Just when you thought football snobbery couldn’t get any more obnoxious, the game’s elite have come up with yet another idea aimed at belittling the masses.

In recent weeks a select few at the top of the English game have been lobbying for the introduction of ‘B’ teams. Not for everyone, of course, just for the richest, more powerful and successful teams.

The thinking behind this plan – which is spearheaded by no less a football god than Pep Guardiola himself – is that it will help the Premiership’s top sides by giving their younger players competitive action in preparation for their graduation to the ‘A’ team.

Guardiola, speaking without a hint of shame, said: “Why can we not create Man City or Man United second teams and play in the Championship against Newcastle? That is the future of English football.”

Well, you know what Guardiola? You can buzz off. Because, if that really is the future of English football, then I and millions of others will want no part of it.

I understand Guardiola’s priority is looking after the interests of his own club, but in doing so he has shown staggering levels of disrespect to the 72 clubs that make up the Football League and their armies of supporters.

He won’t realise it, having enjoyed a perfectly stage-managed career that has only taken in the very top teams, but there is much more to the game than the upper reaches of the top flight.

There is a whole world further down the football pyramid full of ambitious teams, passionate supporters and great players. And these ‘lesser’ clubs have hopes, dreams and ambitions of their own.

They want to win leagues, win cups, win promotions and eventually make it to the top flight themselves. Why should they have their aspirations belittled by serving as sparring partners for the elite’s reserves?

The Championship, as it is known these days, is actually the fourth most watched league in Europe. Why should this competition be diluted by ‘B’ teams just to make life easier for the big boys?

‘Lesser’ clubs have hopes, dreams and ambitions of their own. Why should they have their aspirations belittled by serving as sparring partners for the elite’s reserves?

If Guardiola wants his fringe players, kids and reserves to gain experience of real football then he should send them out on loan. That is, after all, precisely why that system exists. Or he should do what other clubs do and actually play them.

It never ceases to amaze me how people like Guardiola can waltz into English football and believe they have the right to start tearing at the very fabric of the game.

Does he expect Leeds United, for example, to sit back and say: “We would love to see Manchester City win more trophies, so why don’t you give your ‘B’ team our place in the Championship while we just pop down to League One.”

I am genuinely staggered by the way the privileged few seem to feel everything has to be weighted in their favour. Is it not enough that clubs like City are rolling in money, have some of the world’s best players and enjoy all the trappings of permanently assured success? Do they really believe the Football League should be there just to serve them?

I don’t begrudge the top teams their success. That’s just the way the cookie happens to have crumbled, and the rest of us, supporters of teams in the lower leagues, have to make the best of what we’ve got.

But, at the very least, the high and mighty should show us peasants a bit of respect and allow us to get on with our non-Premiership lives with some dignity.

A debut to remember

It’s always enjoyable to hear about a promising youngster making his debut in a major league. When that promising youngster happens to be Maltese and the club happens to be Scottish giants Rangers, it is exceptionally enjoyable.

Eighteen-year-old Myles Beerman made his first appearance for Rangers last week in their 0-0 draw with Kilmarnock. And, by all accounts, the young lad did himself justice.

Somewhat unusually, Beerman heard he would be making his debut via social media when Rangers’ manager Pedro Caixinha decided to name his team 24 hours early via Twitter.

But that unorthodox way of discovering he would be making his debut didn’t put the lad off.

“It was class, the fans were unreal, it was a great atmosphere and a taste of first team football was unbelievable for the first time,” he said.

“Since I was a little kid from Malta, a wee island in the middle of the Mediterranean, I have always had a dream, and all I ever wanted to do was be a professional footballer.”

Beerman has been chasing that dream since he moved to the UK to join Manchester City a few years ago, and then followed that with a move to Rangers at the beginning of this season.

Now he’s had his first taste of the big time, he has obviously got a taste for it but isn’t allowing himself to get carried away.

“I have just got to keep on working hard and performing in training and at the end of the day it depends on what the manager wants,” Beerman added.

What a fantastic example this kid is, proving to all of us that with hard work and determination, dreams can become realities.

Let’s hope he now goes on to fulfil his obviously considerable potential.

No captain, my captain

If one thing sums up Arsenal’s season more than any other it is that they managed to play the entire second half of their game against Manchester City last Sunday without a captain on the pitch.

When Laurent Koscielny went off injured at half-time (he probably twisted an earlobe) he failed to pass the armband to anyone. And, in turn, the rest of the team failed to notice that nobody was wearing it.

That speaks volumes for the lack of leadership in the Emirates dressing room.

In the past, Arsene Wenger has always found a man capable of being his lieutenant on the pitch, somebody to marshal the troops, lift morale when needed and generally take responsibility for the team.

Think Tony Adams, Patrick Viera, Cesc Fabregas and Thierry Henry.

Today, however, Wenger has so few natural leaders and even less captain options that he couldn’t tell the difference when his team played for an entire 45 minutes without one.

If he does end up staying at the Emirates, this is a problem that needs addressing with some urgency. In fact, I think it should be his overwhelming priority.

I understand many fans would rather see him focus on persuading Alexis Sanchez to sign a new contract.

But I would argue that unless Arsenal find a true leader, someone to grab that dressing room by the scruff of its neck, their problems aren’t going to go away.

With or without Sanchez.

sportscolumnist@timesofmalta.com
Twitter: @maltablade