<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Hanover Masters - Put money where the hungry mouth is</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Paul Reid
Thursday, August 24, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>The Hanover Masters team recently won their sixth straight Western Masters League title. Anywhere in the sporting world this would be an outstanding achievement, a dynasty, as very few teams can put together a winning streak of even three straight titles these days when players are allowed to move between teams as they please.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In America, this freedom of movement is called 'free agency' but it is an oxymoron as there is hardly anything free, except choice, in these movements.
Even more recently, the Hanover team won the 'national' title in a tournament played in Mandeville. So we should be congratulating Hanover Masters and their financial backer, Dr Clive McKenzie, for their hard work, right?<P class=StoryText align=justify>Wrong, I say. Certainly not while Hanover's football is arguably the weakest in the entire county of Cornwall and is the only one without a Premier League representative.
Maybe the goodly doctor should look more to developing the game from that level instead of throwing money at players who have made their contributions and should be kicking back and enjoying their dotage.
A quick look at the list of players on the Hanover Masters team reads as a Who's Who of former national players and some of the best from around the region, many of whom are paid for their services.
While no one can tell the 'owners' and managers of the Hanover team what to do with their money, a suggestion might be to invest this money in a youth team or one of the local Division One clubs.
It appears that while the other teams taking part in Masters League football around the island are doing it for recreation and for 'old timers' to keep active while bonding with people who share an interest in the sport, the Hanover Masters team is a professional unit.
In other parts of the country, leagues involving 'retired' players is primarily for fun.
The Hanover Masters League shouldn't be any different.
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Paul Reid
Thursday, August 24, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>The Hanover Masters team recently won their sixth straight Western Masters League title. Anywhere in the sporting world this would be an outstanding achievement, a dynasty, as very few teams can put together a winning streak of even three straight titles these days when players are allowed to move between teams as they please.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In America, this freedom of movement is called 'free agency' but it is an oxymoron as there is hardly anything free, except choice, in these movements.
Even more recently, the Hanover team won the 'national' title in a tournament played in Mandeville. So we should be congratulating Hanover Masters and their financial backer, Dr Clive McKenzie, for their hard work, right?<P class=StoryText align=justify>Wrong, I say. Certainly not while Hanover's football is arguably the weakest in the entire county of Cornwall and is the only one without a Premier League representative.
Maybe the goodly doctor should look more to developing the game from that level instead of throwing money at players who have made their contributions and should be kicking back and enjoying their dotage.
A quick look at the list of players on the Hanover Masters team reads as a Who's Who of former national players and some of the best from around the region, many of whom are paid for their services.
While no one can tell the 'owners' and managers of the Hanover team what to do with their money, a suggestion might be to invest this money in a youth team or one of the local Division One clubs.
It appears that while the other teams taking part in Masters League football around the island are doing it for recreation and for 'old timers' to keep active while bonding with people who share an interest in the sport, the Hanover Masters team is a professional unit.
In other parts of the country, leagues involving 'retired' players is primarily for fun.
The Hanover Masters League shouldn't be any different.
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