in two league cups, one for Ayrshire and one for central, groups of 5 teams then went to quarterfinals and then was over quickly, it did seem to drag on this year, that's for sure, obviously with the poster stating Kilwinning hand injuries and Pollok too are still suffering and I'm sure many other teams are the same. Players do want to play in games and win cups and nothing wrong with that but can understand why others want the league cup binned. I remember staring my first game of the season was against Pollok at Newlandsfield in the league cup and it let us get our rustiness over with but the following year because we had 5 teams in our group we had to play a league game against Johnstone Burgh for our first game and again rustiness was a problem, we did win the game 2.1 but definitely its good to get the league cup sectional games in for all the player to gel in time for the important league games. So really I'm not sure what can be done I agree with this. (I played for a team who took a similar approach.) Furthermore, if the league cup is scrapped, clubs will still organise friendlies - most teams played 4 or 5 before the league cup. Remember as well that the league cup is a neat way of getting rid of the suspensions retained players accumulated from playing nine games in May. Staggering the semis and the final through the season on midweek nights, a less demanding league campaign in August, and using floodlights on winter midweeks are better ways of alleviating fixture congestion - ultimately players would rather play than train. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santheman Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 Solution would be to give clubs the choice to enter or not rather than be compulsory Those that want to can those that don't can carry on with their own pre season preparations 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross. Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 How often do teams end up playing a ridiculous amount of games in April/May/June in order to finish the season after a whack of call offs over the winter? At this level I'm not sure a huge amount can be done. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 How often do teams end up playing a ridiculous amount of games in April/May/June in order to finish the season after a whack of call offs over the winter? At this level I'm not sure a huge amount can be done.Last season ourselves at Meadow and a good few other teams have finished their season in early April and could have fitted in an Ayrshire Cup and had free weeks in March & April. Talbot and others meanwhile who were successful in cups did have a lot of games to fit in. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross. Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 3 minutes ago, Shannon said: 2 hours ago, Ross. said: How often do teams end up playing a ridiculous amount of games in April/May/June in order to finish the season after a whack of call offs over the winter? At this level I'm not sure a huge amount can be done. Last season ourselves at Meadow and a good few other teams have finished their season in early April and could have fitted in an Ayrshire Cup and had free weeks in March & April. Talbot and others meanwhile who were successful in cups did have a lot of games to fit in. The "Cups problem" seems to be the recurring factor in most of these discussions. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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