---

i dont often write on this page but at the moment im peed off with the info ive just bin given. a member has just told me that to try and win the league they will only play there best 5 players twice and leave 4 players on the sidelines watching till the end of season, we all want to win but isnt this what the summer league is trying to avoid and the 10 frame games gives everyone a game. bad sportsmanship I THINK:no:

---

Someone said that at the AGM too :wrong:

At the end of the day if this format is to continue then there may well be a bit of thinning out of teams which should ultimately lead to more teams being created.

---

If I was one of the 4 players just watching, I would be looking for another team.

Ahem, I believe the Rack Pack are a fair team to play for :)

---

I see your point Bob but how far away is it from the old format where by a team had a squad of 11 or 12 players but always played the same seven?

You have two types of captains with the new format . . Those who put a team out to win and those who put a team out to give everyone a game . .

The only way around your grievance is to bring in a rule by where all players present have to play at least one frame before anyone can play again . . The problem with this is it will bring on situations where people will be asked not to turn up and that can't be better than the alternative surely?

The problem is Bob, some people/teams will do anything to win no matter what it involves . .

---

most teams do give most of their players a game. the rack pack do, as do the prop. the unpreds don't and are top of the league by some distance.
it seems a bit unsportsmanly especially in the summer league but it depends i suppose what teams priorities are.
i like the way we do it in the rack pack especially as it means harry gets a game sometimes...

i can see teams being fair to everone until it gets to the crunch when the top 5 players will play twice...

cup of course is a bit different...!!!

---

unpreds do generally give every1 a game unless a player steps down cause we're down and we only have 8 players and john hoy helps out when we are short. Thats what i like about the unpreds. we have some good players and like this season the fact we can win using all players and if we dont it's when a player is willing to step down, it shows that the team are willing to compromise and arent too bothered about gatting a game every week. so whatever we do win it's as a team and not just a selection of players. :)

If the captain doesnt give a player a game maybe it's a hint that they dont want them on the team lol. i'd look for another team. as golden said theres to types of captains which make two teams. ones that are in it for a laugh and ones that are in it for the competition you just need to decide what one you want to be in :)

---

I think you'll find Golden didn't say anything about Captains that are out 'for a laugh'. Captains don't need to be out for a laugh to want to try and be fair. If you only have 6 or 7 players signed for a minimum 5 person set-up, then fair enough. As long as those other 1 or 2 players know they're only going to play if the team is short.

I think you'll probably find the Eagles will generally play the players that turn up each week for them in the Winter league if the format is kept the same; I wouldn't really say that they're entering 'for a laugh'.

As has been said, if your agenda is to simply play the same top 5 players twice in every game, then that's up to you. Winning means everything to some.

---

Bob it really isn't a problem as Harry stated those sitting on the bench every week will leave, leaving the team with a bare 5 then if any body goes ill,gets arrested or I cut their break cables all of a sudden games are forfeited :clap:
the Eagles will play between 7 & 10 players every week in the winter league if the new rule goes ahead depending who turns up.I like playing all my players if I can.

---

In my pool team in Edinburgh "Diane's "A"

We played a format which is lose 2 games and your dropped for 1 or 2 match and lose again when you get back and your dropped again and if you win your still picked for the next game that way it gives everybody a chance

---

I believe they adopted a system like this at the Unpredictables a while back.

I can see the logic behind it, but think it's a bit too harsh - what happens if your best player loses two frames after 1 opponent flukes a few balls and the other dishes up? Do you still stick to your format? And if they then lose their one frame when returning they get dropped again? Surefire way to lose players in my opinion.

If you ask me, you simply need a Captain with a set of balls so he/she can tell players when they're not playing, albeit whether it's due to team rotation or they're not playing well enough to get a place in the starting line-up.

Systems and rotas can't work, simply because it's not always the players fault if they lose a frame.

---

yeah that rule did not really work tbh i hated it. like lils said you just need a capt that's happy to say your playing shit, sit down!

---

for over 15 years, 1 frame a week was enough. Now teams are rowing amongst themselves to play 2! In the Farley Loyalists every player that turns up gets a game, except Knock-out cup, captains choice.

