McNamara blasts Huddersfield after IMG discussions

[GUBRATS]

3 minutes ago, idrewthehaggis said:

Nah in some parts of England more like full stop. But not the majority any more.

But did you really expect anything different given who the owner endorsed and stood for in December 2019?

I am sure IMG ignored this, as most should.

France - our heartland cousins - are an easy win for RL and IMG if run better.

 

If 

[Damien]

I mean what does one of the most cashed up clubs who are consistently amongst the best average attendances do for for SL really?

Jesus wept, SL needs more clubs the size of Catalans, not less.

[Tommygilf]

There were separate meetings last week or so between IMG and Super League clubs, Championship clubs and League 1 clubs in turn. Incidentally they all took place at the home of Huddersfield Giants. Mixture of CEOs and Chairmen were in attendance as club representatives.

From what I've heard, a lot of clubs were out there to protect their own interests. Some advocated their own promotion with the drawbridge being pulled up, others didn't want certain clubs being relegated into their league, for example. I don't blame McNamara for defending his club publicly and feeling the need to do so in the heat of the moment a close victory - especially considering Mr Thewlis basically questioned Catalans' very existence. 

The message that must have come across loud and clear to IMG is that a significant chunk of the "professional" game is bald men fighting over a comb. They all know that finances are going to be squeezed further. They all want to "guarantee" as best they can a position of security in the top tier going forwards, very few of them care about anything or anyone else at this time.We saw this in brief snapshopt with the constant discussions and dividing lines over Toronto.

It will get more bitter as IMG recommendations come through. There will be a lot of people in glass houses throwing stones.

PS: I have absolutely no doubt that this atmosphere was fuelled during Mr Wood's tenure at the RFL, which saw Toulouse and Toronto sold to the group of doubters in the lower leagues as "don't worry they won't be in your league for very long" for example.

[Damien]

Not for the first time this shows that Davy is not the man who should be SL chairman. His views are too enshrined with protecting Huddersfield's position.

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, Damien said:

I mean what does one of the most cashed up clubs who are consistently amongst the best average attendances do for for SL really?

Jesus wept, SL needs more clubs the size of Catalans, not less.

Knives are coming out, money is being squeezed and lots of clubs are fearing the chop. 

We will see with IMGs proposals what they make of it all. I suspect they will recommend for some clubs exactly what they are asking for (a league with no international clubs in) but at the price of not being at the top tier.

In many ways that makes perfect sense and is what a lot of us on here, expansionist nuts or not, have advocated for. International clubs should really be going in at the fully professional level imo, rather than wasting time in the lower leagues essentially taking up promotion spots. Some cry foul on that, but then engage in mental gymnastics to say they want them to go through the leagues but also don't want them in the leagues anyway... What is disappointing is that often that same logic is applied to new British teams, such as Cornwall, which implies its an extreme nativist position, rather than just a debate over practicalities of International club competition.

[RS]

I see catalans beat Huddersfield yesterday afetr Catalans had struggled in the last couple of weeks, Mmmm...... good bit of motivation.

Edited July 24, 2022 by RS

[Tommygilf]

4 minutes ago, Damien said:

Not for the first time this shows that Davy is not the man who should be SL chairman. His views are too enshrined with protecting Huddersfield's position.

Indeed. If it is to be a club chairman, it surely should be someone who's club can essentially exist without them, to ensure the greatest independence.

[Adelaide Tiger]

14 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Mr Mac should be dragged over the coals by the RFL and IMG for leaking what was said in a "closed doors" meeting, I am sure going forward with meetings involving the Clubs, RFL and IMG there are going to be many instances which will not suit or even be of a radical nature to some of the participants, but it should remain in the meeting room, I think Mr Mac has shown a vast amount of immaturity and a complete lack of common sense with this disclosure.

I too am disappointed that McNamara/Catalans did not take this up with the Giants in a confidential discussion.  As IMG continue discussions with representatives of all clubs there will no doubt be many comments such as this aimed at certain clubs and if individuals from those clubs targeted choose to vent their frustration in the main media then it can undermine the whole process.

