FC Red Star
Active Member
Last season (2018/19) standings show that the two last placed teams in Premier, Division 1, and Division 2 were really not competitive in those leagues. It seems to me that VMSL should consider to change the number of teams in those leagues not only because of this but to fix some other issues (which can be elaborated later on if necessary).
Current VMSL set-up (last season 2018/19 and most likely next 2019/20)
Premier - 12 teams
Division 1 – 12 teams
Division 2 – 24 teams (2 pools with 12 teams in each pool)
Division 3 – 33 teams (3 pools with 10-12 teams in each pool)
Total 81 teams
In my opinion better VMSL set-up (season 2020/21) would be:
Premier - 10 teams
Division 1 – 10 teams
Division 2 – 20 teams (2 pools with 10 teams in each pool)
Division 3 – 40 teams (4 pools with 10 teams in each pool)
Total 80* teams
*Any new team (or if there are more than 80 teams) could be added to one of Division 3 pools so some Division 3 pools could have more than 10 teams (no relegation from Division 3 so the number of teams could be added whenever necessary).
Advantages of this new set-up would be:
After 18 regular season games 4 top teams (in this case Premier league) would continue playing additional 3 games (against each other; points from the regular 18 season games would carry over) – total played 21 games in a season (one less than current 22 games). Those 4 teams would automatically qualify for Imperial Cup (16 teams max in Imperial Cup) and further to Provincial Cup.
After 18 regular season games teams placed 5 – 8 would continue playing additional 3 games against each other. Those 4 teams would automatically qualify for Imperial Cup and two best placed teams in this group would automatically qualify for Provincial Cup.
Two last placed teams after 18 regular season games would finish league competition at that point and be relegated to Division 1. Another option would be that only team #10 is directly relegated to Div 1 while team #9 could play 2 games against Division 1 #2 team (at the end of season) to determine which of those two would be in Premier/Div 1.
The same system (18 regular season games + 3 “play-off like” games would work also in Division 1. Top 4 teams after 18 season games would play against each other 3 additional round; the best team after 21 games would be promoted while the 2nd could be either also promoted or play 2 games against Team #9 from Premier.
Teams #9 and #10 in Division 1 (after 18 games) would be automatically relegated to Division 2 to make room for two Champions (Pool A and Pool B) from Division 2.
Six best teams from Division 1 would qualify to Imperial Cup.
Division 2 (with two pools) could have a mini 3-game league between A1, A2, B1, and B2 to determine two teams moving up to Division 1 (or both pools could have the same system as Premier and Division 1 with 4 best teams in each pool would continue 3 additional rounds to determine the best in Pool A and Pool B that would be promoted). Mixing up two pools at the end of season would give a chance two teams from the same pool to advance to Division 1; sometimes one pool is significantly better than the other.
Division 2 would be the same when it comes to relegation (i.e. last two placed teams after 18 league games in Division 2 would automatically be relegated to Division 3).
Division 3 (with 4 pools) promotion system would have to be done differently to account for eventual difference in quality between those 4 pools so after 18 regular season games A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, and D2 should play play-off to determine which 2 teams would be promoted to Division 2.
Play-off format in Division 3:
A1 – B2
B1 – C2
C1 – D2
D1 – A2
Winner of A1/B2 vs Winner of C1/D2
Winner of B1/C2 vs Winner of D1/A2
Winners of those semi-final games would be promoted to Division 2. This play-off would give a chance to two teams from the same pool to advance to Division 2 (it could happened that teams in one pool are significantly better than teams in other pools; it is hard to balance any pools before the season; especially Division 3 pools).
Does this make any sense?
Current VMSL set-up (last season 2018/19 and most likely next 2019/20)
Premier - 12 teams
Division 1 – 12 teams
Division 2 – 24 teams (2 pools with 12 teams in each pool)
Division 3 – 33 teams (3 pools with 10-12 teams in each pool)
Total 81 teams
In my opinion better VMSL set-up (season 2020/21) would be:
Premier - 10 teams
Division 1 – 10 teams
Division 2 – 20 teams (2 pools with 10 teams in each pool)
Division 3 – 40 teams (4 pools with 10 teams in each pool)
Total 80* teams
*Any new team (or if there are more than 80 teams) could be added to one of Division 3 pools so some Division 3 pools could have more than 10 teams (no relegation from Division 3 so the number of teams could be added whenever necessary).
Advantages of this new set-up would be:
- Better quality concentrated (less teams in each division)
- More competitiveness during the season (attitude “do not care, can’t go up, can’t be relegated” would most likely be gone).
After 18 regular season games 4 top teams (in this case Premier league) would continue playing additional 3 games (against each other; points from the regular 18 season games would carry over) – total played 21 games in a season (one less than current 22 games). Those 4 teams would automatically qualify for Imperial Cup (16 teams max in Imperial Cup) and further to Provincial Cup.
After 18 regular season games teams placed 5 – 8 would continue playing additional 3 games against each other. Those 4 teams would automatically qualify for Imperial Cup and two best placed teams in this group would automatically qualify for Provincial Cup.
Two last placed teams after 18 regular season games would finish league competition at that point and be relegated to Division 1. Another option would be that only team #10 is directly relegated to Div 1 while team #9 could play 2 games against Division 1 #2 team (at the end of season) to determine which of those two would be in Premier/Div 1.
The same system (18 regular season games + 3 “play-off like” games would work also in Division 1. Top 4 teams after 18 season games would play against each other 3 additional round; the best team after 21 games would be promoted while the 2nd could be either also promoted or play 2 games against Team #9 from Premier.
Teams #9 and #10 in Division 1 (after 18 games) would be automatically relegated to Division 2 to make room for two Champions (Pool A and Pool B) from Division 2.
Six best teams from Division 1 would qualify to Imperial Cup.
Division 2 (with two pools) could have a mini 3-game league between A1, A2, B1, and B2 to determine two teams moving up to Division 1 (or both pools could have the same system as Premier and Division 1 with 4 best teams in each pool would continue 3 additional rounds to determine the best in Pool A and Pool B that would be promoted). Mixing up two pools at the end of season would give a chance two teams from the same pool to advance to Division 1; sometimes one pool is significantly better than the other.
Division 2 would be the same when it comes to relegation (i.e. last two placed teams after 18 league games in Division 2 would automatically be relegated to Division 3).
Division 3 (with 4 pools) promotion system would have to be done differently to account for eventual difference in quality between those 4 pools so after 18 regular season games A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, and D2 should play play-off to determine which 2 teams would be promoted to Division 2.
Play-off format in Division 3:
A1 – B2
B1 – C2
C1 – D2
D1 – A2
Winner of A1/B2 vs Winner of C1/D2
Winner of B1/C2 vs Winner of D1/A2
Winners of those semi-final games would be promoted to Division 2. This play-off would give a chance to two teams from the same pool to advance to Division 2 (it could happened that teams in one pool are significantly better than teams in other pools; it is hard to balance any pools before the season; especially Division 3 pools).
Does this make any sense?