Offside Monkey wrote:
Hang on. Please correct me if I'm wrong but the reason HKR have these extra number is because some of these players were at HKR before the new quota laws were introduced, right? Meaning when the likes of vella (32) and galea (32) inevitably retire (or move on) they will not free up a quota spot, thus meaning that numbers are definatley reduced long term?
Could someone clarify whether that's right?
Indeed - and because we have fewer senior club-trained players, we include more youngsters (not claiming it as virtue, we have to) than most clubs in the 25 man squad. The squeeze comes in the middle where we have chosen to keep mature overseas fed-qualified players rather than mature Brits - such as Galea, Vella and Newton, rather than Chev Walker, David Mills and Paul Cooke.
The way the rules have panned out has given Rovers wider opportunities in a constricting market. All clubs stock up to the max on quota players, more or less - as soon as Berrigan got off quota Hull fans were looking for their club to fill it. You play the cards you are dealt and for once Rovers got a decent hand.
Offside Monkey wrote:
So, what's the fuss? The number of imports are being reduced. The only party that will really suffer is HKR themselves as they may struggle ot replace them when they leave.
But why is it more of struggle to replace them than retiring British players of similar quality?