Thread by @AgainstLeague3

#BTeamBoycott

Given that Pep Guardiola has called for B-Teams, again, I’d like to, explain, again, why quite a lot of us would prefer that not to happen.

A thread:

In a video of a presser published today, Guardiola (known for his outstanding track record working with minimal resources) said his young players should be playing every week in the Championship or L1 to aid development.

He says it “would be the best” for English football.

What Pep actually means is: It would be best for Manchester City.

It’s disingenuous for Pep to claim his idea is purely for the good of English football when, it would just so happen, that implementing B-Teams would help teams like Manchester City, and other clubs of a similar size, immensely.

City and other large top-flight clubs will regularly invite children as young as 6 years old to train with their staff. Top-flight clubs implement talent-spotting programmes, looking for kids who could be “good enough” before they have even learnt to tie up their own laces.

While a tiny number of these players could go on to play for the first team, the real objective is much more sinister – profit.

Even WITH B-Teams, top-flight teams have squads of hundreds of players that they could never hope to give substantial first-team minutes to.

However, with B-Teams, Pep and his colleagues could go some way to justifying keeping a ludicrous number of players on their books.

In 2014 the FA, correctly, identified a blockage in the “player pathway”. As of 2014:

Europe’s major footballing nations DO have a larger pool of talent to pick from. And yes, the implementation of B-Teams likely does play a key role in that. But if the goal is to develop players for England, let’s talk about the cost:

England’s footballing pyramid is the largest in the world for a country of our population or size. By far. It’s not even close. There are approximately 100 full-time professional clubs in England and I suspect you could more than double that by adding semi-pro sides.

Can anyone who supports B-Teams pick out which of these 100, or 200 clubs should sacrifice their level because Pep just wants to save the children? Who should miss out or move down? Maybe AFC Wimbledon? Or Gateshead? Or Bromley? Or Marine? Why those clubs?

And if, apparently, the goal is to develop players for England - if I recall correctly we were two penalties away from being European champions a matter of weeks ago and World Cup semi finalists in 2018. We're going to uproot every club because we can't win the extra game?

The only thing the PL can offer in return, as always, is money. Here, take some cash and shut up. It worked with EPPP. Incredibly, it worked with the EFL Trophy (look how popular that has been - not to mention how successful it's been in developing talent).

The real solution to players being mothballed inside a PL youth squad, only to be released or sold for ¼ of their value at 23 is to prevent PL sides from hoarding talent in the first place.

Pep is right that players develop well in the EFL!

So either loan them out, sell them, or don’t acquire players you can’t play in the first place.

So in summary, and listen closely because this is very important: Go away.

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk.

/ends.