Where should import numbers go?
- Thread starter TheStub
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Simple question to everyone then. Name one thing you would do in an ideal world to try to get the UK Mens Ice Hockey team into the Winter Olympics.
My opening. 50 central IHUK contracts per season with all eligable players playing in the eliteleague with a lottery draft each summer amongst the teams to allocate each player to each team. There wages are paid from a central salery pot as contributed to by all 10 eliteleague teams.
My opening. 50 central IHUK contracts per season with all eligable players playing in the eliteleague with a lottery draft each summer amongst the teams to allocate each player to each team. There wages are paid from a central salery pot as contributed to by all 10 eliteleague teams.
agree with mooney & stub on this, unless the import level gradually decreases, british Hockey will founder. as for whether there is 20 EPL brits able to stepup(10 teams), then definitely after watching the full season. Brits choose to play EPL instead of elite for lots of reasons, which have rarely got anything to do with ability. British hockey players play because they love the sport the same as imports, but once they get to a certain age, they have to live financially. contrary to popular belief, they dont earn as much as people discuss on the forums, there is a vast difference between theirs & import wages, they choose epl, so they can play the sport they love, but are still able to hold down full time occupations, with training in the evenings. Elite train during the day and you simply cant work alongside this in most jobs. This might seem simple but its true. If import levels drop, then more of the talented brits wages should increase to allow them to not need to have 2nd jobs. I would personally like to see % split of the wage cap that must be allocated to brit wages.
Also until someone is brave enough to have playoffs between the top EPL league teams and the bottom half of the Elite league, none of us know what the difference in the standard is and I would think that not many of the elite teams would want to find out either. But there is a big difference between 4-10 imports, and i dont think that the elite teams are that much of a higher standard for the 6 additional imports at present.
Also until someone is brave enough to have playoffs between the top EPL league teams and the bottom half of the Elite league, none of us know what the difference in the standard is and I would think that not many of the elite teams would want to find out either. But there is a big difference between 4-10 imports, and i dont think that the elite teams are that much of a higher standard for the 6 additional imports at present.
Re: Re: Where should import numbers go?
But it isnt what the EPL delivers either.
Invicta, Romford, Chelmsford, Telford, Peteborough have all experienced problems in the last few years or in some cases have had to drop to ENL further.
As i said earlier in this thread I'm still waiting for the evidence that import limits are in any way the cuase of problems in ice hockey in this country.
But it isnt what the EPL delivers either.
Invicta, Romford, Chelmsford, Telford, Peteborough have all experienced problems in the last few years or in some cases have had to drop to ENL further.
As i said earlier in this thread I'm still waiting for the evidence that import limits are in any way the cuase of problems in ice hockey in this country.
I don't want an instant drop in Import levels as like people have said the players and infrastructure aren't in place to sustain it. What I want is a change in mindset and organisational changes as far as British player development goes. Then when you see real progress in this area you can decrease import levels to allow the roster slots to open for British player movement. At the moment everyone is of the belief that imports dictate the standard of the elite league. What I would like to see is a league where the Brits dictate the standard and imports are signed of the according calibre. If elite league carries on with it's cosy arrangements yeah you've got a league to watch but being frank its not that brilliant and hockey will never sell well in this country while that is the product on offer. For growth and expansion to occur the top league also needs to be Brit driven as like I said to benefit the national team. The only true way hockey can grow is with investment and how you get it is the key question. For me the GB team is the key to unlocking that door. My opinion it's a one step back, two steps forward situation but no one will take the step back.
Brits do dictate the standard though, how many teams in todays EIHL win any thing with poor brits ? I dont see why to expand the league it needs to be brit driven.
Hockey is only "not that good" if you saw the ISL or are an NHL fan, if you watched EPL/ENL then saw EIHL you would see a big iimprovement.
I'm talking about expansion of the whole sport to a greater audience not just the EIHL. Get more kids playing and more people watching and most of all more businesses investing. Expansion of the EIHL would be a result of this not a cause.
Granted the Brits can dictate who wins championships but not the overall standard of the league. If every team had similar standard Brits then the parity of teams would be much closer and the league product would be better. Lower league teams as you say are only competitive through imports. That is the situation that needs addressing. You need a generation of Dowds etc who will fill the roster not a minority of up to standard Brits. He shouldn't be a freaky maverick who is to good for the UK. He should be one of fifty players of that calibre spread across the league. Then you would have a league to be proud of.
Don't get me wrong the failures of hockey in this country are vast and across the board not just isolated to EIHL imports but the EIHL has to be prepared to do its bit and if that means reducing Import limits to allow Brit roster space then so be it. As said I personally believe greater roster turnover between Brits would actually raise standards but that only happens if the places and money are available in the first place. My opinion a prosperous future for ice hockey in the UK lies with investment in British players both ice time and financial not with Import players. Suppose if it carries on like it is one of us will be proved right one way or another. Then we can settle it the old fashioned way. Last one stood at the bar wins.
Granted the Brits can dictate who wins championships but not the overall standard of the league. If every team had similar standard Brits then the parity of teams would be much closer and the league product would be better. Lower league teams as you say are only competitive through imports. That is the situation that needs addressing. You need a generation of Dowds etc who will fill the roster not a minority of up to standard Brits. He shouldn't be a freaky maverick who is to good for the UK. He should be one of fifty players of that calibre spread across the league. Then you would have a league to be proud of.
Don't get me wrong the failures of hockey in this country are vast and across the board not just isolated to EIHL imports but the EIHL has to be prepared to do its bit and if that means reducing Import limits to allow Brit roster space then so be it. As said I personally believe greater roster turnover between Brits would actually raise standards but that only happens if the places and money are available in the first place. My opinion a prosperous future for ice hockey in the UK lies with investment in British players both ice time and financial not with Import players. Suppose if it carries on like it is one of us will be proved right one way or another. Then we can settle it the old fashioned way. Last one stood at the bar wins.
we do, after 20 years,our company put their sponsorship with the EPL now, simply because we support british athletes, if we wanted to watch 10/11 foreign players at the same time , we will go over the pond, north America or Europe, but in our own country we want to watch british players. Also hoping that the wages, sponsorship benefits are shared equally and coaches respect and treat all the players equally(not one rule for import, different rules for brits).
obviously the above is a dream, but seeing all the youngsters at the conference last weekend, which i assume you were all at, then the question of if we have enough brit players coming through to replace imports is really a non starter.
obviously the above is a dream, but seeing all the youngsters at the conference last weekend, which i assume you were all at, then the question of if we have enough brit players coming through to replace imports is really a non starter.