As a Leicester City fan, I've experienced both the highs and lows of play offs. This year saw the first time a City side failed to reach Wembley having made it to the play offs. This does not have any bearings on my current feelings - the play offs should be scrapped.
I can see the reasoning behind them. It's to keep the season alive and for longer. To create some excitement as the season reaches its climax. To give more teams something to play for. But is that the case? I don't think so.
A league structure is a true reflection of the season. It rewards, or punishes, consistency. The teams that win the most games go up, the teams that lose the most go down. It's simple. So why should a team that has had a less consistent season be fighting for promotion? It sends out the message "ok, we're not good enough to win promotion in our own right, but hey, we have another bite at the cherry". A club that has invested in the right management structure, the right players, and the right training system, but narrowly misses out on the top two spots enters the lottery that is the play offs. Fourty-six games of hard work, and consistency, is swept aside to give three, four, maybe five less consistent clubs another chance to get promoted. Why, then, bother? It's not just football; rugby union's top prize is decided, not by awarding the team that has scored the most points over the season the title, but by setting up qualification for a mini cup competition! Clubs are getting wise to this, and coaches may decide to rest players for games, whilst expecting the fans to pay full price for a game of rugby involving reserve team players. How long before football managers decide that this is the 'most effective' way of managing a squad?
The excitement argument would be more persuasive if there were play offs at both ends of the table. Why should it just involve promotion? Lets have more teams fighting for their divisional status, be it remaining in the same one, or the next step up. The original play off format did involve a battle for relegation and promotion. Why change it?
If those who run the leagues wanted to make the season more exciting, why not change the points structure, and scrap the play offs? Go back to the days of two points for a win. Three points were introduced to encourage wins, but rather than making the gap between a win and draw bigger, it should be as small as possible. If you want to get ahead and give yourself a breather from the chasing pack, you have to win your games if you only get two points. If it's three points, you can afford to win a few, and not be too worried by the occasional defeat or draw. Make it two, and a team cannot rest on its laurels.
As for our opponents, Cardiff City, they have managed to stave off yet another stay of execution. Their involvement in the play offs has meant that they have been given the chance to trade their way out of their financial predicament. As a Leicester fan, it would be wrong to question the rights and wrongs of such a decision. What I do wonder is, what will happen if Cardiff fail to make the Premier League? Will they have made enough to make themselves safe? Or will they be forced into administration? What will happen if they are promoted, but the High Court decides to issue the winding up order? Or Cardiff voluntarily go into administration? Will the Premier League agree to them joining? When will they face a points deduction? Should it be for this season that is ending, or should it be next? Can of worms; I'm thinking it's a barrel! I, for one, hope that whatever happens doesn't open it up. It would be unfair on us, who missed out on a spot in the final, and Swansea, who missed out on the play offs altogether. Replaying the play offs would be impractical. I get the feeling that Burnley would be spared relegation rather than giving us or Swansea another chance of Premier League football. And after the heartache and sleepless nights, I am more than happy to wait until next season before going through it all again!!
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