Why The SPL Is Falling Behind Europe
The SPL is falling behind...
Recently, I was watching the Ajax vs. Utrecht game on Setanta and as I cast my eye over the Ajax team, I noticed that the commentators were raving about a particular Uruguayan prospect by the name of Luis Suarez. As a loyal viewer of ‘Eurogoals’ and a casual Ajax fan, I am no stranger to his work.
Plucked by Groningen in 2006 from Nacional for the sum of £500, 000 as an unproven 19 year old, he was then signed by Ajax, his current employers, for €7.5m the following season. He has averaged a goal every other game since, and looks like being the latest in a long line to be taken from the Eredivisie to one of the top European leagues.
This got me thinking. There have been countless occasions where a South American footballer has been signed by a ’second-tier’ European league for relatively pennies, then sold off to one of the big leagues for a fortune. Just last January, Afonso Alves signed for £12m by Middlesborough from Heerenveen. Further back, you have talents like Ronaldo, who played for PSV before securing a big money move to Barcelona. There are hundreds more.
Yet, this is not restricted to the Dutch league alone. Recent high-profile examples are Pepe and Deco moving from Brazil to Spain, via Portugal and Marquez and Maicon moving to Monaco, then on to Barcelona and Inter respectively for big bucks. There are many more waiting in the wings. Lucho Gonzalez, Lisandro Lopez, and Angel di Maria could all be moving soon, and that’s just from Portugal alone.
This is how these types of clubs earn their money. By being the middleman, the Porto’s and Ajax’s of this world can take talent from South America and sell them off for a few years for a huge profit. In addition, they give their fans the opportunity to watch future stars parade their talent in front of them and thus, increase their own reputation. Sure, they’re never going to be regular world-beaters, but they can be a very profitable club, with a great reputation, until an alternative appears.
Sadly, this cannot be the case for teams in the SPL.
Due to Home Office restrictions, a player must have played in 75% of his country’s international matches within the past 12 months, or must be proven to be an exceptional talent. This prevents teams in the SPL from trying their luck on unproven South American talent, possibly the most lucrative market for players that exists.
This is unfair. Teams in the EPL do not need to deal with this problem as they have the finances to sign the already proven talent from the second tier. We do not, yet the government will not help us to expand in the only way that we possibly can. One need only look at the hypocrisy surrounding Jason Scotland’s attempts at getting a work permit to play for Dundee United several years ago. Or further back at the decision that cost Rangers the services of the fantastically prolific Mario Jardel.
The message is clear and concise. We will fall further behind unless this is changed, and changed soon.
Written by DJW1992, from Rangers Media – please visit them for the latest news on Rangers FC and Scottish Football.
The premier league clubs do have plenty of cash.
However Arsenal managed to get round the problem without buying second hand. Take, Vela. Comes from Mexico. Bought for £125k he was loaned out to a few spanish sides (due to these regualtions) He then qualified for his work permit and is back in England. hes a big talent and any scotish side could have done this. Maybe scotlands SPL isnt the same quality as other european leagues.
Question is, would the Brazilians want to come and play in Scotland?
I guess if they can go play in Russia…
granted, the Russians can already afford to pay high wages that SPL clubs won’t be able to.
Richard, If you look at the rules, Scottish sides can indeed do this, but if you sign a big talent and you loan him out a few seasons, after these seasons this talent would rather move directly to a european top team then go to a scottish side. Not many talents would like to move to a scottish side, let alone wait a few years in a mediocre league before moving to a scottish club.
There is no comparison between what the Russian league can offer a player in terms of financial clout, that’s for sure.
Second tier leagues like Holland and Belgium are definitely comparable in terms of the size of the league and the opportunity to play in Europe.
Barring perhaps PSV and Ajax; both sides of the Old Firm can offer any aspiring player the chance to play for one of the biggest club sides in the world and be well remunerated for their efforts at a level much greater than Belgian, Dutch or any other second tier league.
The difference between Belgium and Holland and the SPL is the ease at which these youngsters can get their working permits.
I’m not so sure the Vela example is perhaps the best. The way in which deals like his and even Messi’s at Barcelona are somewhat in a grey area in terms of UEFA and FIFA (oxymoron there – FIFA and UEFA are one big grey area)
Families for whatever reason *cough* money *cough* seem to somehow want to move lock stock to 5 miles outside a clubs training ground from their homes in South America or Latin America such as in the case of Vela.
Being a dutch football fan I think I know the feeling the scottish fans must have. Their league is getting drained of talent each time there is a transfer window, and you can only hope something similar (in terms of talent) will come back for it. But although it may make things a bit easier for the scottish sides, getting rid of the work permit rules won’t change that much. The difference between the ‘big leagues’ and the second tier (scotland, holland, france etc.) is still getting bigger. There is such a big imbalance in money, most talents are more eager to sit on a bench in some midtable premiership side or even championship side, then play in a scottish or any topleague side in a ’small’ country.
That is the big problem with SPL!!! They need a good youth system.
I agree somewhat Dave, but I would say that other than a good youth system being required, it is a good scouting system that is more needed.
We have the talent at youth level, it is giving it a chance that seems to be lacking. Our youth are definitely good enough and this is shown in the recent sale of Alan Hutton and the interest that was shown in Allan McGregor.
What Rangers, and the SPL need to do is cast their nets a little further in terms of youth.
Yes I belive its a not only a quality issue( asin quality league) but money issue (wages) that is affecting the SPL.
But its never been a major league in Europe so whats new? Have major talents ever been snapped up by scottish teams? probably not. Is this becaus of money, immigration rules or SPL quality? Prob a bit of all of them