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Post by hueymactavish on Feb 11, 2013 11:40:24 GMT
I see it over and over again on these threads, "The Fife way" isn't working etc.
Can someone tell me what exactly the Fife way is, apart from loosing our away matches?
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Billkmc
Pro
Posts: 1,383
EIHL Team: Fife Flyers
NHL Team: Calgary Flames
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Post by Billkmc on Feb 11, 2013 11:43:55 GMT
Play short on imports as it helps with the development of young scottish players is one part of it I think.
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Post by daviejojo on Feb 11, 2013 11:50:50 GMT
Its basically ensure you play local guys at the heart of the team, and never have an enforcer are the two key issues.
Whilst both admirable to a point, they don't work in this league.
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Post by ckbell63 on Feb 11, 2013 12:00:48 GMT
The Fife way is to go against the norm. As mentioned start with less imports, play as many local guys as possible and don't stand up for yourself. You also must add don't spend what you don't have. We do need to give local guys a chance but we need more imports so that they can play beside them and get better. We also need an enforcer type of player to help the team.
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Post by flyer007 on Feb 11, 2013 12:13:02 GMT
I actually don't agree we do bring in physical players who can play such as Sidds and Pitts but the problem is we rely on them for scoring we don't give them the freedom to go out and fight to change the momentum.
The difference with Spads was that he was a second line center and Mo allowed him to be our game changer and allowed him to get in fights or rough the opponents up. We need to make sure we have a physical presence on each line. The addition of a Keefe/Cotoure type and a centre to our 2nd line instead of Danny, and Doley would make a huge difference.
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Post by waterboy on Feb 11, 2013 12:24:00 GMT
Over the years we have had rough physical players but once they are in they get told to stop hitting so much and hardly fight. Spad's probably being one exception to that. Anyone remember Neil Smith when he first came to play for us his first few games he hit everything that moved, very quickly got told to stop as its not our way.
While its a policy to use local guys which is something I like and agree with, we always had some of the top brits in our line up which allowed us to do that, the likes off John Haig were better than most of the imports on other teams. It's something which we have lacked over the past 2 seasons and something that will take years to get back up to that level again. That is in no way a knock on any current brits its just simple facts. To go in short last season was at least in part excusable to do it this year has been nothing short off mad and frustrating.
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Post by ckbell63 on Feb 11, 2013 12:30:05 GMT
I agree with waterboy. Years ago we had great local guys who were a match and better than many journeyman imports that came over. Our current guys - or most of them - has seen their development in a Scottish league and they are of limited ability due to that. You can only improve if the opposition is tough and Flyers had it easy in recent years. We should though spread them between lines and let them play beside imports if we really want them to get better. Having seen the GB team play though our guys are not big or fast enough hence none made GB. I look forward to see what is said at the end of the season. We may yet do well. If we don't though can they say lessons were learnt? I am sure we will disbelieve any more such comments.
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Post by daviejojo on Feb 11, 2013 12:35:32 GMT
This is exactly why we need a 5 or 10 year plan.
It maybe we have one, although I doubt it.
We need to load the team with 11 quality Imports at the moment, and get 2 or 3 EIHL experience brits in the line up. Look at the league standings, if we hadn't been running on such a short, and inexperienced bench, I reckon we'd be 5th, maybe even 4th, with some points to spare.
It is right and proper to aspire to having within our line up local talent, of that there is little doubt. But you can't just throw a bunch of SNL guys into Pro Hockey and expect them to be game changers.
I'd say run with 11 for the next 3 seasons, then after year 5 in the league, aim to drop to 10, with maybe the plan to drop to even 9 after 10 seasons. Whatever the plan happens to be, you need to have experience and talent now, and with those guys on board, the younger players will learn their trade.
We need to recall, the EIHL isn't a development league, it's a pro league. If we want to treat it as development, then fine, but set the expectation with the fans and sponsors so they know our aim each year is to fight like hell for 8th, cause that's the best you'll get.
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spudeeelad
Junior
Posts: 949
EIHL Team: Manchester Storm
NHL Team: Tampa Bay Lightning
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Post by spudeeelad on Feb 11, 2013 13:04:05 GMT
Play short on imports as it helps with the development of young scottish players is one part of it I think. I think this is nonsense. There are plenty of good players out there from Kirkaldy, even fairly young ones like Adam Walker, but they earn decent £££ and the people at Fife aren't willing to pay £££.
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Post by daviejojo on Feb 11, 2013 13:08:50 GMT
There's quite a long list if you go through the EIHL and EPL.
Loads of Kirkcaldy trained guys who would significantly enhance the team.
But, it would appear the desire isn't there.
Always too easy to promote from within the current ranks
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Post by sparkymark75 on Feb 11, 2013 13:16:23 GMT
Maybe those that play for other teams are seen as traitors because they left Fife when we were playing SNL and they wanted better for themselves?
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Billkmc
Pro
Posts: 1,383
EIHL Team: Fife Flyers
NHL Team: Calgary Flames
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Post by Billkmc on Feb 11, 2013 13:17:14 GMT
Play short on imports as it helps with the development of young scottish players is one part of it I think. I think this is nonsense. There are plenty of good players out there from Kirkaldy, even fairly young ones like Adam Walker, but they earn decent £££ and the people at Fife aren't willing to pay £££. I apologise if I upset you spud but that was suppose to be a tongue in cheek dig at the owners lack of spending not a dig at the British players. Obviously I hasn't came across that way.
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kdd
Rookie
Posts: 136
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Post by kdd on Feb 11, 2013 13:17:50 GMT
Regardless of where we finish in the standings, I think this season has been a successful one - look at the number of home games won. Sure, there has been no success on the road, but I've seen lots of enjoyable WINS at the FIA. Of course everyone wants the team to win as many games as possible, but we are not some kind of Man City outfit with limitless funds - we are essentially a new pro team from the smallest town in the league, so were are obviously going to struggle as we build the club back up from not far off nothing. I think some of the expectation being heaped on the organisation is unrealistic, and I think the "Fife way" will pay dividends for us in the long term. As long as we improve year on year (on and off ice) and continue to see good hockey at the FIA, I'm not sure what the problem is. Flame on!
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Post by Marky on Feb 11, 2013 13:31:49 GMT
Over the years we have had rough physical players but once they are in they get told to stop hitting so much and hardly fight. Spad's probably being one exception to that. Anyone remember Neil Smith when he first came to play for us his first few games he hit everything that moved, very quickly got told to stop as its not our way. By the way waterboy that's not true about Neil Smith. The real reason he stopped hitting everything that moved was because he had to log so much ice time he was too knackered to hit anyone anymore, he had to choose his hits carefully. That came from Neil Smith himself, as during his 1st game here I remember it well, he hit as you said everything in site, by the end of the 1st period he was knackered as he logged a silly amount of ice time. Logging alot of ice time and being 100% physical took it out of him big time. He didn't realise that he was going to get so much ice time.
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Post by jaf541 on Feb 11, 2013 15:22:59 GMT
I think our greatest weakness so far has been starting without a full quota of imports. Without a full sqaud then we have no proper contingency plan for injury cover or general sickness as we have seen already this year alone. The second half of the season is always going to be more physical especially in a conference like ours where it is so tight togrther points wise. Elite league needs a full squad from the word go
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