However, for the sake of transparency - that IMHO has been sadly lacking in the game - this process involving IMG gives the opportunity for IMG to provide a balanced summation of the ongoing discussions - warts and all - at regular intervals to provide followers of the game with information as to why decisions/directions are taken.  

But let’s be honest here about the comment by the Giants.  Some clubs base their cash projections on attracting a few hundred away supporters rather than taking the more challenging approach of expanding the footprint of the game.

[Harry Stottle]

7 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

There were separate meetings last week or so between IMG and Super League clubs, Championship clubs and League 1 clubs in turn. Incidentally they all took place at the home of Huddersfield Giants. Mixture of CEOs and Chairmen were in attendance as club representatives.

From what I've heard, a lot of clubs were out there to protect their own interests. Some advocated their own promotion with the drawbridge being pulled up, others didn't want certain clubs being relegated into their league, for example. I don't blame McNamara for defending his club publicly and feeling the need to do so in the heat of the moment a close victory - especially considering Mr Thewlis basically questioned Catalans' very existence. 

The message that must have come across loud and clear to IMG is that a significant chunk of the "professional" game is bald men fighting over a comb. They all know that finances are going to be squeezed further. They all want to "guarantee" as best they can a position of security in the top tier going forwards, very few of them care about anything or anyone else at this time.We saw this in brief snapshopt with the constant discussions and dividing lines over Toronto.

It will get more bitter as IMG recommendations come through. There will be a lot of people in glass houses throwing stones.

PS: I have absolutely no doubt that this atmosphere was fuelled during Mr Wood's tenure at the RFL, which saw Toulouse and Toronto sold to the group of doubters in the lower leagues as "don't worry they won't be in your league for very long" for example.

Thanks for that Tommy, "From what I've heard" seems like you have a source of information that only a few are privileged to, it would be good of you if you can keep us all informed as meetings are taken and things develop.

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, Harry Stottle said:

Thanks for that Tommy, "From what I've heard" seems like you have a source of information that only a few are privileged to, it would be good of you if you can keep us all informed as meetings are taken and things develop.

I'll do my best Harry, depressing as the news might be.

[GUBRATS]

12 minutes ago, Damien said:

Not for the first time this shows that Davy is not the man who should be SL chairman. His views are too enshrined with protecting Huddersfield's position.

Who do you suggest should hold the position ?

[FearTheVee]

McNamara is a tool who can’t resist shouting his mouth. He is usually wrong with his public rants and is almost always better served keeping his mouth shut.

If the Huddersfield club have the reported view then they are a joke outfit.  But McNamara’s public dummy spit is pathetic and completely in keeping with his character.

[Damien]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

Who do you suggest should hold the position ?

Bernard Guasch

[bobbruce]

29 minutes ago, Damien said:

I mean what does one of the most cashed up clubs who are consistently amongst the best average attendances do for for SL really?

Jesus wept, SL needs more clubs the size of Catalans, not less.

A club who also provide multiple home games filmed for the RFL to bundle in with their negotiations with Sky. 

[Adelaide Tiger]

19 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

There were separate meetings last week or so between IMG and Super League clubs, Championship clubs and League 1 clubs in turn. Incidentally they all took place at the home of Huddersfield Giants. Mixture of CEOs and Chairmen were in attendance as club representatives.

From what I've heard, a lot of clubs were out there to protect their own interests. Some advocated their own promotion with the drawbridge being pulled up, others didn't want certain clubs being relegated into their league, for example. I don't blame McNamara for defending his club publicly and feeling the need to do so in the heat of the moment a close victory - especially considering Mr Thewlis basically questioned Catalans' very existence. 

The message that must have come across loud and clear to IMG is that a significant chunk of the "professional" game is bald men fighting over a comb. They all know that finances are going to be squeezed further. They all want to "guarantee" as best they can a position of security in the top tier going forwards, very few of them care about anything or anyone else at this time.We saw this in brief snapshopt with the constant discussions and dividing lines over Toronto.