Regards
Rainbow
:angel:

---

I see Bob's point and for those sitting it out it appears wrong. 10 frames has been a positive way forward for majority of teams, and this summer the Eden has given every player at least one frame each week. We have used our Jose Mourino rotation system when selecting those for two frames.

On the subject of Captains. In Winter Div 1 - its all about 'winning' or basically you won't survive. If you want to stay in Div 1 or win it then you need to deliver consistent performances each week and I reckon we will see a different mentality from Div 1 Captains if the 10 frame format goes through at the AGM. For the sake of the team gaining a result if that means ''out of form players'' sitting it out then I think teams will focus more on the result than pleasing a squad member. Likewise, I think it says a lot about a player if they are honest enough to hold up their hands and acknowledge they are struggling and offer to sit it out.

---

I agree, the new format has added a new dimension to team selection as has been proved this season in Division One . .

As an example, IMO if The Prop had adopted a smaller squad and playing 5 players week in week out then they would have won the league confortably . . Instead the Unpredictables did just that and with Macca opting to give everyone a game using a bigger squad it's worked out in favour of MOD's men . .

I'd be very surprised if Macca adopted that same strategy in the Winter, especially on the back of this season.

The benefit of the Winter season is that there is the League, League Cup and KO Cup so in effect you could have two or three systems operating within a team where by the squad players play in the cups etc. kind of like how the big football teams put their reserves out for the Carling Cup . .

Alex . . You have a fair sized squad for the forthcoming season . . Without giving too much away and assuming the format does come in for this Winter, will your priority be on winning or giving everyone in your squad a game, knowing what you've seen and experienced with this season?

---

Is there a strong liklihood that the 10-person 2-set of 5 format doesn't get passed at the AGM and that we'd revert back to 7?

Only ask as I would guess the format works well for a majority of teams, be it, both for teams looking to play 5 players twice, or like us, rotate and play as many different players as we can. As Alex mentioned he rotates like Mourinho, think we tend to rotate like Rafa Benitez and thats why we can't win anything this summer.:movingon:

---

I think it is the same for all teams - if the format goes through...

You have to decide if you want to play your full 10 players or just 5 & give the rest the hump....
I would imagine we will play between 8 - 10 depending on numbers/form etc but we would never only play 5 unless that was all we had & this looks unlikely as we have a squad of 11 or 12 this year

If i played for a team & turned up week in week out only to be told we go with the best 5 only & that is it, unless we are short then you may get a game - i think i would be telling them to fcuk off & i'd find another team

---

:lol:

This in turn brings into question why would a captain sign up players that they don't plan on using just for the sake of it . .

Should the new format come in, team captains/secretaries are going to have to put their arses on the bacon slicer for once!

---

We have signed a squad of 12 players for the forthcoming winter season which is a first for us. And just to quell any transfer rumours surrounding Fieldsy, I can confirm Steve will very much be an Eden player for our 08/09 campaign. In addition I have signed two new players for next season. So with such a large squad it will make my job a bit harder.

I probably have assembled my strongest ever squad this season at the Eden, with a mixture of raw talent, youth and experienced players. Scott had a cracking season last winter and we have three players who have just broken into the Croydon interleague squad. I have players who are gaining experience at a higher level. So the expectation levels are high this season, nothing wrong in that as long as you go on and deliver. I think we all have been encouraged what the Unpreds have achieved this summer and I certainly feel the gap continues to narrow each season that passes with world rules being played.

Priority for me is always to win first. We all know each others games in Div 1 and I guess the tricky part is making sure you don't fall short on the team selection and positioning. Take the League Cup semi last season. Swettenham outwitted me with his team selection and it cost us early doors and we never recovered.

If the new format comes in, I doubt I will play a full 10 man squad in the league matches. It may just not work for us against the likes of the Eagles, Prop and Hot Shots. We have players who can cause some damage against those sides if they play 2 frames. League Cup early stages I will go for a 10 man line up, and maybe same for Knockout Cup. It really depends who you draw. Whatever happens, you need to set your stall out early and I have a bunch of players who will accept and fit into whatever format we choose to play.

