Carlos Zalduendo said in 'Toulouse mag' this month that they will be semi-pro again this year with a goal of going full-time. They'll have seven full-time employees in 2009. He also expects to be able to afford to enter a reserve time in the french elite next season, too.

He also said that they'll be running a travel club where french fans can pay 30 euros a month and pick a game in england to travel to and that they'll be putting on some special deals to encourage english fans to travel.

he indicates different in this article

[iMost treizistes Toulouse, hitherto semi-professional and had a job elsewhere, will now focus 100% oval ball. The coach and physical trainer will be full-time service club, sports director takes office. The Toulouse Olympique XIII plunges into total professionalism[/i

he also explains that they will be working on a budget of about €2million, which should easily be enough for them to be spending £400k (the NL1 Cap) on player salaries

It also confirms they will be fielding a team in the french elite, mostly made up of youth players as their reserve side

[iStatus astonishing

and four home games will be screened on sport +

[iAnd Sport + broadcast four games of Toulouse at home. This media exposure should not displease the club sponsors, including IFB, a financial company. [/i

rlarticle hererl

(It's worth noting that the current LER season in 2008-2008, so the reserve side in the LER will be next year).

Looking at the expansion of our game i think Tolouse are only in NL is too help them setup for SL. Once they are established like Catalans are i feel the RFL will start on another French club again to keep building the French game. Then say in 30 years time, a long time i know, their will be a french league that could match that of Super somewhat. I think that is the only way to improve our game internationally.

I reckon the league will do the same with Wales, Ireland and Scotland - In the next few years get teams into NL3 & 2 and support them in the move up the ladder to help them apply for super league in say 10 years time then help them develop their own leagues greater. The downside with this is that the leagues could be poorly followed with low skill from players.

Another option the RFL could take is too keep expanding the Super League to include around 20 clubs with say 12 from England and 2 from the four other countries. I think the amount of games though would take the toll on players with the add on of travelling further and would leave less and less time for international events like the WC.

Either option has its positives and negatives what else do people think will help the expansion of our wonderful game.

I bet all the Toulose fans are fuming at the trolling on their forum.

Not convinced that a semi-pro NL1 side will be able to enter a reserve side of Elite 1 standard, would be more realistic to enter them to Elite 2 and then move them up to Elite 1 when the first team get elected to SL, otherwise the standard gap's too small and their reserves will get crushed in Elite 1 (and it would be pretty offensive to the league to have the reserve side of a NL1 club in their national league)

But it wont be a reserve side for 3/4 s of the elite 1 season

They will use most of thier french NL players and then bring in the o/seas for the NL season

I think there is maybe some confusion on the status of players.
The goal is full-time pro contracts for the first team, but the club will start with a mix of players on full time contracts, and others who are semi-pro. It is further complicated by the fact that some of the younger quality players will be "apprentices" a particular status in France. Toulouse is the only RL club in France to have a full-time Centre de Formation (the Dragons do not ) funded by the Government. The France Junior prop Maxime Circirko will be part of this, studying but also playing RL, receiving a grant. Ditto Telly Pelo (dmitri's cousin) who is a Student. Former St Gaudens Antoni Maria, on the fringe of the French national squad is also in this category, as is Nicolas Delgal. But they are all handy players but still finishing their apprenticeship/continuing their education as well.
There will be 8 FT pro contracts initially. the rest semi-pro, plus yonger lads from the C de F, but the squad will move towards FT for all for the second season, when they will also run a team in the Elite.
The club have appointed FT Coach, Assistant and Conditioner and references to "professionalism" are also in terms of the quality and standards. For example those players retained from last year's squad have already been undergoing personalised weight training (5 sessions a week to raise the physical standards)

Refreshing to read someone who knows what he's talking about. Thank you Cliff Sprack.

The Pure Economics of teams In Wales and France- competitive ones and a super league increased to 16 teams means that our next TV deal could be worth 30 million a year.......................Good job we are not negotiating it now though

Nah, they'll develop their own players in the LER, then we will loan them fringe players during the NL1 season.

Just out of interest how is the Toulouse squad shaping up in that case? What other players are on the books and where have they come from?

Will Damian Couturier be playing for Toulouse next season?

Reports from Carlos and Cedric on Staurday said they were champing at the bit to get a game against the Dragons. Damian Coutourier will be playing for the Olympique this season, and as well as on their website, when I can drag the squad list off the dog who thinks it's her dinner, (which Cedric kindly e-mailed me), I will post it on the site. Or you can get it from John D, the oracle, who told Cedric on Saturday twenty of his players and their squad numbers before Cedric had chance to open his mouth!!! (Think he may be picking the team for the Widnes game in march).

Think your a bit 'off-base' with your thinking that the ponential Elite 1 team will feature top Olympic C1 players.....yes, maybe for a few games just prior to start of the C1 season except for one or two fitness hit-up's at most.......but for 3/4 of Elite 1 and then for the full C1 season NO WAY......it will mean player 'burn out' big time.

I think that the TO team in the LER will be a very weak side, potentially bottom of the pile material. It will be made up of the current academy side, bolstered by visits from out-of-favour or fringe C1 players and possibly those that need to re-gain match fitness (say, after injury).

UTC:Catalans gives an example of how it will work.

This does not preclude some top C1 players making it into the LER side though.