CEO reacts to the news that the Whole Game Solution propsoal won't go ahead
Shrewsbury Town Chief Executive Brian Caldwell is pleased that the EFL’s Whole Game Solution won’t go ahead.The proposal would have seen an expansion from 92 clubs across four divisions to 100 clubs across five divisions.
However, the plan will now not go ahead after intervention from the FA and Brian admits that the club were against the proposal as is stood.
“I think we as a club, from the information we got, were against any proposal to change it,” Brian told ShrewsWeb.
“I think I’ve said before, if it isn’t broke why fix it? So, from our point of view it’s a relief that it’s not going any further. We would have liked further information before we would have done anything fully, but from all the information we got it didn’t make any sense to change it.
“I think we’ve got a good model in the way all the league competitions within the EFL are run and I just think the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”
The change in league structure would have led to 38 league games instead of 46 and Caldwell was worries about the loss of revenue and the impact on supporters.
“I think the EFL were saying that the club’s wouldn’t be any worse off by changing this model, but having spoken to supporters and season ticket holders, they would miss that number of games,” Brian said.
“I understand trying to get rid of midweek fixtures and things like that, but I think that’s the competitive nature of the EFL.
“There are 46 games for a reason and it’s a very competitive league where you can win two of three games in a week and you go shooting up the league.”
The decision to not move forward with the plans came after the FA intervened to project the FA Cup as a competition and Brian is pleased that the FA Cup will remain an important part of the football calendar.
“I think it’s important that the FA Cup stays as it is,” Caldwell said.
“I’m a traditionalist and I think removing cup replays for the FA Cup lessens the nature of the competition and the standing of it.
“It’s a massive competition, it’s probably one of the most famous competitions around the world and I agree with the FA in not wanting to lose the Saturday FA Cup matches.
“Obviously from the FA’s point of view its finance driven because they have a broadcasting package which goes around the world and that would be impacted on a Tuesday night rather than a Saturday, but I think everybody wants to play FA Cup matches on the weekend and you don’t want to demean the competition.”
Looking forward Brian hopes that not too many changes are made as he feels the EFL is more successful than some people give it credit for.
“I always said from day one that I couldn’t see anyway forward,” said Brian.
“I couldn’t see the EFL getting the cross club support. I just think sometimes we are looking for something that we perhaps don’t need to look for.
“I think a lot of it’s about less games and trying to encourage more English players, but I actually do believe that the EFL is producing the players.
“When you look at the number of players that are playing for England that have come through EFL academies, I think that is testament to the fact that the EFL are producing young players for the future of English football.”
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