League Express Tweeting that they have story that will rock the sport

[super major]

Another damp squib hardly rocking anyone's world .

There are bigger issues in RL to concern ourselves with how the game is run from the top needs more scrutiny there perhaps ?

If allegations regarding extra payments to players outside of an agreed salary cap are proven then this is deliberate cheating. Seems pretty serious to me. Salary cap has been good and we are getting a more even competition year on year. All current SL teams have a realistic chance of a top 8 finish. If one is cheating then there are serious implications for our sport

[MaverickX111]

If allegations regarding extra payments to players outside of an agreed salary cap are proven then this is deliberate cheating. Seems pretty serious to me. Salary cap has been good and we are getting a more even competition year on year. All current SL teams have a realistic chance of a top 8 finish. If one is cheating then there are serious implications for our sport

But yet again is a negative bad news story right at the start of our super league season

My league express will be with me shortly so hopefully there is positive news in there also

Salford breaking the cap is not big news

It hardly rocks our game. We have a tough enough time attracting media attention without our own journalists attempting to make a quick buck on a none story

[The Future is League]

But is he the really the good doctor? Is he helping the league or making it more difficult for the RFL to get big name sponsors when he goes on foul mouth rants during press conferences which doesn't help the league overall? Maybe SL is better with either Leigh or Bradford instead of Salford?

I somehow don't think Bradford will get back into Super League if the Red Devils fold.

Remember without the help of the RFL Bradford would have folded last season, due to the RFL taking over the lease of Odsal.

I wouldn't be surprised if Bradford go cap in hand to the RFL again asking for more money in advance.

[super major]

But yet again is a negative bad news story right at the start of our super league season

My league express will be with me shortly so hopefully there is positive news in there also

Salford breaking the cap is not big news

It hardly rocks our game. We have a tough enough time attracting media attention without our own journalists attempting to make a quick buck on a none story

But if anyone is to "blame" for this story it isn't league express. The fault rests fair and square on the alleged guilty party. Do you want a more censored press?

[The Parksider]

He's referring to the Puletua employment tribunal, though why he thinks that is relevant to the salary cap is anybody's guess.

 

Well..............

 

As has possibly already been posted employment tribunals do not have anything to do with the Salary Cap, that is policed by the governing body, The RFL.  However what came out in the employment tribunal I am sure will be included in any RFL investigation.

 

I think this extra contract of "employment" with a Marwan company outside the Reds came out at the Tribunal

 

If allegations regarding extra payments to players outside of an agreed salary cap are proven then this is deliberate cheating. 

 

IIRC he said he was going to find ways like others had done.........

[Bulliac]

I somehow don't think Bradford will get back into Super League if the Red Devils fold.

Remember without the help of the RFL Bradford would have folded last season, due to the RFL taking over the lease of Odsal.

I wouldn't be surprised if Bradford go cap in hand to the RFL again asking for more money in advance.

I do wish that people who want to have a dig would at least make the tiniest effort to get the facts right. The RFL took the lease of Odsal under the chairmanship of Peter Hood. This is approximately three owners ago - depending on whether or not you  include the 3 musketeers [the Beds R Us, group] who were put in charge without ever actually buying the club. So, it was around 2011. Still, "last season" is near enough.

 

Incidentally, as the post could be read as suggesting the club was saved, "by the RFL paying the lease", can I just remind everyone that the RFL is paying the 'peppercorn' low level rent to the council and the Bulls are currently paying a commercial rent to the RFL. In other words the RFL is making a handsome profit on a commercial deal.

[Manx RL]

I do wish that people who want to have a dig would at least make the tiniest effort to get the facts right. The RFL took the lease of Odsal under the chairmanship of Peter Hood. This is approximately three owners ago - depending on whether or not you  include the 3 musketeers [the Beds R Us, group] who were put in charge without ever actually buying the club. So, it was around 2011. Still, "last season" is near enough.

 

Incidentally, as the post could be read as suggesting the club was saved, "by the RFL paying the lease", can I just remind everyone that the RFL is paying the 'peppercorn' low level rent to the council and the Bulls are currently paying a commercial rent to the RFL. In other words the RFL is making a handsome profit on a commercial deal.

 

Is that a fact or supposition? 

[Dave T]

On twitter last night Koukash claimed that they could give whatever prize they want for their player of the year - suggesting that they had given something.

 

Their was a picture of Evalds with a Maserati on twitter, with him thanking Koukash for it - Koukash said that it was given out at the end of the season and would count on the cap for the next year if necessary.

 

Both of those comments from him suggested that his knowledge of the cap may not be perfect.

[Bullseye]

How much is that Maserati worth?

[MaverickX111]

How much is that Maserati worth?

A lot

But so what if he wants to give gifts

I don't see the issue at all

[Dunbar]

How much is that Maserati worth?

Looks like a 57 plate Quattroporte so around £20-25k.

[RS]

I'm sure hMRC are aware and the 40% tax 9on his income has been paid. 

[Amber Avenger]

On twitter last night Koukash claimed that they could give whatever prize they want for their player of the year - suggesting that they had given something.

Their was a picture of Evalds with a Maserati on twitter, with him thanking Koukash for it - Koukash said that it was given out at the end of the season and would count on the cap for the next year if necessary.

Both of those comments from him suggested that his knowledge of the cap may not be perfect.

I found this quite strange as iirc this wasn't even mentioned in the article in LE. Has someone / somewhere else picked this fact up?