It will get more bitter as IMG recommendations come through. There will be a lot of people in glass houses throwing stones.

PS: I have absolutely no doubt that this atmosphere was fuelled during Mr Wood's tenure at the RFL, which saw Toulouse and Toronto sold to the group of doubters in the lower leagues as "don't worry they won't be in your league for very long" for example.

Thanks TG for the comment.

I was hoping that those attending would choose to start with a blank sheet of paper and develop a framework for going forward ……. by God I must still believe in Father Christmas

To me it truly is gut wrenching, but all too believable, that clubs continue to put their sole concerns before anything else and appear to be deaf, dumb and blind by furiously scrapping for a greater slice of the diminishing returns than choose a different way which may provide greater returns for all.

My club Cas are one of those clubs that are not guaranteed to be in, for example, a 10 team league and I would accept that if the outcome is more beneficial for the future whole game that what we have at the moment. How many others on this Forum would say the same ……. not many I assume.

[Harry Stottle]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

I'll do my best Harry, depressing as the news might be.

I do believe you may very well be correct in that "depressing" news will be what will come about for the majority of the 37 pro and semi pro clubs.

IMG who I believe are only going to be recompensed by a percentage of what the sport will profit by when their recommendations are implemented had better be mindful that Rugby League is a structure like a pyramid with only the top few layers being the pinnicle of the sport in this country, >90% in all it's forms provides the tools that the top simply cannot function without, if the foundations are compromised just to spend and concentrate on the shiney visible portion that could be a recipe for disaster, not immediate mind but like a weedkiller that immediatley makes the plant flourish until the poison takes over.

[GUBRATS]

1 minute ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

Thanks TG for the comment.

I was hoping that those attending would choose to start with a blank sheet of paper and develop a framework for going forward ……. by God I must still believe in Father Christmas

To me it truly is gut wrenching, but all too believable, that clubs continue to put their sole concerns before anything else and appear to be deaf, dumb and blind by furiously scrapping for a greater slice of the diminishing returns than choose a different way which may provide greater returns for all.

My club Cas are one of those clubs that are not guaranteed to be in, for example, a 10 team league and I would accept that if the outcome is more beneficial for the future whole game that what we have at the moment. How many others on this Forum would say the same ……. not many I assume.

Even if that meant you could never rejoin the top tier ?

[Damien]

4 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

A club who also provide multiple home games filmed for the RFL to bundle in with their negotiations with Sky. 

Indeed, and this is often forgotten about in the whole there is no French TV deal and they bring no money in debate. Maybe not but they do add value to the English TV deal and do provide badly needed additional exposure for the sport.

[GUBRATS]

25 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Indeed. If it is to be a club chairman, it surely should be someone who's club can essentially exist without them, to ensure the greatest independence.

Who would you suggest ?

[daz39]

32 minutes ago, Damien said:

Not for the first time this shows that Davy is not the man who should be SL chairman. His views are too enshrined with protecting Huddersfield's position.

Davy hasn't said a word!!!!

[Pulga]

36 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

From what I've heard, a lot of clubs were out there to protect their own interests.

You've just summed up the entire history of English rugby league.

[bobbruce]

2 minutes ago, Pulga said:

You've just summed up the entire history of rugby league.

Fixed it for you. 

[Damien]

1 minute ago, daz39 said:

Davy hasn't said a word!!!!

He has said plenty since become SL chairman. Is he not the owner of Huddersfield, the club McNamara is referring to?

[daz39]

Just now, Damien said:

He has said plenty since become SL chairman. Is he not the owner of Huddersfield, the club McNamara is referring to?

Owner yes, man who runs it and has the final decisions no. He employs a CEO as do most business owners.

[GUBRATS]

Unless you know the question asked , and the context of that question , you cannot know the exact context of the answer