The Virtual Terrace • Future of the Game

Ian Lenegan asked Widnes, London, Newcastle and Bradford to run reserves on top of their academies so it's clearly not a "choice" it is a requirement from Lenegan who along with other top chairmen who are taking over Superleague 2022. The reason he openly asked them, and DID NOT LEAVE THEM TO CHOOSE is obvious. Lenegan favours London for Superleague certainly (he invests in them) in front of any overseas clubs. Superleague obviously favour Mr, Kurdi's club - why are you oblivious to the Magic Weekend being played in Newcastle and the Friday night openers featuring the Newcastle club?

Are they doing this to let them rot in the Championship 2022 on??

Isn't it obvious that clubs here do well when they have a rich owner who is prepared to spend their money to create a solvent club who can run an extensive player development system from their "Foundation" promoting the junior game in the schools and around their town/city, which in turn feeds an "academy" and NOW after that decent young players can further develop in the Reserves.

Your back to trying to talk about me saying "You have an issue with TWP and Catalans" please note that it is the likes of Ian Lenegan that has the issue. I have a newspaper cutting from the other year where Mr. McManus openly states to the RL press that Toronto Wolfpack "Need to start developing players". it's just no about me. I may want a club starting on the moon, I may want a club in Timbuktoo, I may even want Perth Western Reds in Superleague or even scrap the Lancashire clubs and make SL a Yorkshire League.

I'm reflecting what Superleague openly are saying they do and don't want going forward. Please stop having a go at me.

In 2009 we had licensing in which clubs did not "Earn" the right to anything. They had to conform to certain standards for the sake of the game. It is clear that as Mr. Lenegan and his fellow chairmen head towards the 2022 deal one of the main standards for a Superleague side is that they promote junior RL, they run academies to develop players, they run reserves to deepen that development..... And so when you ask me what about Halifax, Leigh and Featherstone the fact is these clubs probably don't have the money to run such systems, or there may already be SL clubs doing this close to them.

Perhaps you will just have the good grace to accept this isn't about you or me, it's about what Ian Lenegan is planning for the future. Let me ask you (1) why you think he and his fellow chairmen would want to continue with TWP or Catalans if neither club develop players or bring a TV deal?

(2) Why would he allow "Guest clubs" to stay in Superleague and leave his and David Hughes London Broncos in the Championship?? Why would he reject a ££Millionaire owner in Newcastle where they play the Magic Weekend in favour of the likes of Argylle who never once asked Lenegan and his fellow SL chairmen if they could enter SL. Why would the SL clubs reject Bradford Bulls now owned by Nigel Wood. Why would he and Perez bother unless they knew that they could re-join SL 2022?

Over to you??