Players going down to avoid relegation

[SILENT P]

Just heard on the weekend that some clubs are dropping players to lower grades just to avoid relegation. Good to hear that club still lost....

I cannot believe this happening!!

[devils advocate]

Just heard on the weekend that some clubs are dropping players to lower grades just to avoid relegation. Good to hear that club still lost....

I cannot believe this happening!!

Makes good sense really. Good for the club to have an many teams as possible in the highest comp. Whats the problem?

[Željko Jurin]

Just heard on the weekend that some clubs are dropping players to lower grades just to avoid relegation. Good to hear that club still lost....

I cannot believe this happening!!

Makes good sense really. Good for the club to have an many teams as possible in the highest comp. Whats the problem?

Because they'll just lose every game next year again, and battle for relegation again

[sgt peppers]

It happens all the time - I guess 1 or 2 players wont hurt but when you get up to 5 players coming down its a bit rich and it cheapens and distorts the competition.

[White Hart Lane]

The past 5 weeks a few clubs have been doing this to avoid relegation. Wont name clubs but when your club says that you have players out injured why not bring lower age groups up after all juniors is all about development.
Credit to the clubs that do bring players up.

[Green_Manalishi]

I thought a couple of years ago there were rules governing these moves e.g. you could play up but not down on any given day/ round or whatever - not that they were that strictly enforced.

But they seem to have been dropped now?

[the whites]

Just heard on the weekend that some clubs are dropping players to lower grades just to avoid relegation. Good to hear that club still lost....

I cannot believe this happening!!

Para Hills U16 have played 2 relegation threatened teams recently, that have brought in 5 or 6 players from their U17/19 teams, thankfully it hasnt mattered to us as we have won both games. The last time this happened one of the U17 players was made captain for the game, while a whole load of the U16s sat watching from the bench. Unbelievable.

[SILENT P]

Just heard on the weekend that some clubs are dropping players to lower grades just to avoid relegation. Good to hear that club still lost....

I cannot believe this happening!!

Makes good sense really. Good for the club to have an many teams as possible in the highest comp. Whats the problem?

The problem is the boys that have played in the team all year and now get dropped for players from higher grades.

Just heard on the weekend that some clubs are dropping players to lower grades just to avoid relegation. Good to hear that club still lost....

I cannot believe this happening!!

Para Hills U16 have played 2 relegation threatened teams recently, that have brought in 5 or 6 players from their U17/19 teams, thankfully it hasnt mattered to us as we have won both games. The last time this happened one of the U17 players was made captain for the game, while a whole load of the U16s sat watching from the bench. Unbelievable.

I think we are talking about the same teams.

[manu17]

In the U16 league there have been a lot of teams dropping players from higher grades. It is mainly the bottom few teams that are doing this.

A few weeks ago i witnessed a team from the U16 league having 6 players on the bench but they were still beaten quite convincingly.

If a few better players are dropped down to a lower league it does not mean they are better as a team, it just means they have better individual players. This does not always work for teams and it can sometimes make the team play worse because they rely on the players that have been dropped.

[Nice One Cyril]

The past 5 weeks a few clubs have been doing this to avoid relegation. Wont name clubs but when your club says that you have players out injured why not bring lower age groups up after all juniors is all about development.
Credit to the clubs that do bring players up.

That's what it should be about but we all know it's not always.

The kids naturally want to win, that's a given. If they don't then they probably shouldn't be playing.

The problem is, you then have pushy parents who think their child is Maradona reborn, and coaches who think they are Jose Mourinho even though they're only coaching U14s or something.

What sort of message does it send to the kids who've played their heart out all season to then be dumped onto the bench, or worse, for the last 5 games?

[Clubsport]

Just heard on the weekend that some clubs are dropping players to lower grades just to avoid relegation. Good to hear that club still lost....

I cannot believe this happening!!

Believe it Silent P,it happens every year in the juniors & your club would be one of the biggest culprits.

[SILENT P]

Just heard on the weekend that some clubs are dropping players to lower grades just to avoid relegation. Good to hear that club still lost....

I cannot believe this happening!!

Believe it Silent P,it happens every year in the juniors & your club would be one of the biggest culprits.

I am not embarassed at all by posting my comment. If they are doing it, they are wrong.

I know I only supply players to the 17s if they are short of numbers or if my players have not had a lot of game time. I think I have given a player to the 17s maybe 4 times this year.

