Re: Get the blind-fold. . . : Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:01 pm  

Slugger McBatt wrote:

Why is it the fault of the RFL? Curious, that's all.

Indeed, the state of the club is largely down to its own incompetence.

Re: Get the blind-fold. . . : Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:04 am  

I've not got a lot of time for the RFL but you simply can't blame them for London's problems.

Every club is and should be responsible for it's own management and London (along with a few others) has been badly managed.

I honestly hope your club pulls through and would genuinely like to see a London team challenging for honours

Re: Get the blind-fold. . . : Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:13 am  

gutterfax wrote:

Basically, IF London were a SKY TV requirement back in 1996 then SKY TV or the RFL or a combination of both should have bankrolled the club. Moving forward, at every stage when London has changed ownership, name, grounds and underwear, the RFL had a responsibility to ensure that London either received the support they needed or to simply let us fold.
In 2005, Lewis stood up and told the assembled clubs that if they booted us out, commercially the game as a whole would suffer. We stayed in and the future was looking better than it had since 1996....
In 2007 IL bought Wigan and was told that he had to get rid of his interest in London...the RFL cut our throats that day and since then, DH has argued (correctly IMHO) that the RFL should contribute to the promotion and expansion of THEIR sport in the South East.

I don't lay 100% of the blame for the farce that has unfolded over 18 seasons squarely at the feet of the RFL.....but I do blame them in association with others.

A quick glance at the funding and promotional model of Melbourne Storm as an expansion team in the NRL would seem to back up my point of view, but if you need further proof, Knock down Nigel has bought the leases on a couple of Iconic grounds and found a backer for Salford, but has done little if anything to assist us with our latest issues. He pulled the plug for the duration of the RLWC when in reality he could have (and should have) been busting his considerable gut doing everything in his power to sort out the mess.

As it stands, we could well fold before the 2014 season starts....and believe me, you'll see media coverage of RL when that happens.

Surprisingly, for you, that is a relatively cogent and well-argued summary. I'm not sure I entirely agree that London should be given such privileges over and above other clubs but I kinda see where you are coming from on that one, that as London is different from other clubs, in that it is not in a ready made rugby league hotbed, it should be given extra help to turn it into one.

I think one difficulty over and above everything is that people haven't turned out to see them, and that is the fundamental problem, but I think there is a broad truth in your post.

Now if you could just go back to your usual nonsensical vitriol the world will begin to make sense again.

[brian2]

Re: Get the blind-fold. . . : Fri Dec 13, 2013 9:26 am  

The expansion of RL has been appallingly handled from start to finish by RFL. their is a very long list of failures - Bridgend, Kent, Sheffield (OK they won the cup), Gateshead etc etc. Gutterfax makes a good point in 2006 there was a general acceptance that a presence in London was essential. Between them the club and the RFL have completely messed up since. The Club have to accept most of the blame, but the RFL must take some of the blame

Re: Get the blind-fold. . . : Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:48 am  

brian2 wrote:

The Club have to accept most of the blame, but the RFL must take some of the blame

IMO any other club would rightly have been thrown out of SL if they had tried to pull a stunt like we have mid licence period.

Re: Get the blind-fold. . . : Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:54 am  

Talking of pulling stunts I'd pay good money to see Gus fired out of a cannon.

Re: Get the blind-fold. . . : Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:59 am  

The simple truth (in my mind) is that since Lenagan scarpered we have not resembled anything near a professionally run club.

There has been a catalogue of failures by the current management, and the RFL is a convenient straw man. From cancelling player sponsor dinners, to the damp squib of a re-brand, to appointing Powell, to giving underperforming antipodeans long-term contracts, to the decision to leave The Stoop. It's been a complete shambles for the past five years.

I'll re-iterate what I've said in a previous thread - I'm not entirely sure, short of stepping in and taking control of the club from David Hughes, what we could have reasonably expected the RFL to do.

Re: Get the blind-fold. . . : Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:17 pm  

The RFL & SL clubs could have realised that London can't be run on the same budget as a North of England club.
The SKY funding should be at least 50% higher as should the salary cap.
If London are to be competitive then they have to bring in the quality of player and numbers of quality players to do that.
The quota of Federation players is nonsense as there aren't any Federation clubs near to London.
That fed quota number should be added to the non federation trained players.
If the London expansion idea is to continue then it has to be successful on a long term basis. That depends on quality players and quality coaching.
To try and continue with the current level of funding and player access will only mean continuing failure.
Improvements are needed and changes have to be made to acheive that, whether the RFL & SL clubs have the where with all to do it is rather doubtful but we shall have to wait and see..

Re: Get the blind-fold. . . : Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:32 pm  

Father Ted wrote:

The RFL & SL clubs could have realised that London can't be run on the same budget as a North of England club.
The SKY funding should be at least 50% higher as should the salary cap.
If London are to be competitive then they have to bring in the quality of player and numbers of quality players to do that.
The quota of Federation players is nonsense as there aren't any Federation clubs near to London.
That fed quota number should be added to the non federation trained players.
If the London expansion idea is to continue then it has to be successful on a long term basis. That depends on quality players and quality coaching.
To try and continue with the current level of funding and player access will only mean continuing failure.
Improvements are needed and changes have to be made to acheive that, whether the RFL & SL clubs have the where with all to do it is rather doubtful but we shall have to wait and see..

I think this is a red herring. The club have the benefit of a very large catchment areas for young players and have done reasonably well in player development. We have often wasted the salary cap on extending contracts for under performing or past it players. We have also failed to get the best out of players who should actually have been decent signings.

Re: Get the blind-fold. . . : Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:46 pm  

Father Ted wrote:

The quota of Federation players is nonsense as there aren't any Federation clubs near to London.
That fed quota number should be added to the non federation trained players.

Why? There aren't many clubs near to Catalan either.

As for the SC London have an allowance to account for greater living expenses, which is irrelevant if the club can't afford to pay it. Arguing for a further increase is also pointless as London can't afford that either. On the same grounds Catalan should have a reduced salary cap to account for the lower income tax rate