FeriAtsI genereally do not check SPL's table as it is almost always the same, Old Firm at the top. I checked BBC today to see if things had changed recently. No, they didn't. But to my surprise I saw this note at the bottom:
Note that table splits in half for the last five games of season, after which no team from the top six can drop into the bottom six, and no bottom six team can climb into the top six, irrespective of points earned.
What's the point? Or is this the stupidest thing in football?
06.05.2009
Robert O'CarlosTo my mind, it's a messy solution for a 12 club league.
:-)
The idea is that each team plays 33 games as normal (so each time play each other team 3 times). Then the league is split and there are 5 further games played between the clubs in the 2 separate halves.
The reasoning is to create a system whereby teams don't have to play 44 league games (playing every team 4 times), which is thought to be too long a season.
There's something about the whole setup that just doesn't seem fair to me, but there you go. I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of it being stupid.
:-)
06.05.2009
jmancubsfanI play in an adult rec soccer league that does the same thing... check it out if you wish (www.siasl.org). The reasons you have listed are exactly why we go this route.
08.05.2009
Robert O'CarlosThis season, in the EPL, the idea was touted about clubs playing a 39th game on foreign soil. I would have had similar concerns about this scheme as I do with the SPL split.
When it comes down to it, a league should be decided by each club playing each other club on an even basis, whether that be home and away once, twice or more. Anything other than that does not give a true indication of proper league position, and negates the point of having a league by definition.
:-)
08.05.2009