With that response, I presume your club does it

[Shearer FFSA]

Croyden Parahills 15As on wednesday night Croyden had to fill four spots and opted to get one player from the 15B two 14s and a thirteen. Good game 3-1 win to Para but good to see Croyden playing some younger lads.
Ps. No i am not appart of the team

[inter_fan]

if these clubs want to use those kind of tactics honestly their the ones who are really loosing,
i recently played a team on the brink of relegation,
they stacked their team with 17s n even a couple 19s i think,
we lost n to be honest it bothered me but at the end of the day the players who came down are the same age of us,
you feel a bit robbed by these tactics but if these club want to do this the only ones that are loosing out of this are the true players of these teams which have to be benched to make way for these "superstars".
though i can understand the frustration for the lower ranked teams who have to fight relegation against a team which cannot be compared to the quality in your own squad,
its wrong but nothing can be done about it.

[the whites]

if these clubs want to use those kind of tactics honestly their the ones who are really loosing,
i recently played a team on the brink of relegation,
they stacked their team with 17s n even a couple 19s i think,
we lost n to be honest it bothered me but at the end of the day the players who came down are the same age of us,.

You have every right to feel bothered. This tactic not only affects the teams playing, it can also affect the teams just above the relegation zone that have played well enough all season to stay up, and then suddenly find themselves sucked into it. It can also affect results in the U17 league, I know one U17 team that has forfeited twice against Para Hills this season, so it can lend out players to its other teams.

[REDS]

Should players be able to play down especially in the younger age groups if they arent confident enough or there ability isnt at the level needed to be able to handle there actual age group?

Say a player just starts playing under 10's for the first time and the players he plays with and against have maybe played say 3 or 4 years in some cases. Would it be a better if he played say under 9's for a year or so to build his confidence or is it better to leave him in the Under 10's to sink or swim?

[Nice One Cyril]

Should players be able to play down especially in the younger age groups if they arent confident enough or there ability isnt at the level needed to be able to handle there actual age group?

Say a player just starts playing under 10's for the first time and the players he plays with and against have maybe played say 3 or 4 years in some cases. Would it be a better if he played say under 9's for a year or so to build his confidence or is it better to leave him in the Under 10's to sink or swim?

Probably would be fairer but would be rife with clubs abusing it for their own ends. For a kid in that situation it would be far better to look for a team in the B or C division as a first port of call. If he's already as low as he can go he'll just have to improve I suppose.

[Stitch This]

........ For a kid in that situation it would be far better to look for a team in the B or C division as a first port of call. If he's already as low as he can go he'll just have to improve I suppose.

Or go and play E & D

[REDS]

........ For a kid in that situation it would be far better to look for a team in the B or C division as a first port of call. If he's already as low as he can go he'll just have to improve I suppose.

Or go and play E & D

thats if you live near the E&D that is I suppose but yes thats an option - but then you get stuck on an adult sized pitch at under 10 with 22 other children all trying to get a kick umm

[REDS]

Probably would be fairer but would be rife with clubs abusing it for their own ends. For a kid in that situation it would be far better to look for a team in the B or C division as a first port of call. If he's already as low as he can go he'll just have to improve I suppose.

yes the abuse factor could be an issue more than likely

[Shearer FFSA]

Tennis clubs use the system where leagues are made through skill and not age. It works for them but i understand how it would be probebly to difficult for FFSA to try

[grumbly]

How about U12 bringing down U13's just so they get a win?
Club cant go up a spot or down and they're near the bottom anyway....

[Nice One Cyril]

The problem is, if they're age-qualified then the clubs are entitled to do it. I just think it's desperately unfair on the kids who've played all year and then get dumped.

Winning should not be that important.

[mr.t]

Winning usually doesn't become too important until a club's team in the 15s-17s. That's when they will try and keep a side in the Div A or get their Div B team promoted because some see it as the best way to attract good players into their senior sides.

[Shrimper]

Just heard on the weekend that some clubs are dropping players to lower grades just to avoid relegation. Good to hear that club still lost....

I cannot believe this happening!!

Believe it Silent P,it happens every year in the juniors & your club would be one of the biggest culprits.

I am not embarassed at all by posting my comment. If they are doing it, they are wrong.

I know I only supply players to the 17s if they are short of numbers or if my players have not had a lot of game time. I think I have given a player to the 17s maybe 4 times this year.

With that response, I presume your club does it

ur a joke clubsport. name one AC team that is threatened by relegation and therefore bringing players down to help survive?

[RIDER]

if you have players that are injured thats fine,but if not whats the piont of it.
what about the players that have played for that team all year,then they sit on the bench.
what does that do to player as a whole.
when you pick your side at the begining of the year,as a coach its up to you to develop,
those players,and those are the players you finish with.
if your team has strugled to reach the top two,you should think is this team good enough to play,
in the A,s.
If not why not work on the team in the B,s where you can have them properly prepared for the A,s