Ospreys Can Not Afford New Signings

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21593159 wrote:Coach Jonathan Humphreys has revealed the Ospreys have no money to recruit players to bolster their squad in the summer.

The Ospreys, who are the reigning Pro12 champions, are the most successful side in the tournament, having won the title a record four times.
But the Ospreys forwards coach says they have no funds to spend on bringing in new players.
"We would love to spend in the summer but there is no money," said Humphreys.
"There is no money at all for us and that comes from factors like having the least funding of anybody.
"Therefore, there is no money left to go and strengthen."

Not sure what to make of that? Does he mean that they are being given less than their equal share of cash from the WRU, or with Cuddy pulling out that they are now getting less overall cash in than the other three? Also seeing as I have seen two international scrum halves (and one age grade scrum half) linked with a move to the liberty, does that mean the rumours are untrue or he is just playing the 'poor us' card?

Also can anyone confirm or deny the rumours of the Ospreys going back to the Gnoll, when the Swans go ahead with the Liberty redevelopement (+10k seats)?

Skint eh? Might send in a small postal order... I thought Cuddy leaving was because an investor came in and made his position 'untenable'? Admit I haven't been on the message board in a few weeks for the gossip. The Swans aren't expanding just yet. The press and corporate areas are getting an upgrade soon but not the huge expansion just yet. I wouldn't fancy trekking to the Gnoll. Is it even up to HC standard?

It said in the rugby paper that the o's are effectively losing £700,000 a year through paying their welsh players while they're away on wales duty. If that's true, that's ridiculous and i can agree with the regions on their stance of not paying players while not at regional duty.

Personally I think its a ploy to try and make the WRU increase the funding it gives the regions.

TBH the WRU give a far lower % to the regions than the IRFU, SRU, and FIR and still expect them to compete?

I'm sure the Provinces are able to get more on average in sponsorship, people through gates, merchandise etc than the regions are, and still recieve better support from the IRFU than regions do the WRU. So where do the WRU expect the regions to generate the extra money to keep up?

The WRU should have to increase its support to more than the IRFU do the provinces, untill they catch up with other sales, and they keep it about the same level.

But what will the regions have to do to convince the WRU for this support? sell ownership to WRU? sell 25-50% ownership?

I can't see them having less funding than everyone else. Why would they? Unless he means that they have the most players on international duty, so they have to find the most replacements during the season which costs them more then other regions??? But that would be an ar*e backwards way of describing it.

Surely their wage bill is highest due to the number of internationals on their books? Can't see the wage bill at the Dragons, for example, being anywhere near theirs. Just look at the best match day 22s between them and ask whether the Dragons players would earn anything near their Ospreys equivalent. Evan Dan Lydiate is only on 80k apparently (which is why he's leaving).

Griff wrote:I can't see them having less funding than everyone else. Why would they? Unless he means that they have the most players on international duty, so they have to find the most replacements during the season which costs them more then other regions??? But that would be an ar*e backwards way of describing it.

Surely their wage bill is highest due to the number of internationals on their books? Can't see the wage bill at the Dragons, for example, being anywhere near theirs. Just look at the best match day 22s between them and ask whether the Dragons players would earn anything near their Ospreys equivalent. Evan Dan Lydiate is only on 80k apparently (which is why he's leaving).

I believe the Ospreys have less 6Ns squad members than the Scarlets & Blues, so that can't be the reason. It could be that Humph meant they have less funding than the other Rabo nations (as Kingshu said), which would make sense.

I thought the Ospreys went through the 'culture' change from being the galacticos to being a squad that were living inside of their means season before last, when they ditched the big name players and were going for cheaper home grown options (with the odd 'cheap' NWQ thown in).

Apologies SS, it was just an impression I had that the Ospreys had more players in the Welsh squad than anyone else. Haven't sat and counted them so could be wrong!

Griff wrote:Apologies SS, it was just an impression I had that the Ospreys had more players in the Welsh squad than anyone else. Haven't sat and counted them so could be wrong!

Sadly I did count them a couple of weeks ago and included the U2O players too. Both squads total came to 60 something and I would have expected the Os to provide the lion's share as they have done in the past, but surprisingly my calcs showed the following;

Cardiff Blues 26%
Ospreys 25%
Scarlets 25%
Drags 11%
Others 13%

Kingshu wrote:Personally I think its a ploy to try and make the WRU increase the funding it gives the regions.

Agreed. Looks like a bit more brinkmanship to me.

