Do we need foreign players in waterpolo?

Now that the dust has settled over the summer season, all eyes will turn on the clubs' season reviews and the Aquatic Sports Association (ASA) annual general meeting later on this year.

The next season will be the first full season after Malta's accession into the European Union. Over the past few months there have been rumblings about whether foreign players should be allowed to take part in ASA-organised competitions. Some committee members have even expressed the readiness that should the ASA general meeting block the registration of foreign players in 2005 they would be willing to challenge this decision in the law courts.

I will not go into the legal merits of these individuals' arguments but I would rather, at this point, look at the matter from a sporting angle. The question is whether we will be better off with, or without, foreign players.

There are three issues that have to be addressed before being able to reach an informed opinion about the matter.

These are:

1. Will the standard of our waterpolo improve with the participation of foreign players?

2. Will foreigners block the progress of Maltese youngsters? and;

3. Can clubs afford the financial burden?

It does not take an expert to come to a logical answer to the first query.

One only has to look at the effect one foreigner in each team had in that four-year period in the 90s.

Games were exciting and balanced with four and sometimes five teams in with a realistic chance of winning the title.

Just as importantly our own homegrown players learnt from playing against and alongside these players, to the obvious benefit of the national team. It is not a coincidence that the best results at international level were achieved by those who used to play in that era.

The young players' progress argument is often brought forward by some who are not conversant with what is really happening in the junior sectors of the local waterpolo scene.

I have followed closely the ASA junior competitions for seven out of the last nine years and unfortunately there has never been such a dearth of talent, especially at U-17 and U-19 level.

Proof of this were the results obtained in the recent European Junior Championships where we suffered heavy defeats against teams which, although better than us, were nearer to our standard a few years ago.

It is all very well saying that there should be a natural progression from the youth teams into the senior squads, but what if the talent coming through is so limited. Do we end up promoting anyone, irrespective of standards, with the consequent drop in the quality of our teams?

To stay in touch with countries that are at our level today we need to improve.

Standing still in sport is in effect going backwards. Others are improving by leaps and bounds. It is our duty as administrators to ensure that we at least keep our present rankings.

Can clubs afford the financial burden?

No doubt, that when the debate over foreign players takes place, the two questions I posed previously will be taken into consideration but the final decision will be a financial one.

Set parameters

Our previous experience does not bode well when all first division clubs engaged the world's top performers.

My suggestion would be to agree to certain parameters when signing foreign players, such as age and appearances with their respective national teams.

We do not have to bring world and Olympic champions to see an improvement in the level of our game.

Other solid first division players from top class leagues such as Italy, Hungary, Spain, Croatia and Serbia will bring a new dimension to our waterpolo.

To contain costs the ASA can circulate an offer via other foreign associations, setting conditions and remuneration.

I spoke with various officials during the recent European Junior Championships who indicated that there would be several players interested in coming to play in our league at around €4,000 for a summer season.

At the end of the day, the old laws of supply and demand always determine market prices.

At the moment, the demand is great but the supply is worryingly low and every year clubs are faced with ever-rising demands from a very limited pool of players.

If we increase this pool we will not only be able to rationalise the situation financially but improve standards at the same time.

Note: Richard Micallef is an official at Sirens ASC and an ASA Council Member. The opinions expressed in this contribution are his own and do not in any way represent the views of these organisations.