Liverpool FC Forum

[tubby]

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez agrees with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho that Premiership reserve sides should feature in the Football League.

"I think it would work in England," Benitez said. "English players like to compete, whether it is the Championship, League One or League Two.

"This would be good experience for them and very interesting from my point of view."

Benitez' home country Spain is one of several in Europe that allows B sides to compete in lower divisions.

Benitez explained his view on the subject.

"The young players here need to compete on a higher level," he continued.

"Sometimes you are just playing against other lads when you need to play against men."

The policy would mean the possibility of reserve sides winning the Championship title and being unable to take promotion due to a conflict of interest with their first teams.

It would also mean professional clubs in the Football League being demoted to make room for them.

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Not really sure to be honest but it would be interesting. And it could help youngsters to progress quicker as im sure they will get better match practice against teams fighting for and against promotion and relegation rather than a reserve match.

Do you think perhaps this is the reason countries like Spain produce more talanted youngsters year in year out on a more regular basis than we do? 

[66-1120597113]

What happens if they win it and get promoted?
Do we beat ourselves?

[tubby]

No we would not get promoted to the Premiership if thats what you mean. I dont know how it works in Spain but im guesing the team below them gets promoted.

But from a youngsters point of view i think it would help them to develop more playing in that league as it would be more competative. We also wouldnt have to loan them out either.

[66-1120597113]

Fuc.k that then whats to play for?......Spanish are mad.Sorry Sabre chum!

[MaccaLFC]

I reckon it'd be worth a go. How to organise it now though is another matter.

[Reg]

Gate money from two games, more sponsership, more tv coverage. Higher profile reserve players = greater market values which adds to the worth of the club so they can borrow more and spend more. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.

Its got nowt to do with football, its pure business.

[66-1120597113]

What about fairness and sportsmanship?

It would be total monetary domination and not atal fair.
I think its a sh.te idea and one that needs nipped in the bud....Jose Mourinhio seems to think success brings respect that deems him above criticism.
I hope every pundit in the country sh.its all over his idea,problem is they wont cause half of them are thick and seem to see him as some sort of football Messiah.

Its a totally w@nk idea...LFC is LFC is LFC.

Its wrong.

Its not fair on other less fortunate clubs...its arrogant in fact! No way...Not us!

[Reg]

Errr... I think you summed it up reasonably well. 

[Redman in wales]

Jose Mourinhio seems to think success brings respect that deems him above criticism.
I hope every pundit in the country sh.its all over his idea,problem is they wont cause half of them are thick and seem to see him as some sort of football Messiah.

Its a totally w@nk idea...LFC is LFC is LFC.

Its wrong.

Its not fair on other less fortunate clubs...its arrogant in fact! No way...Not us!

rafa agrees with jose... so are you saying about rafa?

anyway. i too think its a bad idea. what are reserve games? aren't they competitive? - our reserves certainly dont win every game they play. far from it. if our reserves played in league 2 it wouldnt be any more or less competative as it is now in reserve games, as there is nothing to aim for as the 'B' sides can't get promoted or relegated in league 2.

Is there not a reserve team league? - maybe there could be one set up if the top flight teams want their b sides to play in competitve games every week

[Reg]

There has been a reserve league since Adam was a lad. Our reserves used to win it year after when we had the great teams of the 70's and 80's and our current lack of success reflects that of the first team. Joss the Toss knows this which is why he'd be happy to have a self financing reserve team. Not to mention it would contribute to the club breaking even just to please RA. If Joss says it, it must be football, if Kenyon says it, it must be business. The last great duet was Laurel and Hardy.

[RedBlood]

it would be good for the big teams but it just makes it harder for lower division teams to get promoted.
if aal the prem teams had b-teams in the championship what would happy 2 the teams already there? if u get me

[peterc1992]

it a no win situation if  we meet them in the f.a cup ,benitez just has to go into the other dressing room and tell the reserve coach to lose it for the club,so he does it,and noone is unhappy  

i think it is a good idea,i think  they sould all be put inot different league according to the place they finish in the reserve league the  season before,e.g:
the top 3 of the  reserve league go into the championship,the 3-6 place into the league 1,etc.

[66-1120597113]

Raffa can agree all he wants i just think its a step TOO far in Europeanising our British game!

Raffas point of veiw is not in question...he has his perogative about a hypothetical situation and we all have ours!

Its not fair on teams like West Ham,Bolton,Sheff UTD etc.
Our second team could maybe be better than their 1st at times given money(its coming)!
Its wrong and against the principles of why i hold LFC dear to my heart.........Ok let this billionaire come and see what he has?...Only money..thats all


Lets not get carried away here...do we really wanna just outbuy everything?

[Lando_Griffin]

Personally I think it's a good idea.

What's the point in our reserves playing against kids that aren't good enough?

It would be very good to have a B team, as it would bring the reserves on much quicker.

[The Manhattan Project]

Very good idea.

Manhattan agrees with Rafa and Jose.

A non-promotable B team in the lower leagues would be fine.

As long as they have a distinct name. I don't want to see a team called "Liverpool B" or "Liverpool Reserves"