CELG(4) WPL 02

Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee

Inquiry into the Welsh Premier League

Response from Liam Griffiths

• the extent to which the standards of football in the WPL have developed during the past 20 years;
  While the standards in the WPL have improved over the past 20 years, They haven’t improved massively compared to other leagues!

• the competition format, looking at possible alternative models such as a move to a summer season;
  The League needs to be bigger, The new format just hasn’t worked, Attendances haven’t really improved, some clubs are reporting even lower attendances, Clubs are playing each other far too many times and fans are getting bored, The winter break has also not really helped

• the development and progression of players, coaches and managers from the WPL to other levels of the game;
  Whilst there have been a few managers and players who have left the WPL to the english league, this number is still quite low, I think this is more to do with the perception of standards in the WPL, This reflects on the national team as well, When was the last time a player from the WPL got called up to the full national team?

• how the WPL contributes towards player development and participation at lower levels, including issues of equality of opportunity;
  Can’t recall answer this one as my knowledge of lower levels isn’t good enough

• the WPL’s standing within the Welsh sporting landscape and its visibility in Welsh media outlets;
  Quite Poor, The Welsh media could do alot more to focus on the league, Whilst Sgorio have now started showing live games the league still does not get enough coverage, Can the welsh BBC do more? welsh newspapers in south wales and so on?

• the member clubs, their infrastructure and resources;
  Whilst clubs are doing all they can to meet regulations set by the league and so on, Without the clubs doing alot of the hard work, this league would fail, The Welsh FA really needs to start helping clubs out, it’s difficult for clubs to try and be successful but also having to meet ground requirements and so on, look at the standard of pitches in the league, some are terrible, How is that supposed to benefit the league? it wont, better pitches = better football, The welsh FA have the resources to help this league, they just don’t want to!

• how the FAW’s recent Strategic Plan 2012 will contribute towards strengthening the WPL, and how the WPL will contribute towards the Strategic Plan’s aims.
  I don’t think the FAW's strategic plan will help the WPL at all, the plan is only there to strengthen the national team, the FAW don’t care about this league, where does all the sponsorship money go? It certainly isn’t invested in the league, if they did, the league would get better, better league will mean more players behind developed at grassroots equalling in a better national team in the future!