Forum

interesting to see both ends of the spectrum here with the annual slagging off of CI and the Victoria "issue". With all the signings at Belmont there must be a £ or 2 about! Also the earlier posting re how much Victoria were paying - do the maths. £2200 represents a 675% increase therefore -----

Well done to CI on making the PREMIER league a more competitive and quality league! Can't see what is achieved through CI bashing? Big men hiding behind a computer screen and slagging a cricket club. 50 kids at junior nets during the winter surely speaks for itself.

I personally look forward to my club competing against them this year

Davy, I stress again I am not CI bashing merely asking a question and relation to your second point perhaps it is CI who should be helping Victoria since they have obviuosly lots of money (merely stating fact not bashing). I honestly think you either are not that close to the pulse at Belmont or have your head burried in the sand if you can't see the financial implications of the new signings!
Andy agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments regarding clubs drive and ambition etc, but your list of potentially paid players later on is I would say only half right.

Re Andy Owen

Good point well made but you forgot about:-

Carrick - gilder bloom, eagy, holmes, pro, Stirling
Waringstown - Kyle, obus, Nelson, Hall, Kidd

Was thinking after my last post, which is probably not a good thing, but if CI do pay for arguements sake 5 players, there is at least 5 players on other teams that people reckon they might receive some sort of payment due to their international status, previously a pro or playing elsewhere for money?

Looking at a few of last years teams, would everyone think these players totally play for free?

Inst : McCann, Shannon, White, Morrow & Moleon
B'mena : Lazars, DK, Aphale, Kirkpatrick & JK
North Down : Russell, Sutherland, Haire, Khan & Moran
Lisburn : Ervine, Tilly, Rankin, Van der Merwe & Simpson

It is interesting when you breaksown a lot of the teams, even in Section One!

RE CI
Billy, you've missed Connell + Hanna in you list of paid (allegedly) CI players, I doubt if £50k will cover all 8 of these!

Re
Andy Owen
I agree and thoroughly enjoyed playing against McMillan, Pienaar, Jones and Barnett etc over the last few seasons. These guys have brought so much to our wee country and I think the ambition some clubs are showing should be commended.

RE Billy

You forgot about Peter Connell too who will be back at Belmont this year. Add him to your list.

With regards CI, I heard they are bringing Craig McMillan back, if they go the pro route.

I am a follower of another NCU Premier League club, and wish they had the forward thinking, drive, ambition that a CI have, as then we could recruit better players, coaches, as well as improve our facilities.

I would rather play with this type of player than against them, but would love to play against them too and test my abilities.

Those who took McMillan or Pienaar's wicket in the last few years have rather large feathers in their caps!

Billy, it's all very boring this CI bashing. This is taking us away from the topic of Victoria's plight which is a more concerning topic. With all your NCU knowledge maybe you could offer them some help?

CI have announced the signatures of Bray, Butterworth and Khan (3 players, recognised coaches, not half a team) and secondly as a member I know a little bit more about the goings than you do.
'Pakistani pro' must be some player if he is taking us to 50K, is it Younis Khan?

Billy....I put in for one of the CI jobs as well a couple of months ago, £20 a week was all I wanted to cover fuel expenses!

Alas I wasn't shortlisted, something to do with a 36" waist and no track-suits available to fit me......but there you go !

I have heard that CI have signed Faisal Iqbals brother who is more than a handy bat.

CI Man I fear it is you that needs to ask the questions at Belmont regarding wages, although I don't have as many contacts as I used to my knowledge of the NCU is pretty good and accurate. As far as finance (wages plus expenses) is concerned, I can assure you that Khan + Bray + Butterworth + Pakistani pro + Dougherty + Cooper costs over 50k...
Paul, I'm not 'slagging' CI, merely questioning their logic.

Re Billy,

Don't believe everything you hear!!
Please tell me who are 'over half the side on professional terms' as I doubt 6 players are being paid? As for the 50K, I don't think you are living in the real world.

Re:Billy

I am a player for another premier league club and I say good luck to CI in what they are trying to achieve. I believe the time to slag them is in 3-5 yrs if they are still recruiting a team because it would be fair to say their youth development hasn't worked. From what I hear they have well over 150 kids on their books which surely is to be commended.

As for your 50k valuation I would say this is well off the mark. There is not one team in the premier league bar maybe Ballymena who don't have wage/coaching bills of under £20k.

I think the introduction of all these players like bray can only help make the Premier League a better league. Good luck to all teams including CI!