France beat England in the semi-finals of the Under-20 World Cup. Photo: World Rugby via Getty Images
' We're not far from the London Irish club, but no one has called.”
This is where the championship can play a vital role by giving game time to youth who otherwise kick their heels in training. “We are here and ready to help,” Holliday said. “We need to say that we are part of the journey and connected with young players who get game time and prove themselves.”
A perfect example of this is Theo Dun, who started the season at Umpthill on loan from the Saracens and ended it as one of the top three prostitutes on the England football training team, more than half of whom played in the Championship at some point in their lives. career. career. “The feeling is that for the clubs for many years – and this was said by the leadership of the RFU – our contribution to the path was accidental,” Holliday said. “They've done a good job of showing that this isn't the case, but it saddens me that this group of clubs have to prove their worth when their value is clear.”
While serving as a strategic consultant for Ealing Trailfinders, Holliday saw first hand how remote RFU can feel. “We're close to the London Irish and no one has called Ealing to ask how we can help any of the young players from their academy, which I find incredible.”
“Clubs -champions impose their decisions”
The biggest sticking point is the criteria for minimum standards that determine who is eligible for promotion to the Premier League. Last season, only sixth-placed Doncaster reached the threshold. In Ealing's case, they will either need to secure a building permit in one of London's fastest growing areas or rely on a share of the land to gain access to a play-off against a Premier League side next season. “Groundshare is a quick way to break your income model. Look at the London Irish. Sharing the land broke them, among other things. We agree that there should be a set of standards, but it's about how you put them together to allow clubs to evolve. The average Newcastle goal is around 5,000. You must be careful not to create barriers from these criteria. When we put these rules at the top regarding access to the Premier League from Premier League 2, you have to find out what those bridges are, because otherwise this [ring fence] will become self-fulfilling.”
Holliday emphasizes that any increase in funding will depend on the achievement of targets such as the number of qualified players from England. The league wants to play its part, but most of all it needs the voices of its clubs to be heard. “We need proper consultation on the new Professional Gaming Agreement or it simply won't succeed. Consultations do not receive a random report. It's: “What do you think? Do you agree? And if not, why not? And this is not happening, ”said Holliday. “What the championship clubs are feeling very hard about, even before I arrive, is that they don’t have the opportunity to provide feedback. They are simply forced to make decisions. You cannot dictate a decision to a third party. You have to be open-minded and respect their point of view.
“For example, the Jersey board openly asks why they keep investing if they don't get support from the governing body, and that's from last year's champions. We need clarity. Investors need clarity. Players need clarity. Supporters need clarity. We are running out of time to continue the confrontation. We can't afford to be wrong in the next few months, that's how important it is.”
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