Quote: Father Ted "I don't think there's too much wrong with the structures.
The SL comp is ok but we need to drop the Magic event and run a 26 game season with play offs. If anything the Magic should be transferred to the CCup.
The last 16 should be betwen 14 SL clubs and 2 Champ clubs, eight games over one weekend at either Bramhall Lane or CoM.
At the last 16 stage of the CCup it would fill either of those stadia.
If we are to have better calibre players in vast numbers so we can compete with the Aussies and Kiwis then we have to accept we will have to pay them the going market rate. That means raising the salary cap massively, replacing it with a system like the Aussies are trialing or abolishing restrictions altogether.
What does worry me is the standard of management at the very top, Lewis and Wood. Also at club level. For us at Wigan we suffered 10 years of ownership by Dave Whelan when the club was in decline throughout that period. Ian Lenagan in his third season has taken Wigan to be the best team in the SL and winning the League Championship.
There are other very good CEO's like McManus at Saints, Moran at Warrington and the crew running HKR are doing a fantastic phoenix like job at Craven Park.
Those I mentioned above have made it happen at their clubs. The rest just let it happen. They pick up their SKY money to run a full time club and hope something will happen to make them competitive. They all vote in the salary cap as it restricts the progressive clubs in becoming stronger with better players and squads.
Salford, Cas & Wakey have strugggled to survive, Leeds and Hull are very wealthy but going nowhere with the useless people they have in charge. Catalans, Crusaders & Quins are all having problems in their dev areas.
Although these separate problems have been identified it needs better calibre people running most of those clubs, especially in the "heartlands", if the game is to thrive.
For me the problem is a management one. Better calibre execs and owners bringing a more professional attitude to their clubs and into Red Hall. We need execs with a proven track record in business and a very keen interest in Rugby League.
Wigan, Saints, Warrington and HKR have done it and until the other clubs bring in owners and investors of the same ilk then the majority of clubs will struggle. So will SL and so will British Rugby League.'"
Total bollox , if you dont even know who exactly McManus and Moran even are at their clubs , let alone HKR running at losses of at least 500 K per season you really dont understand the problems , let alone the lunatic assumption that raising the salary cap would be a good idea when 80 % of clubs cant even afford to break even with the level it currently is at