Yup, I’m still on a roll at the minute. Plenty of things for me to write about before the season starts.
So, onto the wage cap issue……..
Since its inception, the EIHL has maintained a ‘gentlemans agreement’ regarding the amount of money its member clubs may spend on players. This has officially been a sum in the region of £210k per annum, give or take a few hundred here or there.
After it became increasingly obvious over the past few seasons that certain clubs were blatantly icgnoring this agreement (allegedly to the tune of 40%), during this summers hiatus, a new wage capping system was drafted and introduced. It should be noted that this was done after a number of EIHL member teams allegedly (that word again) threatend to resign from the league unless action was taken.
Anyways, the new system introduced was this: There are now 2 ‘tiers’ to the wgae cap. Tier 1 has a weekly allowance of £7k and 10 imports. Tier 2 has a cap of £6k and 11 imports.
The idea behand this is that by running with 11 imports (obviously lower paid ), plus 6 or so Brits, the lower budgeted teams would have a roster allowing for ‘3 line hockey’, thus giving themselves a depth of roster which should/would negate the higher budget teams more expensive players.
At least thats the theory. We won’t know if it works until the season is done and dusted.
However, some people would like everyone to believe that this is another example of the EIHL trying to wreck British Hockey. And the rationale for this thinking? There will be approximately 6-7 more imports in the game than last season.
Well hold the back page! 6-7 more imports! Ye Gods, the whole of British hockey is doomed!
Not.
For sure, its not an ideal situation. But given that the big clubs were never going to bring their spending down to the level of the smaller ones (and seriously risk losing their grip on the games upper levels), as long as the EIHL is self governed, this compromise id likely to be as good as it gets.
The upshot of this action (which the anti EIHL brigade seem to ignore) is that it could make teams which ahve been essentially whipping boys into something a bit more substantial, which might help these clubs actually get arse on seats and some much needed cash into their coffers.
Got an opinion? Let me know.
Amen to that…
The only problem I can see with the system is should it be so successful that clubs such as Sheffield, Coventry et al find themselves pushed down the league-do they then elect to stick with the higher 10-import wagecap or go with the 11 just for the sake of it-and if they go with the ten, how do you run the rules in the spirit of things (i.e to give those less successful a supposed equaliser)-does this mean they have an extra ITC card available for changes instead?