---

You can't have a system that allows that and then moan when it happens. Personally I think this allocation system is a mistake - it relies far too havily on how captain's choose to interpret the spirit of the law.

---

With both the Eagles and Hotshots understrength fom last year, the transition currently at the Prop and the new format, I would suspect that their is every chance of a previously deemed 'mid table team' challenging for the title this year.

And not before time really...

---

i do think the unpredictables deserve a little bit of credit for being where they are as opposed to people saying there only top because they have a small squad! man for man of course the prop are the better team but you cant really say the supposed squad players they have weakened the team considerably enough to have stopped them from doing better this season. with the excepion of last week where the pawleyne dropped shaggy and porter for the 2nd session even tho they was better than the players who came in ! virtually every team has put in there top 2-3 players again even if they lost there 1st game because they want to win! simple as that.

---

it's whatever floats your boat really...
most teams will play all their attendies but that will probably change in the cup, crunch time at the end of the season and also when playing the top teams.

---

Taken from divisional singles...

Rileys Unpredictables BISHOP.Graf 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 - - - - - - = 10
Rileys Unpredictables KNOCK.Chris 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 - - - - - = 10
Rileys Unpredictables BROWN.Daniel 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - - - - - = 9
Rileys Unpredictables O'DONNELL.Mick 1 0 - 1 1 - 0 - - 1 1 1 1 - - - - - = 7
Rileys Unpredictables POYNTER.Terry 1 0 - 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 - - - - - - = 7
Rileys Unpredictables TERTULLIEN.Francois 0 - 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 - - - - - = 7
Rileys Unpredictables TURNBULL.Luke 1 1 1 1 1 - 0 0 0 0 - - 1 - - - - - = 6


Well thats scotched that theory! Wanna try another one?

While we're at it lets check how many of the 9 Props who turned up to play us in week 8 actually played.

The Propeller HARTLEY-MILLER.Mark 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 01 0 1 0 1 - - - - - = 8
The Propeller MILLS.Cliff 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 00 1 0 - - - - - - - = 8
The Propeller CHARLWOOD.James 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 10 0 1 0 0 - - - - - = 7
The Propeller SWETTENHAM.Gary 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 10 - 1 0 1 - - - - - = 7
The Propeller HEWSON.Adam 1 - 0 0 - 0 1 - 1 - 1 1 1 - - - - - = 6
The Propeller ALTES.Rod 1 - - - - 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 - - - - - = 5
The Propeller ADAMS.Paul 1 0 1 0 1 - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - = 3
The Propeller JACKMAN.Tom 1 0 - 0 1 1 0 - - 0 - - - - - - - - = 3
The Propeller POOL.Nick 0 0 - - 0 - 0 - 0 0 - 1 - - - - - - = 1
The Propeller MACQUIRE.Paul - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - = 0

Yup, 5!

5 twice and 4 on the bench.

If you want to write bollocks about us, write it where I can't see it...

---

For further information please www.fragile-egos.com :lol:

---

I wouldn't mind but it's only the Summer League anyway so it's not like it really matters anyway?

If it were the Winter League I'd understand . .

---

Francois in rubbish at binary shocker.

---

:lol::lol::lol:

Surely that has to be added to the random quotes box! :judge:

---

ok i appologise....

i'm really sorry...

i take it all back...

the unpredictables do play weak players;

Rileys Unpredictables TERTULLIEN.Francois 0 - 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 - - - - - = 7

---

I know that I managed to upset a few of our players earlier in the season by not giving them a frame every week. But after a few good results at the start of the season we took a team vote on whether we play every one every week and just have fun, or play a strong team and become contenders for winning division. The result was to try to win!

Therefore I do put out a strong team, but also try to ensure that all members do get a frame every other week.

---

We?re a bit different in our approach I think. I?m looking for my players to improve and gain in confidence so that we can move through the divisions as a team. To do these things they need match experience and for me as a captain to have some confidence in them. In my team every player who turns up will get a frame each week because every one of them is capable of winning.

