First day in charge, and I've noticed that there are a lot of things that need to be done especially within the SAFL. Of course, statistically I already notice a problem. Shireroth have only qualified once in the World Cup in 2008. Shireroth as a unit did well and managed to progress past the first round before losing to Bobalania in the Quarter Final knockout stages. However only qualifying once in 4 years of FMF is rather appauling, so there's a slight itch wanting to set the record straight.
Obviously Shireroth has been fairly isolated from this FMF thing in general, but it's time to take a big break. Now administrating the SAFL, Shireroth will see changes to its sporting side, with a lot of drastic changes. I understand that there have been unsuccessful attempts to get this league to work, and that is another record to set straight. Shireroth is a large micronation and a historic one; and I personally believe its size and stature does not reflect on its performance. To the west of us on Micras is Tellia. Tellia, a former world cup finalist have also hit troubled times, but they are going into a world cup with a young squad. That is what we must do from now on.
Primary Targets for SAFL
- To establish a new professional league system to benefit both players and Shireroth.
- To widen participation and develop grassroots - develop more players and keep them in Shireroth instead of allowing other teams from other micronations taking them. It should always be encouraged to also look into foreign talent, although the primary issue is to develop association football within Shireroth.
- To develop a team for future world cups.
Obviously, the aim Shireroth have to aim for is to win a World Cup in the forseeable future. However in order to do this, we need a good national team to qualify. And in order to do that, we need to develop a new structure for our league.
SAFL: New League System
Because of the large size of Shireroth on Micras, we obviously have a big problem with match playing in a simulationist point of view. As a result of this there will be a new tournament in place to deal with this obstacle. May I present you the Pro Soccer League, otherwise known as the PSL.
The PSL will consist of two conferences, a Western and Eastern conference, based on the real life MLS. There will be 8 teams, which will be split into four teams in each conference depending on their geographical locations on Micras. Each team will play six games within their conference, with the top two from each tournament progressing to the playoffs.
The playoffs will then be a knockout stage to win the PSL, with all games being played in Shirekeep National Stadium where the national team play. After four becomes two and two becomes one, we will have an eventual winner. In future, should it become ultra-competitive then we shall look to methods of relegation and promotions, but for now we shall stick with the one league.
For the first season, the PSL will be sponsored by CräiteAuto and should be able to generate enough funds for several broadcasts throughout the season. We will try and get as many broadcasts available as possible; however it is not guaranteed apart from the final and such, so we will have to depend on match reports.
League Applications, Priorities and Rules:
Applicants will be ranked in priority. Shirerithian citizens will be given priorities in fielding a team in this area. Should we come into a situation where not enough teams fill up the league, then we will look elsewhere. The second level of priority will be location. Obviously do not want 5 teams in Brookshire and 3 in Yardistan or something ridiculous. What we are looking for is a list of diversely spread teams across the whole of Shireroth.
An application form will be posted later on information on how to apply and what to include in your applications. This should be fairly straight forward. Should there be a stage where we have too many applicants, the priority ruling will apply.
In addition to all these rules, there will be certain restrictions to team players and transfers. The first one is essential for Shirerithian development in the sport: 6+5 Ruling. This rule means that 6 of the 11 players starting in any PSL team must be Shirerithian. This is to make sure Shirerithian players get maximum exposure and can develop their talents. In addition to this, each team will be allocated a transfer fund of Cr25million each season. The reason we use Craitish currency is to be on parallel with transfers from other leagues. The funds can also be used to buy foreign players from foreign clubs as well as other football clubs within Shireroth should both teams come to an agreement. Buying any foreign player can only be possible if they have international experience, otherwise they will not be given SAFL clearance to play in our league, NOTE: This does not include loaning players: you are more than likely to be granted SAFL clearance for a loan player should they come from a Top 16 FMF ranked micronation.
Furthermore, teams are allowed to have 3 loans per season, and 6 intermicronational transfers. There are no restrictions on transfers within Shireroth. In addition to this, every season will include a young player draft. This will include a draft of 16 new players, which will be assigned to clubs. The minimum player fee per draft is Cr1 million. This means each team within the PSL will need to manage their transfer funds instead of splashing it all on expensive transfers. Each team will need to pick 2 players from each draft.
This concludes the information you will need to know. An application form will be made available shortly for teams to apply.
