I switched on the telly this morning and caught the highlights of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) soccer match between Ajax Amsterdam of Holland and Paris St Germain (PSG) of France. And I know, I know, not many of you who come to read the pages here have any time for soccer but bear with me – I believe there are going to be some parallels to be drawn between the declining Dutch football league (Eredivisie) and the future of professional rugby structures in South Africa.
The commentator of this particular UCL soccer match described Ajax as “the team that produces stars” and PSG as “the team that buys them”.
Ajax was once upon a time a glamour club of Europe. Powered by the performances of home-grown talent, they won numerous European titles and were often regarded as one of the best on the continent. That’s all past tense now. The club has its moments now and again but is a shadow of its former glory and just making it past the group stages of the Champions League these days is a massive ask.
PSG on the other hand had been around for 40 odd years without really raising too many eyebrows along the way. Their outlook and level of ambition has drastically changed in the past couple of years thanks mainly to the money being injected into the club by uber-rich Qatar backers. As a result PSG can now afford to buy some of the best football players in the world and mix it up with the best that Europe has to offer.
In a sense PSG represents the European or perhaps even Japanese rugby clubs with their deep pockets and their growing appetite for SA’s best rugby players.
As for Ajax and the Dutch league as a whole for that matter, it seems to almost foretell the future that SA rugby faces.
The Eredivisie is in a state of decline. The IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics) released a report showing that the Dutch League is the 21st best football league in the world at the end of 2013. In 2012 it was ranked 8th. That is a serious downward spiral in just one year.
Attractive football can still be seen and there is still a decent following of their domestic football league but what is very apparent is the lack of true talent about in Holland. This means that the overall quality of the game in Holland relative to those leagues that are thriving is poor and more concerning for the Dutch is that the gap is growing.
It’s kind of like what we are witnessing in the Currie Cup. Yes the Springboks are away and the 20 plus international players (tier-1) would lift the standard of rugby on display yet at the same time I can help but wonder if a big part of the problem isn’t that South Africa has lost a great portion of its tier-2 type players to European rugby clubs. This void has to now be filled by players who are not quite up to the standard that we’ve witnessed in seasons gone by.
The rugby drain has not levelled out either. In the years to come, I believe we can expect to see even more of the better players leaving our shores and leaving at a younger age as well. At the moment Euro clubs look at player CVs and the higher the level of achievement, the higher the value of the contract offer made. I feel that once they overcome this mindset and start bidding for players based on future potential to become greats and/or provide clauses to reward improved form, we will get to a point when up and coming SA born rugby players become household names in this country by plying their trade overseas as opposed to in the Currie Cup or Super Rugby.
The big positive for Dutch fans is that their national team remains very strong and competitive on the international front. So even with a weak domestic league, it’s possible that the Springboks will remain an elite team, capable of winning the William Webb Ellis trophy. Crucially school rugby, the feeder system which produces players that go on to become future stars, whether they are developed further locally or abroad after school, has to be kept in good health if SA at least hopes to continue to thrive at international level when our domestic league becomes too weak.
I came across this interesting article by Liam Newman for the bleacherreport website: Eredivisie: The Steady Decline of Dutch Football (link)
Here are some key points made about Dutch football:
• “Nobody can question the talent being produced in the Netherlands.”
• “The problem is that all of those stars are making names for themselves abroad.”
• “The scouting networks of Europe’s elite clubs are frightening, as are their bank accounts.”
• “Not wanting to miss out on a potential star of the future, the continent’s biggest teams will source the most promising talent at an early age despite the fact that for every van Persie there are at least half a dozen complete flops.” (For those who don’t know Robin van Persie is a top goal scoring player who left Holland aged 20)
• “Losing future world stars is a major issue, but perhaps the bigger problem is that even those who are not going to make the grade in Europe’s elite leagues are shipped out as soon as the opportunity arises.”
• “With the continued economic growth of Europe’s elite, due to…TV revenue from playing in one of the more prestigious leagues, it is increasingly becoming a sport where the rich get richer and those less fortunate are in genuine danger of becoming little more than feeder clubs to those at the top.”
• “However, there is still the question of “why don’t young players want to continue their development in Holland before making the move once they are the finished product? Perhaps players no longer see the Eredivisie as a real challenge. Or maybe they are aware of the declining reputation of the league and know that their performances in Holland will never be regarded as a credible achievement. Then again, it might just be a case of players chasing the big bucks of the Premier League; you can’t really blame them.”
[…] this was a bit of stuck record post because it’s been covered before in a blog called Bleak Future for Quality Pro Rugby in SA were there is an interesting case study about what happened to the once great Dutch Football […]
What needs to be offered , and this goes in line with much of what is said on other topics within the Blog ,
In terms of getting the schools in the area in which I live, its my goal to look at boys who want to , after the third term od rugby , who want to spend a term out at these schools, and mix and train with them and supplement these schools, in rugby , so that they can play against the tier 1 schools, in Brisbane etc. So the boys we will be targeting will be those who have played u16 level or grade 11 ‘s . It will allow them and addition term of rugby , combined with a Term of Intensive high performance coaching , and opportunity to see the area, look at the uni and possible play after school,
It might prove more difficult form Grade 12 boys as its the terms of trails etc , but what it will allow these boys to do is look at the uni, play school, and club rugby during the third term, make mates in the area, it will expose them to the Uni and if they like what they see they have the opportunity when the leave school to come to the uni and play for the Uni side, which by this point is hopefully into the Prem League where they play against all the Brisbane top sides etc, and possible looked at by the Reds and even if they don’t get to the highest of highest levels , at least they would have had an equal chance BUT would have a degree that would then entitle to get residency in Aus, you automatically qualify if you have studied in Aus.