[Dave T]

A lot

But so what if he wants to give gifts

I don't see the issue at all

gifts is absolutely an issue!

[Barnaby Reddin]

Salford breaking the cap is not big news

Indeed it isn't. If they are guilty of any breaches then it's a fine and a points deduction. No matter how big a deduction, it won't relegate them as it did Bradford, because they'll still have 4 teams from the Championship to beat to stay up.......highlighting another fault in the 888 System. I'm not even sure Salford had built a good enough squad to get out of the middle 8's so the only punishment would be the fine and as we all know, the Good Dr is a gazzillionaire.....

[MaverickX111]

Indeed it isn't. If they are guilty of any breaches then it's a fine and a points deduction. No matter how big a deduction, it won't relegate them as it did Bradford, because they'll still have 4 teams from the Championship to beat to stay up.......highlighting another fault in the 888 System. I'm not even sure Salford had built a good enough squad to get out of the middle 8's so the only punishment would be the fine and as we all know, the Good Dr is a gazzillionaire.....

Their squad is ok

Not spectacular

More hard working than anything

[GeordieSaint]

He's referring to the Puletua employment tribunal, though why he thinks that is relevant to the salary cap is anybody's guess.

Understood - thanks.

[dkw]

A lot

But so what if he wants to give gifts

I don't see the issue at all

Gifts are obviously an issue, how could you even think they aren't? It's a clear abuse of the salary cap.

[Barnaby Reddin]

I do wish that people who want to have a dig would at least make the tiniest effort to get the facts right. The RFL took the lease of Odsal under the chairmanship of Peter Hood. This is approximately three owners ago - depending on whether or not you  include the 3 musketeers [the Beds R Us, group] who were put in charge without ever actually buying the club. So, it was around 2011. Still, "last season" is near enough.

 

Incidentally, as the post could be read as suggesting the club was saved, "by the RFL paying the lease", can I just remind everyone that the RFL is paying the 'peppercorn' low level rent to the council and the Bulls are currently paying a commercial rent to the RFL. In other words the RFL is making a handsome profit on a commercial deal.

The section I've underlined needs clarification unless your opening remark is to be taken with a pinch of salt.

The RFL bent over backwards to assist Bradford and if you're denying this, then I admire your sheer audacity. Loans, advances, buying them out of a lease which was causing them trouble......all of these things individually would be OK, but collectively they can be rightly seen as Bradford being given the most assistance of any club in the History of Super League. To deny this is stupid.

So, can you prove that the RFL is "clipping the ticket"? 

[DemonUK]

The auditors report on SCRs last set of accounts basically points out that without MKs presence the company would be trading insolvent.  The fans are going to have to realise this and start turning up otherwise if he decides to walk away they really are gone with debts of almost 7 million quid....and that's before this season starts.

 

I have also seen but not been able to confirm that Euromatech (sole director MK) were ordered to pay up contract no 2, so the story being told of it being thrown out may not be entirely true.

 

Regardless of other people supposedly doing the same I think this stinks along with the 9 companies some of which have been and gone during MKs reign at SRD (SCR).

[JonM]

Good luck in proving the SC is anti-competitive given that all the clubs in the same league operate under exactly the same cap restriction.

 

I have quite a specialised job. There's only a limited number of places in the world that I could work. If those companies all got together and agreed that they would not spend more than a certain amount on salaries, I'd definitely regard that as anti-competitive and I'm pretty sure the courts would agree. I'd imagine the law applies equally to people who earn their living playing RL.

[Manx RL]

I have quite a specialised job. There's only a limited number of places in the world that I could work. If those companies all got together and agreed that they would not spend more than a certain amount on salaries, I'd definitely regard that as anti-competitive and I'm pretty sure the courts would agree. I'd imagine the law applies equally to people who earn their living playing RL.

Give over! Emptying Biffa bins isn't that specialised.

[Chris22]

A baseless story which deals in speculation and guess work, in the absence of any evidence. I dislike the Marc Green has been painted as a villain, when he didn't want this to be leaked in to the public domain.

 

And, yet again, the League Express drum up a false storm in a laughable attempt to sell more papers. Maybe the journalists should look up the definitions of the phrases "rock to its core" and "meltdown", which inevitably leads to slanderous speculation. 

[DemonUK]

I have quite a specialised job. There's only a limited number of places in the world that I could work. If those companies all got together and agreed that they would not spend more than a certain amount on salaries, I'd definitely regard that as anti-competitive and I'm pretty sure the courts would agree. I'd imagine the law applies equally to people who earn their living playing RL.

The RFL and the clubs that voted for it have it for the good of the game or that is what the thinking is. I'm afraid you cannot have external judiciary deciding what is good or not good for the game of rugby league.

When SL came along were the majority of RFL member clubs stuffed when it came to central funding? Technically they were and 12 clubs took 90% of what was classed as central funding. Why didn't 22 clubs take the RFL to court.

The clubs voted on bringing in the salary cap, nothing to stop them removing it if the majority wanted to

[MaverickX111]

A baseless story which deals in speculation and guess work, in the absence of any evidence. I dislike the Marc Green has been painted as a villain, when he didn't want this to be leaked in to the public domain.

And, yet again, the League Express drum up a false storm in a laughable attempt to sell more papers. Maybe the journalists should look up the definitions of the phrases "rock to its core" and "meltdown", which inevitably leads to slanderous speculation.

I agree

Totally

Poor journalism at best