Ireland and Scotland v New European Frontiers - who gets the $$$ ?

[The Partisan]

15-04-2015 01:19 AM

miguel de cervantes​

Re: Irish league 2015 season

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As much as I hate to say it, any funding for Scotland and to some extent Ireland and even Wales should be directed towards eastern Europe where for exchange rate and lack of union culture reasons alone it would probably bear more fruit in the medium to long term. Developing league in union dominated cultures is swimming against a pretty strong current with little gain for a lot of pain.
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Have had some time to think about Miguel’s above assertion ------- and think perhaps he has possibly come out with a statement that many have thought themselves. I know I for one have.

I do think Wales should be spared the razor (for now) however Scotland and Ireland definitely need to step up to the plate and show some return on their investment – particularly at the junior / grass roots level. Realistically, both these markets are very crowded with sports of long history associations so a ‘newcomer’ has a lot of work to do. Perhaps too much for the SRL / RLI !

I was fortunate enough to catch both teams play at the RLWC13 and would truly love to see the game prosper in these areas – however I fear that the game is losing ground in Scotland and will never really gain ground in Ireland.

Transferring resources to less cluttered markets in either Western or Eastern Europe may be in the best interests of the games International future.

 

[Evil Homer]

I don't think anyone is 'investing' anything anywhere, are they? Certainly not the RLEF.

 

[langpark]

You're over-simlifying things....

however Scotland and Ireland definitely need to step up to the plate and show some return on their investment ? particularly at the junior / grass roots level.

Many of those in Ireland who were running the show when funding was abundant, have not stuck around now. So those that are now left to pick up the pieces are doing a great job with very little resources.

 

[The Partisan]

Possibly misworded LP, as certainly not having a dig at those hardy souls on the ground in Ireland and Scotland.

I just sometimes think that monies spent on the top tier - notably the National Team - could be better served by gaining support at levels more inclusive of the community - like schools and perhaps other education institutions.

 

[ed612313]

Get rid of Scotland.... They are a waste of time.
Persist with Ireland but it will be hard work. They have there own sports swell as Union and Union does everything it can to keep league down in Ireland.
Keep Wales.
I 100% agree with eastern Europe.... Push the $$ there.

 

[Evil Homer]

Get rid of Scotland.... They are a waste of time.
Persist with Ireland but it will be hard work. They have there own sports swell as Union and Union does everything it can to keep league down in Ireland.
Keep Wales.
I 100% agree with eastern Europe.... Push the $$ there.

How do you suggest we 'get rid' of Scotland? Tell the SRL to disband and the players to stop playing? There isn't any $$ anywhere. It's not just a case of looking at countries on a map and deciding where they are going to start playing RL. That isn't how it works.

 

[crimpo]

The assumption seems to be that Scotland and Ireland were rolling in RLIF dollars. Scotland had some funding - but it was from the British Sports authorities and it disappeared just before the World Cup. As of now Scotland is run by hardy individuals just as in so many other nations. Internationally they benefit from the fact of Scottish emigration to Northern England - just as Ireland do.

Should nations like Serbia and the Ukraine get more help from the RLIF - certainly. But you can knock on the head any idea that those dollars could be produced by taking it from the Irish and the Scots. It will have to come from the only people with money in the game - so over to you NRL...

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Surely Scotland will get a wad of cash from playing in the 4N despite them not even meeting minimum standards. Maybe they can donate that to a country that does.