The reaction to Rhyl’s relegation from the WPL
With Rhyl’s fate now sealed after their 4-0 defeat to Aberystwyth yesterday, there has been reaction from all around the league.
With there now being two Northerm sides relegated from the league and Prestatyn already promoted, the league will now await the fate of Barry Town.
Some have spoken of the implications that it now has on the Welsh football pyramid as it could now mean that four teams go down in the Huws Gray Alliance as well as just two sides coming down from the Welsh Football League Division One.
Tonights result means @TonPentreFC may need to lose to @BarryTownUnited on 29th April to stay up. The pyramid should not allow that scenario
— Andrew Howard (@theandrewhoward) April 14, 2017
Head of Competitions at the FAW, Andrew Howard made aware that Ton Pentre could be in an unfortunate scenario of perhaps having to lose to Barry to ensure their safety in the league as if Barry weren’t to go up, three teams would be relegated in Division One rather than two, so for them they may be hoping for a Barry promotion.
The opposition captain, Luke Sherbon of Aberystwyth Town suggested a recon-structure of the league from its current 12 team setup.
Boys were unreal last night @AberystwythTown but it’s a sad day when a club as big as @rhylfc go down, surely the league needs to be 16+
— Luke sherbon (@LSherbon) April 15, 2017
Journalist Dean Jones also made aware of how exciting the Huws Gray Alliance could shape up to be next season with so many quality teams in the division.
HGA will feature @airbusukfc @rhylfc @CaernarfonTown and likely @glantraeth next season. Whoever goes up will definitely have earned it.
— Dean Jones (@DeanJones_) April 14, 2017
Perhaps the most important reaction is of the manager Niall McGuinness who oversaw the clubs relegation.
Thanks for everyone who has support us this season @rhylfc sorry we didn’t quite deliver our objective. Plans ready in place for next season
— Niall McGuinness (@MIGGO14) April 15, 2017
The young manager offered his apologies for his sides relegation and thanked the fans for their commitment over the season but is optimistic for the future with his youthful side, 15 of which were making their debut season in the Welsh Premier League season.
Rhyl fan Kieron agreed with the manager of the Lilywhites, proud of the clubs effort this season, defending his manager.
Kept the club fighting until the penultimate weekend with a very inexperienced squad. Lost 3 key players and he’s a young manager. https://t.co/iQawntFQyb
— Kieron (@DaleyBlindFC) April 15, 2017
Never mind the League needing to expand to 16+ – never mind Howard moaning about eh monster that he was instrumental in creating (that’s hypocrisy for you) – what we need is a Second Division. Enough clubs applied for a licence this year that this could easily be accomplished, and this would help shake up football in Wales. And if the FAW hadn’t been so afraid of confronting Merthyr, it would have been even better.
High time that the FAW got a grip!
How about promotion/relegation decided on playing merit rather than on licensing? It’s a ‘football’ league pyramid, not ‘stadia’/’A coach’ pyramid!! That would give clubs in all leagues a realistic ambition to progress (and then generate revenue) without the six figure sums for off-field developments up front.
I agree with Eric Hall that the FAW needs to get it’s act together. The FAW, as far as fans can see, does absolutely nothing to promote domestic football in Wales, in the media. I am aware that the FAW does provide money to improve grounds etc. However, it does nothing to get the media to take notice. S4C is very good, but we need an hour long Sgorio devoted to Welsh domestic football. BBC Wales and ITV Wales ignore Welsh domestic football, the FAW should do far more to rectify this.
1) UEFA have a lot to say on licensing issues. If the FAW wants Welsh clubs want to compete in Europe, the league has to conform.
2) Every other league in Europe has licensing arrangements for their clubs and they are just as strict. You’ll see in the English pyramid, the Scottish leagues and (especially) the Belgian leagues that clubs are refused promotion or demoted. The licensing issues in Belgium last year were such that the Second Division was reduced to just 8 clubs for this season and the champions were actually demoted. It happens everywhere, not just in Wales.
3) off-field development (like fully-trained coaches for example, properly equipped stadia, medical personnel etc) are a requirement of Health and Safety Regulations. The FAW, like all Football Associations, has to have an insurance policy to cover its potential liability to players, officials and fans, and the pressures on sports and sportsmen are such that, for example, having untrained coaches giving the wrong advice to players, or inadequate first-aid staff to deal with player injuries, or crowd pressures at inadequate stadia could potentially involve Football Associations in enormous liabilities. Just imagine the bill if a £100 million player’s career is ended by an unqualified coach’s advice, or if a dressing room roof falls down on him.