Carcassonne

[Dave T]

5 hours ago, gingerjon said:

We don't know how many clubs want to join but don't because of it.

That may be fair, but I've never had an issue with clubs having to buy-in. The alternative is that the game just has to say no as it can't afford it. 

[Tre Cool]

9 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

We're you old enough to see him play?

No, but i did witness his incredible coaching career with a win percentage of 22.22%

[phiggins]

They should be brought in to replace Catalans. 

This opinion has nothing to do with the fact that you can fly direct from Manchester to Carcassone, and me having to drive to Birmingham to fly to Perpignan next year...

[Harry Stottle]

8 minutes ago, İzmir Rugby League said:

They should simply make Elite 1 part of the pyramid. 

Make it initially League 1 equivalent then raise it to Championship equivalent. 

Each year Elite 1 could take on the Championship Winner. The result could count toward IMG ratings helping entry to Super League. 

This would also help incentivise investment into Elite 1 directly and possibly even incentivise expansion in close countries.such as Italy and Spain. 

By what measure do you believe Elite 1 clubs are Championship equivalent?

Also there is a table of points that applies to all 35 clubs to be acheived over 5 criteria ip to a maximum of 20 points why single out two clubs to have an advantage to gain more points than any other teams, how about the Championship winner assuming they are Grade B plays the lowest ranked SL Grade B for SL status?

[Gerrumonside ref]

I’m not very good at the associated tile laying board game of Carcassonne.

It is popular though. 

[Tre Cool]

42 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I’m not very good at the associated tile laying board game of Carcassonne.

It is popular though. 

I'm 15th in the world on the online app

[Gerrumonside ref]

21 minutes ago, Tre Cool said:

I'm 15th in the world on the online app

Nice!

 

[Henson Park Old Firm]

With all the French teams wanting to join maybe its the right time to bring back the Treize Tournoi?

[Leyther_Matt]

1 hour ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

With all the French teams wanting to join maybe its the right time to bring back the Treize Tournoi?

They tried that in 2010ish and made an absolute Horlicks of it in a similar vein to the expanded World Club Challenge the other year   

[Tommygilf]

5 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

By what measure do you believe Elite 1 clubs are Championship equivalent?

Also there is a table of points that applies to all 35 clubs to be acheived over 5 criteria ip to a maximum of 20 points why single out two clubs to have an advantage to gain more points than any other teams, how about the Championship winner assuming they are Grade B plays the lowest ranked SL Grade B for SL status?

Tbf he said League 1 first then Championship after the comp has been built up.

[sam4731]

Would it not be better to have League 1 and Elite 1 running as parallel leagues with end of season cross league playoffs for places in the Championship?

Edit: Classic not reading earlier posts, sorry.

Edited December 6, 2023 by sam4731

[Zilla Budgie]

11 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

I take it that even with the criticism, you read his articles?

I doubt any 'expansion lovers' read them anymore, they just like slagging him off.

[The Future is League]

21 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

I take it that even with the criticism, you read his articles?

I have in the past and know enough about his thinking that he's Dinosaur.

He was a great player without a doubt, but coaching wise he was a disaster.

[Midlands hobo]

2 hours ago, The Future is League said:

I have in the past and know enough about his thinking that he's Dinosaur.

He was a great player without a doubt, but coaching wise he was a disaster.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people still assume playing at the top level means your qualified to coach. I'd rather have a coach who started off with Sunday league does the courses learns their people skills learns their philosophy. Moves into lower leagues and works up possibility hitting SL/NRL later. 

However it's basically jobs for the boys, take burgess SL coach after a few seasons as assistant at souths. 

[The Future is League]

1 minute ago, Midlands hobo said:

It never ceases to amaze me how many people still assume playing at the top level means your qualified to coach. I'd rather have a coach who started off with Sunday league does the courses learns their people skills learns their philosophy. Moves into lower leagues and works up possibility hitting SL/NRL later. 

However it's basically jobs for the boys, take burgess SL coach after a few seasons as assistant at souths. 

The sad part for me is that Gary "The Dinosaur" Schofield thinks he's a top coach

[Harry Stottle]

47 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

The sad part for me is that Gary "The Dinosaur" Schofield thinks he's a top coach

I reckon if he did he would be applying for vacancies as and when they become available.

Schoey is no different to anyone who posts their opinions on here, some will vehemently disagree with him whilst others will be the opposite and agree with what he says, be it politics of the sport, individual players, matches that are to be played and matches that have been played, he can say what he wants within the rules, and he gets paid for doing so, free entry to games, and most likely free hospitality. Not bad for a Dinosaur wouldn't you say?

My opinion, I quite like him I read his columns and listened to the Last Tackle podcasts, give me Scohey any day other than Phil Caplan who to me even over the medium of radio appears to be talking down to the listeners.

Actually the moniker he has is  Garry "The Legend" Schofield.

[The Future is League]

2 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I reckon if he did he would be applying for vacancies as and when they become available.

Schoey is no different to anyone who posts their opinions on here, some will vehemently disagree with him whilst others will be the opposite and agree with what he says, be it politics of the sport, individual players, matches that are to be played and matches that have been played, he can say what he wants within the rules, and he gets paid for doing so, free entry to games, and most likely free hospitality. Not bad for a Dinosaur wouldn't you say?

