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#1
Remember the ISL anyone? - A fantastic period for hockey in the UK - teams loaded from top to bottom with real quality, the game played at real pace and intensity like we'd never seen before. Big players, big reputations and big bucks. Wow - it was good.
Great entertainment for the paying fans - not so great for British Players unless you were established and at the pinnacle of your game like Longstaffe, Hand, Chinn, Ian & Stephen Cooper. I can't recall that much fresh GB talent coming through during that era.
Inevitably, one dark day a few clubs tapped their calculators on the desk and realized that the digits being displayed had been multiplied by -1. Suffice to say it all came tumbling down resulting in the birth of the EIHL - with a sensible import limit.
Fast forward to today and I'm beginning to feel slightly fearful for Ice Hockey in the UK - Import levels rising / quality of imports rising and no doubt the wages are rising in-line. In a nutshell a pseudo Canadian/EU league.
So, that's great for Sheffield, Nottingham, Belfast, Braehead and maybe us - all pulling in a reasonable amount of spectators (and having some decent owners to sustain it). But I fear for the league in what may become and us and them scenario. No disrespect to Edinburgh but how can they compete in this environment? Some other teams will no doubt struggle too. I want to see a competitive league. Furthermore, what damage is this doing to GB and any promising youngsters today?
I hope this season runs smoothly without too many one sided games - and each club can sustain and survive in this environment!
So are we venturing into dangerous waters? Ice Hockey has had its fingers burnt in the UK before and I think our hands are getting a little too close to the fire at the moment.
I'd like to see the league reduce the import level by 2-3 next year - keep the quality but give the British kids a chance too.
Thoughts ?
Great entertainment for the paying fans - not so great for British Players unless you were established and at the pinnacle of your game like Longstaffe, Hand, Chinn, Ian & Stephen Cooper. I can't recall that much fresh GB talent coming through during that era.
Inevitably, one dark day a few clubs tapped their calculators on the desk and realized that the digits being displayed had been multiplied by -1. Suffice to say it all came tumbling down resulting in the birth of the EIHL - with a sensible import limit.
Fast forward to today and I'm beginning to feel slightly fearful for Ice Hockey in the UK - Import levels rising / quality of imports rising and no doubt the wages are rising in-line. In a nutshell a pseudo Canadian/EU league.
So, that's great for Sheffield, Nottingham, Belfast, Braehead and maybe us - all pulling in a reasonable amount of spectators (and having some decent owners to sustain it). But I fear for the league in what may become and us and them scenario. No disrespect to Edinburgh but how can they compete in this environment? Some other teams will no doubt struggle too. I want to see a competitive league. Furthermore, what damage is this doing to GB and any promising youngsters today?
I hope this season runs smoothly without too many one sided games - and each club can sustain and survive in this environment!
So are we venturing into dangerous waters? Ice Hockey has had its fingers burnt in the UK before and I think our hands are getting a little too close to the fire at the moment.
I'd like to see the league reduce the import level by 2-3 next year - keep the quality but give the British kids a chance too.
Thoughts ?