Time for summer football season?
THE awful weather is turning the football season into a disaster, with many teams not having played now for nearly three months. Rob Batiste is quite right to suggest we should be moving towards a 3g-backed solution, but here's an idea which might reduce the need for more 3g pitches: play the football season from late March to mid October.
Now, before the howls of protest kick off, here are 10 reasons to do it:
1. We'd actually play (compare and contrast with the present crazy situation) which seems to be becoming an annual occurrence.
2. Any sport is more fun and will attract more participants when the weather is warm and sunny. How many turn up to training (if it's on) when it's lashing it down?
3. The quality of football would improve on better pitches, making it more enjoyable.
4. Our youth players would learn to play properly on better pitches. British players are technically poor because of the quality of pitches they develop on.
5. More people would come to watch if the weather is nice (and not clashing with GFC).
6. Clubs would earn far more in gate receipts and could organise barbecues before and after Friday/Saturday and Sunday night games in the sunshine.
7. Warmer conditions mean fewer injuries.
8. Less work for groundsmen as the pitches are easier to manage.
9. No need for floodlights – clubs save £££s via less electricity every game/training session.
10. Players don't have to constantly rearrange their schedules each time games are cancelled.
And the counter arguments...
1. Rovers. Moveable goals and boundary (rope)
2. 'It will be too hot'. Late afternoon/ evening kick-offs.
3. 'It will clash with cricket'. Games of cricket Monday to Thursday, games of football Friday to Sunday.
4. 'Our club won't be able to play teams in the UK'. You don't anyway.
5. 'Too many players/coaches will be on holidays'. Have a mid-season three/four-week break to allow for holidays.
Carrying on with winter football is no longer an option.
The GFA should organise a Champions League-style cup competition for a senior league in July and August and also for the U18s. Organise the games for Friday and Saturday evenings and I guarantee you it would be hugely popular.
Use it as a dry run (literally) to iron out any possible issues and then roll it out for all GFA youth football for the 2015 season and senior football beyond that.
NICK LEIGH-MORGAN,
Address withheld.