My opinion, I quite like him I read his columns and listened to the Last Tackle podcasts, give me Scohey any day other than Phil Caplan who to me even over the medium of radio appears to be talking down to the listeners.

Actually the moniker he has is  Garry "The Legend" Schofield.

With his shocking success rate as a coach there is zero chance of him ever coaching at a decent level again

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, The Future is League said:

With his shocking success rate as a coach there is zero chance of him ever coaching at a decent level again

I don't think you are saying anything that everyone doesn't already know, and I don't know why you are directing his coaching prowess or lack of it at me, I have not said anything about him coaching again.

[Tre Cool]

7 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I don't think you are saying anything that everyone doesn't already know, and I don't know why you are directing his coaching prowess or lack of it at me, I have not said anything about him coaching again.

Great player

Bad coach

Bad pundit

I reckon 80% of RL fans agree with me - the other 20% are the ones being catered for with his opinion pieces - he jumped the shark years ago for me.

[Harry Stottle]

4 minutes ago, Tre Cool said:

Great player

Bad coach

Bad pundit

I reckon 80% of RL fans agree with me - the other 20% are the ones being catered for with his opinion pieces - he jumped the shark years ago for me.

If it is as you believe as big as 80% start a poll on here to get Martyn to sack him, why do you and others keep harping on about his coaching ability, how long is it since he has coached at anything like senior level, and being a bad pundit isn't that a personal view?

[Tre Cool]

2 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

If it is as you believe as big as 80% start a poll on here to get Martyn to sack him, why do you and others keep harping on about his coaching ability, how long is it since he has coached at anything like senior level, and being a bad pundit isn't that a personal view?

You're the one harping on about his playing ability from 30 years ago like it's relevant.  I don't care if they sack him or not, they seem like a good fit for each other tbh, i don't buy any of their publications and haven't for years.   

[gogledd]

Back to the topic of Carcassonne....I'm in two minds; I love to see more teams in League 1 and I'd love a trip to Carcassone again - I've been on a couple of occasions and seen the Canaries play there against their close rivals. I follow them on their YouTube Channel and they look a skillful, well drilled team and potentially better than most in League 1, but I'm sure there will be people saying if they join they start at the bottom and work up.

The other tack is to think will it weaken the current French leagues if one of the better teams leaves their system?

But if they don't leave Elite 1 they have nowhere else to go , if they have ambition they'll want to progress to the Championship and eventually Super League.

I like the  idea of the top Elite 2 teams playing a series with top League 1 sides and the same for Elite 1 vs Championship - it could be done at the end of 2025 to give IMG/RFL some idea if the leagues are comparable/ compatable and end up with a great UK/French club contest at the season end.

[Kirmonds pouch]

I've no issue with this, but it's a big risk for Carcassonne. They will need to get out of League one ASAP, or it will bankrupt them.

There are few teams in NL1 who will have any real away following. Also not many NL1 have much in the way of pulling power. 

In the Championship there are a number of clubs with both a presence and a decent away following. Once there I can see the point, but if they don't go up straight away, could be a disaster. Brave of them tbh.

[Midlands hobo]

1 hour ago, gogledd said:

Back to the topic of Carcassonne....I'm in two minds; I love to see more teams in League 1 and I'd love a trip to Carcassone again - I've been on a couple of occasions and seen the Canaries play there against their close rivals. I follow them on their YouTube Channel and they look a skillful, well drilled team and potentially better than most in League 1, but I'm sure there will be people saying if they join they start at the bottom and work up.

The other tack is to think will it weaken the current French leagues if one of the better teams leaves their system?

But if they don't leave Elite 1 they have nowhere else to go , if they have ambition they'll want to progress to the Championship and eventually Super League.

I like the  idea of the top Elite 2 teams playing a series with top League 1 sides and the same for Elite 1 vs Championship - it could be done at the end of 2025 to give IMG/RFL some idea if the leagues are comparable/ compatable and end up with a great UK/French club contest at the season end.

If one team is strong in elite 1 a d wants to try their luck in our pyramid then it would briefly weaken E1(don't forget it's not like a team goes under and the players are all released back into the market) but the now weaker league looks more competitive to E2 sides who move up and the. Maybe there is a solid Sunday league side who may want a crack in E2. 

The ladder of progress doesn't just mean players. 

Ideal scenario they come here we have a decent amount of french sides in the pyramid they the. Break away and have a thriving national pyramid and produce a great national side. For Wales to beat obviously 

[glossop saint]

6 minutes ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

I've no issue with this, but it's a big risk for Carcassonne. They will need to get out of League one ASAP, or it will bankrupt them.

There are few teams in NL1 who will have any real away following. Also not many NL1 have much in the way of pulling power. 

In the Championship there are a number of clubs with both a presence and a decent away following. Once there I can see the point, but if they don't go up straight away, could be a disaster. Brave of them tbh.

I suppose with something like this they require 'investment' and sponsorship to make it happen. They can't go relying on away fans even if they make the SL.

What I suppose they need is to make themselves the must see attraction with their own fans, either from Carcasonne itself or the wider region. Can they do that in L1 or even the Championship? Probably not, especially with added costs of other teams travel which is likely. Though if they have a winning team playing a better standard and more entertaining game than what they offer now then they might be able to.

Either that or they are gambling everything on the carrot of SL which is a risky business. Having said that if, and it is a huge if, they manage it then the potential rewards for the sport are great.