Some thoughts for the future

[bobbykins]

This season looks to be the best in a long time for the EIHL with the presence of 10 teams in the league and the prospect (on paper) of it being the closest season yet between the teams. Hopefully over the next year or two the EIHL can start to build some strong foundations for the future and then begin to address some of the main issues I believe it has to face:

1) Refereeing.

Short term can our referees implement ZT? I’ve been wondering about this all through the off-season. I think the concept of ZT is good as it favors attacking hockey, which in turn increases the excitement of games (as seen in the NHL last year) However, I worry about the general consistency of how it will be applied. Even last year at times the refereeing consistency wasn’t good, so I just hope they can improve this year.

Also, as mentioned in the Football Post will they be able to handle the influx of enforcers and the prospect of more fighting with the new 3 fights and your out rule?

The Disciplinary Committee has to begin to clamp down on serious offences this season and begin to impose harsher bans and fines on offenders. Such an approach would allow players to feel safer from being injured and discourage players from seriously breaking the rules.

2) Consistent Competitions

Now we hopefully have a fixed amount of stable teams the EIHL will finally manage to sort out the format of the Challenge Cup, Knockout Cup and Playoffs. I think we need permanent formats to help these competitions develop long term. The Knockout Cup would be good to keep as it is similar to the FA Cup and is good for British Ice Hockey to have the lower league clubs competing against EIHL clubs. The Playoffs I feel would benefit from being knockout based from outset, rather than mini league based, as it would increase the excitement and emphasise that your team has to play well every night, rather than relying on winning some and hoping others lose.

3) Wagecap

The issue of the wagecap has to be addressed, in that do we have one or not? I think the current position of a gentleman’s agreement is untenable, as if we have a wagecap it must be a set figure with severe punishments for breaking it. I don’t believe the league could cope without a wagecap as the ISL demonstrated. I personally want to see an end to all this arguing over whether a team is breaking the cap or not!

4) Big City Teams

Long term the league needs facilities and teams in the big cities that currently lack teams. I can never understand why Ice Hockey cannot establish itself in London, especially with the big contingent of Europeans and North Americans present?! I think the league, in conjunction with other ice sports and bodies, needs to lobby for decent facilities to be built in London, Birmingham and any other large city. If the EIHL is to grow much further and develop better British players, then they have to break through into such areas.


I think as fans we have to keep lobbying for issues such as these, no matter how futile it seems, to help improve the quality of our league.

[thunder2]

Nice post- agree entirely.

[dirtyden]

The wage cap can never be checked for teams breaking it, to many ways of paying players without it ever being known.

[bobbykins]

Surely it must be possible to check? A wagecap works in Rugby League and teams are caught out for breaking it, aswell as numerous sports in the US. I think if stricter rules and classifications are imposed and clubs are forced to disclose all there outgoings to players to the EIHL, with thourgh checks, then it can be achieved.

[Peacock]

bobbykins said:

Surely it must be possible to check? A wagecap works in Rugby League and teams are caught out for breaking it.

True, but it has taken them almost a year. The teams recently punished broke the cap last year, and there's only 3 matches left this regular season. Not exactly a rapid response to the problem.

What if Team A had broken the cap, leading to Team B being relegated. What come-back do Team B have after a season in a lower League?

What if Team A (Bradford) go on to beat Team B (Leeds) in the Superleague Final, only for it to emerge 9 months later that Bradford had broken the cap. Should they be stripped of the title?

[bobbykins]

I'm all in favor of tough punishments for clubs that break the rules, as rules are there for a reason. It's difficult to comment on the Rugby League as I don't fully know their rules, but I wouldn't be against stripping the title for breaking the cap.

My view is if you sign a player you should immediately disclose to the EIHL what his salary is, accommodation (which should be a separate allowance) and any other perks, thus hopefully eliminating the time delay. The clubs know all this information on their players as they have to know the value of the packages from a business point of view. Then at the end of year I'm sure it would be possible to have their books checked.

I think it is all possible if you put the rules in place, but if we leave it like it is the uncertainty will continue. Surely all fans of every club want to know that their team won fairly?!

[Peacock]

bobbykins said:

Then at the end of year I'm sure it would be possible to have their books checked.

Whilst I fully agree with you in priciple, I'm sure that anyone with even a small knowledge af Accounting will tell you that checking Books is far from foolproof.

[Heanor Lair]

peacock said:

bobbykins said:

Surely it must be possible to check? A wagecap works in Rugby League and teams are caught out for breaking it.

True, but it has taken them almost a year. The teams recently punished broke the cap last year, and there's only 3 matches left this regular season. Not exactly a rapid response to the problem.

What if Team A had broken the cap, leading to Team B being relegated. What come-back do Team B have after a season in a lower League?

What if Team A (Bradford) go on to beat Team B (Leeds) in the Superleague Final, only for it to emerge 9 months later that Bradford had broken the cap. Should they be stripped of the title?

In Rugby League the wage cap is based on a % of each idividually clubs income. The wage cap cannot exced £1.78m per season.

With this method you will always have a delay until the next season after the financial results are issued, hence Wigans and Bradfords recent 2 point deductions.

However, I dont know how it would work with the EIHL. I recently saw the most recent financial results for panthers, and to be honest nothing could be assertained regarding wages paid, etc.

Regards

HL

[Peacock]

heanorlair said:

In Rugby League the wage cap is based on a % of each idividually clubs income. The wage cap cannot exced £1.78m per season.

With this method you will always have a delay until the next season after the financial results are issued, hence Wigans and Bradfords recent 2 point deductions.

Why does there always need to be a delay?

Sponsorship income will be known by the end of the season, gate money by the last game. Why not make the financial year end say 1 month from the closing day of the season...plenty of time to produce results.

The Superleague would then have around 3 months before the next season to impose any sanctions.

heanorlair said:

However, I dont know how it would work with the EIHL. I recently saw the most recent financial results for panthers, and to be honest nothing could be assertained regarding wages paid, etc.

Financial reports will show as much info as is required. If the EIHL wanted more detail, the clubs would supply it.

[pantherfan]

There are ways around the wage cap such as "Presesnts" and jobs for the players wives where they don't need to turn up.