I understand the worry about having Reserve teams in Central League, particularly that Wellington United and Karori could potentially hoard players and sell them a false hope of eventually playing for the National League side.
That said, the Premier League this season has shown that both Karori and United, whose squads are predominantly U18 players, are currently the 2nd and 3rd best teams. So I think there could be a happy medium rather than ruling Reserve teams out completely.
One option could be putting an age restriction on Reserve teams in Central League. For example, making the squad U18-eligible, with an allowance of a maximum of three over-18 players on the matchday team.
That would keep the teams genuinely development-focused, maintain a competitive league, and eliminate the incentive for older players to jump ship to a Reserve team rather than playing First Team football.
I also think we need to consider the effect this could have on the rest of the Premier League. If both United and Karori Reserves remain in Premier League while being able to drop National League-quality players into the competition, it could create a pretty horrible playing experience for the other teams, particularly if they are clearly the strongest teams in the league.
Making sure Central League is as competitive as possible is important too. You get better by playing against the best, and having strong teams competing at that level benefits everyone.
For me, the U18 restriction could be a good safeguard. It still gives clubs the opportunity to develop their younger players at a higher level, while making sure all the best players don't simply flock to one or two Reserve teams.
That said, the Premier League this season has shown that both Karori and United, whose squads are predominantly U18 players, are currently the 2nd and 3rd best teams. So I think there could be a happy medium rather than ruling Reserve teams out completely.
One option could be putting an age restriction on Reserve teams in Central League. For example, making the squad U18-eligible, with an allowance of a maximum of three over-18 players on the matchday team.
That would keep the teams genuinely development-focused, maintain a competitive league, and eliminate the incentive for older players to jump ship to a Reserve team rather than playing First Team football.
I also think we need to consider the effect this could have on the rest of the Premier League. If both United and Karori Reserves remain in Premier League while being able to drop National League-quality players into the competition, it could create a pretty horrible playing experience for the other teams, particularly if they are clearly the strongest teams in the league.
Making sure Central League is as competitive as possible is important too. You get better by playing against the best, and having strong teams competing at that level benefits everyone.
For me, the U18 restriction could be a good safeguard. It still gives clubs the opportunity to develop their younger players at a higher level, while making sure all the best players don't simply flock to one or two Reserve teams.