PGP deal is nothing but a waste of time

I CAN’T help thinking that the new Professional Game Partnership (PGP) is nothing but a waste of time as I can’t see how it is going to make any difference to how the game operates or how it will actually help clubs keep players and reduce the financial strain they are under.

- JEFF PROBYN

The idea that it will help improve the performance of the national team seems to be a dream rather than a reality, as under the present system the England coach already has access to the players selected for his squad outside the international windows. This gives the England coach an advantage over other countries who only have access to their players during official international windows.

Admittedly, the countries that have maintained their pathway systems have a built-in advantage as they can move players from clubs to regional teams. These are controlled by the unions and so are able to spend more time with players, developing playing style, fitness and selection, based on individual performance rather than team performance within a club.

When the game went professional, England followed the French model of clubs as the main route to international team selection, but they failed to copy the French in managing how they finance and grow the game by uniting the top two leagues as one when it comes to voting on any changes in the game.

In France, both the Top 14 and the ProD2 have academies giving more access to the professional game for young players, whereas here only the Premiership are allowed academies thus restricting potential growth of the game and ability to exploit young talent who may come from outside the usual areas.