News

President commits to league reconstruction

Wednesday, 15 August 2012

Scottish FA President Campbell Ogilvie has confirmed that plans for league reconstruction will be intensified with the creation of a working party.

Speaking at the Scottish FA’s Council at Hampden Park, Ogilvie outlined his intention to consult with the members of the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League with the purpose of putting restructuring of the game back to the top of the agenda.

Both the SPL and SFL have been invited to nominate members of the working group, with the Scottish FA committed to appointing an independent chairperson.

The President has decades of experience in the complexities of restructuring proposals both within Scottish football and at European level, most notably in the reformatting of the Champions League in the 1990s.

Yesterday, he reiterated the importance of the change for the long-term benefits of the game in Scotland.

“It is fair to say that over the summer we have endured one of the most difficult periods in the history of Scottish football,” he said. “It is important we all learn lessons and equally important that we remain focused and committed to improving Scottish football at all levels.

“League reconstruction remains the key objective for this year and we have already instructed the SPL and SFL to nominate members for the working group who will be tasked with delivering a solution that will benefit all 42 clubs in senior football and those with ambitions of joining the base of the pyramid.

“We will select an independent chairperson who, along other attributes, will provide mediation on the most delicate issues.”

Now that the dust has settled on a difficult and divisive summer, Ogilvie will use his role of President to restore harmony across all three league bodies and has urged all concerned to unite behind plans for reconstruction.

This week, the Scottish FA launched its seven Regional Performance Centres, a commitment to elite talent development over an initial four years, with Mark Wotte’s Under-20 League already under way and plans for Club Academy Scotland – an expansion of the existing Performance and Initiative Youth programmes – in progress.

“It is important that we speak to all our members and begin the process of restoring unity and trust among the three bodies during what has been a fractious period for the game,” he said.

“The Council members will play an important part in the process and is time we all took responsibility for promoting the many positive aspects of Scottish football.

“This weekend, we had the first 120 pupils from our seven new regional performance schools at Hampden Park, the crown jewels of our Performance Strategy.

“The vilification of Stewart Regan in some quarters has not only been contemptible but ill-informed. It seems some people are quick to forget the progress that has been made in the two years since we appointed our chief executive. We must work together to improve football at all levels. With the Performance Schools, Under-20 League and Club Academy Scotland we have shown what can be achieved with a common purpose and collaborative approach.”