I look to recognise and reward good play with a second frame. Even if it means I don?t end up playing what I consider to be my strongest players twice.

We have improved massively as a team over the last few months and individually everyone has learned from eachother and taken their own game forward.

---

Surely these are all arguments for the 10 game format? It suits teams that are short of players and for teams with big squads everyone can get a game. As has already been said, if teams chose to play their best 5 twice every week they will soon run out of reserves.

---

Not only that but everyone is posting on the basis of a format that hasn't been passed at the AGM yet . . There is a chance that it could revert to the old 7 frame format and then team captains really will have some decisions to make!

---

If it remains as a 7 frame format then its a step backwards. Momentum will be with 10 frame format. It has to happen.

---

i think it will be a close vote as there seems to be very mixed feelings towards the 10 frame format. on the plus side is obviously it helps teams with smaller squads but the minus is the later finishing times especially when you have to travel away. i am all for the 2 x 5 but only if a time limit is involved. fed up with these late nights.

---

There are 10 types of people in this world:
Those who understand binary and those who don't.
:lol:

---

I don't think a time rule is needed. Teams just need to start on time and try and skip the 15- 30 minute break between sets while they decide who plays in the 2nd.

If a game starts at 8:15 and the captains decide who they will play in the 2nd set during the 5th frame then games should finish on time. If there is a delay in selecting the team then just get the 1st frame of the second set going and THEN sort the problem.

At the moment most teams are probably losing nearly 45 mins to an hour each match on messing around which is why they finish later.

---

That's true.

Rob 'The Cat' Cogar is notoriously our slowest player and, out of interest, we've been keeping an eye on his occasional marathon matches to see if a stopwatch would make any difference.

The answer is very little, if any. He generally plays each shot within a minute, albeit somtimes not by much, but it's often the tactical element that drags frames out, meaning it's the number of shots in a match rather than just the time taken to play each one.

As for the start time, I don't think I've seen a match start at 8.15 so far. Teams may arrive by 8.15, but by the time all the faffing about and card-filling has been done, it's well past 8.30 before break-off.

---

Erm ok - you ref his matches from now on and see if you dont fall asleep in the process.

I now have a natural ability to fall asleep standing up!!!

:O:

---

Nah, you're ok, it's punishment enough watching... Mind you, as you say, it was amusing seeing you nodding off leaning against that post.
:zzz:

---

mmmm fair comments about matches not starting at 8.15. tactics are for players who cant pot.:mad:

---

Foul? What Foul? oh sorry was somewhat very much asleep at that point !!!

---

Looking forward to the prospects of possibly playing two games per Tuesday night I was all in the new ten-frame format?s favour. However, with the intelligence of Croydon, I feel change was far too sophisticated for this slow-witted south London borough.

We, the Farley Loyalists, are too big as a result of lengthened matches. Therefore, we are divided into those who want fun and others who wish for success. Most teams evidently have the same dilemma.

It is impossible to please the whole CDPL community and it is unpractical to satisfy everyone within a large squad. Pool is a one verses one game so whoever thought up a team concept invited further issues... ESPECIALLY here in Croystupida!!!

I hope the seven-frame set-up remains in place for the winter otherwise temptation for transfer to a smaller side is forever growing.

Personally, I reckon a current/old format poll is required. It would certainly be more of interest than that of who desire a bunch of icons cluttering up their browsers near the address bar!

Rant over,
Charles Burrows.

---

Forgiving your ignorance Charles, that's a surprisingly good suggestion . .

---

at the flying machine we prefer the 10 matches but don't really mind if it goes back to 7.

we have 7 players turning up each week (with 1 extra we can call if needed). for the 10 game format its fine, we understand if your playing shit then your going to be dropped from the 1st set, but more than likely be in the 2nd set

but we don't mind if it goes back, we have 7 players turning up.

---

i like the 10 frame format but also like the 7 frame format as there is more tension and drama

maybe the league could be 10 and the league cup early stages stay 7 otherwise the lower teams are gonna be pi55ed off when they get bashed up 10 zip by the top teams!

---

i agree