The farce that is the SPFL playoffs
In the English Championship,
three teams get promoted; the winners of the league, the runners-up, and the
winner of a four-team playoff.
three teams get promoted; the winners of the league, the runners-up, and the
winner of a four-team playoff.
That four-team playoff sees third
versus sixth and fourth playing fifth. Both of these ties are over two legs,
but the winners play each other in a playoff final at Wembley, and the winner
of that finds themselves in the promised land of the English Premiership.
versus sixth and fourth playing fifth. Both of these ties are over two legs,
but the winners play each other in a playoff final at Wembley, and the winner
of that finds themselves in the promised land of the English Premiership.
No team here plays more than
three matches.
three matches.
Now we turn our attention to the
Scottish Championship playoffs, and the elephant in the room regarding these
matches.
Scottish Championship playoffs, and the elephant in the room regarding these
matches.
Instead of second playing fifth
and third playing fourth, leading to a final at Hampden, these playoffs are
instead weighted heavily in favour of the second bottom team in the Scottish
Premiership, who will play the final against the victor of all of the
Championship playoffs.
and third playing fourth, leading to a final at Hampden, these playoffs are
instead weighted heavily in favour of the second bottom team in the Scottish
Premiership, who will play the final against the victor of all of the
Championship playoffs.
In other words, if you finish
third or fourth, you have six matches to get through, including matches against
teams much fresher than you are, especially the finalist, in order to gain
promotion.
third or fourth, you have six matches to get through, including matches against
teams much fresher than you are, especially the finalist, in order to gain
promotion.
I can understand the SPFL wanting
to make promotion and relegation a little more exciting, but what on earth
moved them to make such a completely disproportionate ‘seeding’ system?
to make promotion and relegation a little more exciting, but what on earth
moved them to make such a completely disproportionate ‘seeding’ system?
Why are the second bottom team in
the SPL even involved in these playoffs? In the English Premiership, if you
finish in the bottom three, there is no escape plan, no route to save yourself
from relegation; and the top three in the division below go up, pure and
simple, with the third place having been decided by that aforementioned playoff
route.
the SPL even involved in these playoffs? In the English Premiership, if you
finish in the bottom three, there is no escape plan, no route to save yourself
from relegation; and the top three in the division below go up, pure and
simple, with the third place having been decided by that aforementioned playoff
route.
Yet, in Scotland, we
have a bizarre mini-‘tournament’ (which is anything but) of some teams playing
many more matches than the other. There appears no logic in having the second
bottom SPL side play only two matches as part of the final while third or fourth in the
Championship have to play six.
have a bizarre mini-‘tournament’ (which is anything but) of some teams playing
many more matches than the other. There appears no logic in having the second
bottom SPL side play only two matches as part of the final while third or fourth in the
Championship have to play six.
Why Scotland did not just copy the
English model given they already pinched the league names is something of a
mystery. A four-team playoff from second to fifth, and the winner joins Hearts in
the Premiership while there is no safety net for the side finishing second
bottom of the top tier.
English model given they already pinched the league names is something of a
mystery. A four-team playoff from second to fifth, and the winner joins Hearts in
the Premiership while there is no safety net for the side finishing second
bottom of the top tier.
Many may argue about sour grapes
being in abundance here, given this is a Rangers blog, and maybe they are right
to an extent, especially if the Ibrox men do indeed fail on Sunday, but the
advantage is clearly with the fresher teams, and the playing field simply is
not even remotely even with this current system.
being in abundance here, given this is a Rangers blog, and maybe they are right
to an extent, especially if the Ibrox men do indeed fail on Sunday, but the
advantage is clearly with the fresher teams, and the playing field simply is
not even remotely even with this current system.
Rangers are apparently absolutely
dead on their feet and completely exhausted, and while some might say that is
punishment for not being good enough to win the league, nevertheless it does
not alter that the present format is completely skewed.
dead on their feet and completely exhausted, and while some might say that is
punishment for not being good enough to win the league, nevertheless it does
not alter that the present format is completely skewed.
I support the playoffs, they are
an inventive way to spice things up; but the format requires alteration to make
it fairer for all teams trying to win promotion and to give second bottom in
the SPL no escape plan at all.
an inventive way to spice things up; but the format requires alteration to make
it fairer for all teams trying to win promotion and to give second bottom in
the SPL no escape plan at all.