I think its just a great opportunity
@Rugger fan: That’s my present goal, is the offering players a chance to come and play on the Sunshine Coast . The Uni team is looking at going up to prem grade now that there is an opportunity, but it’s a building phase, so what I am presently setting u is the opportunity for players to come across after school, play rugby at a high level and be at the uni to study a degree that has international recognition, Even Law if they so wish. With Union being the third of the rugby codes, it is growing, and in an Area that is growing, new uni , new hospitals, sunshine’s beached ,
It’s for me, a way of giving boys and opportunity, that doesn’t exist in the present set up , its my vehement belief, that SA Rugby is to narrow minded and hence why we are losing players, in Aus, its totally different , they are embracing the game, to expand it , the facilities exist in this area to offer exactly what you say , opportunities that are closed off , as well as the option of Studying at a top Uni .The area has top net ball, and Hockey facilities, and the Sunshine Coast Hockey is of such a high standard, its less than 100kn from Brisbane.
But its to allow the boys to have options that are closed to them when the leave school in SA, as we have huge potential of players that just get lost , because they cant express or play at any significant level in SA because of the structures, I can go more into the topic , but I am passionate about offer boys opportunities like I see available like this at the moment
When I read some of the above comments about US scholarships it takes me back many years and I have mixed feelings about a decision I made then . I was offered an athletic Scholarship at Lamar Tech in Texas after I left Glenwood – I didn’t have the balls to make the move being 19 at the time and was influenced by a well known Dbn athlete who came back early from a US College with negative feelings about his move – Ah well – the positive being having my name on the Highest rated Honors Board at Gwd which would not have happened if I went to theUSA
I think it is a clear message that has been sent by the SA rugby powers for young guys in the system right now.
Unless you are contracted early – you’d be silly to not consider using your talent to gain an international degree from a US or European university. You’d need to compromise on your rugby aspirations – but the the benefits of a degree from a 2nd tier US university and collegiate US rugby career (and possible Green card) probably provide career prospects that a Currie Cup or Vodacom cup career linked to a SA university – with the outside chance of National selection – depending on normal selection/quota/positional considerations could offer.
And this is not only rugby linked – I know 2 boys from KES who went across on Tennis scholarships about 8 years back. Both to mid-west universities – both are now US citizens, married to US girls and have great careers in their fields with a bit of Tennis coaching along the way. What a bargain for 2 guys who were very unlikely to make a similar career out of sport locally.
@Tarpeys: Ja there has to be value in a sport that can enjoys positive support in a nation of over 50million people if properly managed.
On the IFFHS the PSL is the 61st strongest league and moving up.
Still at R500 000/month best paid SA players earn less than one-tenth of what the average Arsenal player earns.
In SA soccer the entertainment value is there but the world class quality is definitely missing.
Rugby is a fraction of the size of soccer but SA does boast one of the strongest leagues. It would be interesting to know the differences in avg pay between SA and Europe.
Bryan Habana earns about R700 000.00 per month in France, which isn’t that much more than a top SA soccer player, yet in terms of world interest, Habana is regarded as one of the top players whereas the PSL top guns come nowhere close.
It’s quite an interesting case here in South Africa where we hardly export any soccer talent abroad anymore and one of the reasons in the competitive salaries that are earned locally. Top player in South Africa can earn up R200 000 per month with the really top players earning up to R500 000. So the incentive to move abroad has decreased. This was largely due to massive coperate sponsorship that has been injected in the PSL and the clubs have used that money to reward their player and hence keep most of their good players.
I think for the springboks to remain competitive, we need as many players as possible plying their trade abroad, playing and training with some of the best players and coaches in the world in conditions where World Cups will be played.
Unfortunately the Currie Cup might suffer as result but judging from the quality of rugby being played in this years competition, our coaches and academies are doing a good job in producing players that can play the type of rugby we’re seeing this year.
It has started already with a number of SBR players being approached by French teams. The reality is that with the quota system being enforced, the chance of the boys getting a fair deal is very slim so why not make a mint during your 10-12 year career span, setting yourself up for the rest of your life, injuries aside.
We will never compete with the buying power of the Pound, Euro or Yen. If guys are after money – that’s where they will go. And why not? A 10 year career at best that can set one up for life – who wouldn’t go for that given the chance?
On the local scene, our administrators need to catch a wake-up. Club rugby structures need to improve drastically and there needs to be a seamless path from the school fields to the club fields, not only for the 1st team players but for players right down the ranks. A host of clubs who can field 3 or 4 open teams would do wonders for the local rugby scene. Excluding contracted rugby players from the Currie Cup is a great idea IMHO. It will make the big stage that much more accessible for the slightly below elite player and in so doing, may encourage the schoolboy player to continue after school. It would also put less pressure on the SBR system to produce the goods where the neglected club system as failed dismally – and hopefully some of the associated evils will disappear too.