Ruled by Ignorance Pt 2

And then to the one that really gets my goat.

James Peters came up this week saying clubs who have players in the Flying Eagles could not use them for matches under threat of sanction!

My goodness!! Just how much lower are we prepared, or can we afford to sink???

Peters' reasoning is that they dont want the players getting injured before the World Youth Championship at the end of this month. oh, puh-leeeeaaasssse!

Injuries are part of the game and while nobody prays for a player to get injured, it has happened before and will happen again.

Besides, if a player must get injured, why not do so playing for the club that splashed out for his services rather than a national team that will look the other way as soon as they spot the first sign of injury.

I could name a list as long as my arm, but we all know the stories.

Clubs pay players sign-on fees, salaries, match bonuses etc. Some provide them with accomodation and even meals and sometimes medical services (ok, I know, I know. But you get the idea).

So where does Peters get off actually threatening these clubs that they will face sanction if they use THEIR OWN PLAYERS??

And this coming at a critical time in the season when clubs are fighting desperately, either to win a place in the Super Four, or to avoid relegation.

Will Peters and his NFA pay compensation to the clubs for the points they lose by not having their players? Or if those players get injured in the course of playing for the national team?

I plan to ask him that question the next time I see him.

My biggest surprise though, was not Peters' comments. It was the fact that no club chairman or coach has had the bottle to stand up to him. In trying to get reactions from club officials, I called just about everyone.

I expected outrage at the very thought. What did I get? Cowardly whimpers. Adokiye Amiesimaka was the only one who had the balls to call it for what it is. A clueless attempt to browbeat clubs.

I corrected him though. These people cannot be browbeaten by anyone. They have done it all by themselves. In the media we call it self censorship. There must be another word for people who cower in the face of such official bullying and tyranny. But I am so upset I cant think of anything just now.


So an employer is barred from using THEIR OWN employee because the James Peters says so? Funny, innit?

It would be if it wasnt so tragic.

As you can see, I have used James Peters throughout as the statement came from him. Here is hoping the NFA will do the right thing, and discredit such an outbreak of ignorance.

Then again. . .