http://www.totalrl.com/martynsadler/index.htm
One of the biggest current issues facing Super League is the proliferation of overseas players, which continues despite the apparent desire of almost everyone within the British game to reduce our reliance on non-British players.
Although the Super League clubs will operate next season with a quota of three overseas players, the reality is that a relaxation of the rules about what constitutes a quota player means that clubs can drive a coach and horses through that particular ruling. Most overseas players can now be accommodated on the roster of a Super League club without being a quota player.
Because of European-wide employment legislation, it is difficult to prevent clubs from employing overseas stars if they want to recruit them. Ultimately, however, we all want to see more young British stars coming to the fore.
Is there any action that could be taken to persuade our clubs to develop their own talent?
Maybe the money that Super League clubs receive from Sky could come into the equation. Currently they all receive £750,000 per annum as their share of Super Leagues TV income. What I would like to see is the clubs getting a guaranteed part of that sum, but with the difference to depend on the number of domestic stars on a clubs books.
For example, we could have a system that guarantees each club a basic payment of £550,000, with an additional £10,000 for each player in a clubs 20/20 squad (their 20 leading players) who qualifies to play for Great Britain. No club would therefore receive the full £750,000.
For example, Warringtons 2005 squad is revealed in this issue of Rugby Leaguer & League Express, and I calculate that 13 of their leading 20 players qualify for Great Britain. That means that they would receive £680,000 as their share of the TV monies for 2005.
The monies saved by Super League could then be invested in the grass roots of the game to generate more youngsters who would come through to fill those places currently taken by players who will never play for Great Britain.
No doubt the Super League clubs would find this proposal much too difficult.
Excellent proposal, me thinks.
One of the biggest current issues facing Super League is the proliferation of overseas players, which continues despite the apparent desire of almost everyone within the British game to reduce our reliance on non-British players.
Although the Super League clubs will operate next season with a quota of three overseas players, the reality is that a relaxation of the rules about what constitutes a quota player means that clubs can drive a coach and horses through that particular ruling. Most overseas players can now be accommodated on the roster of a Super League club without being a quota player.
Because of European-wide employment legislation, it is difficult to prevent clubs from employing overseas stars if they want to recruit them. Ultimately, however, we all want to see more young British stars coming to the fore.
Is there any action that could be taken to persuade our clubs to develop their own talent?
Maybe the money that Super League clubs receive from Sky could come into the equation. Currently they all receive £750,000 per annum as their share of Super Leagues TV income. What I would like to see is the clubs getting a guaranteed part of that sum, but with the difference to depend on the number of domestic stars on a clubs books.
For example, we could have a system that guarantees each club a basic payment of £550,000, with an additional £10,000 for each player in a clubs 20/20 squad (their 20 leading players) who qualifies to play for Great Britain. No club would therefore receive the full £750,000.
For example, Warringtons 2005 squad is revealed in this issue of Rugby Leaguer & League Express, and I calculate that 13 of their leading 20 players qualify for Great Britain. That means that they would receive £680,000 as their share of the TV monies for 2005.
The monies saved by Super League could then be invested in the grass roots of the game to generate more youngsters who would come through to fill those places currently taken by players who will never play for Great Britain.
No doubt the Super League clubs would find this proposal much too difficult.
Excellent proposal, me thinks.