To add, do they actually need to sign many new players because that magnificent win in Ulster showed they have some decent strength in depth.

Yeah Im sure theyll be just fine competing with the cream of europe without their captain and best player next season Dave.

Are Ospreys actually looking to recruit more scrum-halves when they already have 4 starting in the backline with one on the bench? Absolute madness.

And if you consider the players they have when they are fit, they don't really need any more signings. Has Johnstone now departed btw?

It used to be that the regions had among the best NWQ in the Pro 12 but they have stopped recuiting the same level of NWQ player.

If Glasgow and Edinburgh are recuiting better NSQ and even Connacht have some good ones and adding Craig Clarke, Zebre have Daniel Halangahu.

Is there a feeling that maybe the regions would be better changing the average NWQ for quality NWQ (but not exceeding the 5 per team).

I know each team has quality Welsh players, but a limited number of quality NWQ players could take them up a level, and keep the performances up while the Welsh internationals are on duty.

My guess is it's simply finaces and they can no longer afford these players, but if WRU did increase funding would they go back to this (with tighter restrictions on numbers)?

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Yeah Im sure theyll be just fine competing with the cream of europe without their captain and best player next season Dave.

I was thinking more along the lines of keeping things ticking over for now rather than conkering Europe.

Cardiff Dave wrote:

Griff wrote:Apologies SS, it was just an impression I had that the Ospreys had more players in the Welsh squad than anyone else. Haven't sat and counted them so could be wrong!

Sadly I did count them a couple of weeks ago and included the U2O players too. Both squads total came to 60 something and I would have expected the Os to provide the lion's share as they have done in the past, but surprisingly my calcs showed the following;

Cardiff Blues 26%
Ospreys 25%
Scarlets 25%
Drags 11%
Others 13%

Going on the senior team, which is what I was discussing, I make it from the official squad http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/wales/1432.php, and just looking at faces:
10 Ospreys
9 Scarlets
9 Blues
2 Dragons
The rest 'overseas'.

Obviously I haven't counted players still overseas/at other clubs who have said that they'll be playing for a team next season. This is purely on this season's 6N squad at this moment in time. Jenkins and Rees to Blues for next season would change things.

Pretty even among the 3 HC teams. So I'm pretty surprised. Always thought it was an Ospreys show predominantly. I guess it's in the match day 15 that the Os have more representation, (6 on Sat, 3 Blues, 2 Scarlets, 2 Dragons!) but this doesn't mean anything as the whole squad is still away from their region.

Interesting stuff.

p.s. The Dragons had the same number of players as the Scarlets in the starting lineup on Sat. Lydiate may arguably have been nailed on for a place too. Does that mean the Scarlets are in trouble like we are for not producing talent???!!! (Tongue firmly in cheek)

I thought that the Ospreys were offloading Kahn Fa'tauli and George Stowers after this season so there's some money there, also Cai Griffiths is only on loan, this must be a smoke and mirrors thing. I have also heard that Toby Faletau will be signing in the summer, something does not sit right here.

Need to check your source on the Faletau link I reckon.

Traditionally did the Ospreys not have he largest funding of the Welsh regions, hence the 'galacticos' tag which stuck with them for a few years (altho is clearly no longer true)? Someone like Jerry Collins cannot hav been cheAp and there were others too?

As, I think the terminology used by us fans can be confusing! Some in Wales would think of 'funding' as what the WRU gives the regions, because that's how we tend to talk. When the coach says they receive less funding than the rest, then this is what I immediately think. I think others may too. The regions are equally funded in this sense, or should be as far as I know. However, the Ospreys have probably been the region that has been able to top up their WRU funding the best as they've attracted a number of sponsors and 'sugar daddies'.

So, traditionally they had the same funding as the rest (from the WRU) but perhaps had the greatest overall funding as they had extra input from sponsors and businessmen. One of these has recently walked away, at least from an operational point of view, so this could be why they're a bit more skint at the moment - if he's putting less money in then they cannot afford as much as they could last season.

Right, makes sense, thanks Griff

I suspect that the truth is far more simple than the theories posted above.

When the four Welsh Regions agreed with the WRU a salary cap of £3.5M at the end of last season, the Ospreys were given a special dispensation. This allowed them to exceed the agreed salary cap for one season only. This dispensation was in order for the Ospreys to fulfil their contactual obligaions to squad players who were still in contact.

This was widely reported at the time. The Ospreys now need to trim their playing budget if they are to comply with the agreement, consequently no cash for new signings.

I think Humph has just realised what pro sport is all about.