Play offs need to be restructured...but how?

[MrSnuggles]

The play offs, though exciting, ruin the integrity of football. If Sheffield Wednesday were to get promoted via the play offs, they have finished 15 points behind Brighton. That can't be right!! It may sound like sour grapes but surely the play offs can be restructured to give the third play team more of an advantage? Perhaps they should get a bye to the final and await the winners of the 4th and 5th placed teams? Any other thoughts?

 

[Da Man Clay]

No they don't. It is sour grapes. Doubt we complained when we finished 5th and got promoted from League 1.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Roolz is roolz.

 

[Gwm]

The play offs, though exciting, ruin the integrity of football. If Sheffield Wednesday were to get promoted via the play offs, they have finished 15 points behind Brighton. That can't be right!! It may sound like sour grapes but surely the play offs can be restructured to give the third play team more of an advantage? Perhaps they should get a bye to the final and await the winners of the 4th and 5th placed teams? Any other thoughts?

We weren't complaining when we nicked 6th two years ago and had a shot at the playoffs. I actually like the current system. Yes the top 3 this season probably deserve to go up but I don't think it should change

 

[MrSnuggles]

Finishing 5th would still give an opportunity to get promotion but losing out to a team that finished 15 points behindcant be right!?

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

We got to Wembley in 1991 finishing in 7th.....i think today's format is ok.........BITTERLY DISAPPOINTING if we miss out altogether this season but we all knew the deal...

We get to play Sheffield Wednesday because on paper over a season we are better than then......we now have to prove it.

Am i gutted right now? Absolutely....

 

[Luke93]

When Brighton finished 6th years ago, would you post the same thing?

 

[Da Man Clay]

Finishing 5th would still give an opportunity to get promotion but losing out to a team that finished 15 points behindcant be right!?

They are the rules we signed up too. It's not often 3 teams are so far clear of the others but such is life. The play-offs won't be restructured anyway - the format does work well.

 

[Albumen]

Id like the 6th to play 5th at a neutral ground. Then the winners to play 4th at a neutral ground. Then the winners of that to play 3rd at Wembley.
For 6th to win they'd have to beat both above them, it's weighted in favour of positions.
It's less games but a hassle to organise.

 

[MrSnuggles]

If we finished 15 points behin another team then l wouldn't begrudge that team getting promoted.

 

[Seagull1989]

Oh come on! We all knew the rules at the beginning of the season, we can't go into this feeling sorry for ourselves

 

[CarlosTheOwl]

The only way you suggest it could be evened up is if you had a goal handicap or something which is ludicrous. Like some of you are mentioning above, it is slightly hypocritical to suggest that is unfair when you've also been in a situation more similar to ours. Obviously our fans would be saying similar if the boot were on the other foot. Our team might play on that fact that we've got nothing to lose as we were so far behind you I don't know.

 

[WhingForPresident]

The system is what it is, everyone knows at the start of the season that finishing third is not enough. Nobody would be suggesting more of an advantage for 3rd place if it was us that had finished 6th.

The league table is completely irrelevant now, we're in a knockout cup between us, Wednesday, Hull and Derby.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Someone posted a fantastic idea for restructuring on the thread I stared on this subject a week or so ago, something about 6th plays 5th, the winner of that then plays 4th and the winner of that meets 3rd in the final, I think that was it.

 

[GT49er]

Frankly I think the play offs should be abolished - indeed, I don't think they should ever have been introduced. But the reality is that we have them, like them or not - that particular genie will never be put back in the bottle now; there's too much money involved.
If the team that finishes third wins the play offs, justice will have been done. Let's just hope that's what happens this year.

 

[jabba]

The play-offs make for good TV so don't expect them to disappear anytime soon. I did hear of an idea to give 3rd place an advantage. If level after 2 legs go through without extra time and pens.

 

[MrSnuggles]

I just feel that for all their endeavours this season there is no real advantage given for a team that finished so far ahead of the chasing pack. It would be a travesty if we didn't go up as we have proved over 46 games that we have been one of the top three teams. Sheffield Wednesday and Derby have had the luxury of resting players knowing their place was secure, whilst we have had to fight to the wire. As a consequence we may be without 2 key players now. If the play offs are a separate entity to the 46 games, all suspensions should be lifted and all teams be allowed to field their strongest teams.

 

[BensGrandad]

I think the only possible change has been tried and scrapped after 1 season. Have the the 3rd bottom team of the Premier go into the play offs to stay there or get relegated and reduce it to top 5. 3rd v 4th and 5th v Prem 3rd bottom. Or scrap 5th and 6th and have 3rd v 4th winner play Premier team both ties Home and away.

 

[sparkie]

For future seasons :

Semi-finals - one off match at highest placed team.


Then, more radically :

Final : One off match at highest placed team.

Wembley : Playoff between 1st and 2nd for additional trophy.

 

[Colonel Angus]

The only way you suggest it could be evened up is if you had a goal handicap or something which is ludicrous. Like some of you are mentioning above, it is slightly hypocritical to suggest that is unfair when you've also been in a situation more similar to ours. Obviously our fans would be saying similar if the boot were on the other foot. Our team might play on that fact that we've got nothing to lose as we were so far behind you I don't know.

Great idea! That's exactly what I was thinking Carlos.

So we start our match 15-0 up.

Do you mind me asking, as an owl, do you use any products to keep your feathers in good shape?