I agree with Steve post on previous page.

Auction SLs were all up on last season so reduce player SL offered.

I've seen the Cups done different ways, and all in all I think my personal preference is to segregate the Cup to the post-season (largely for the reasons referenced in Steve's commentary). But, variety is the spice of life, and it wouldn't be any fun if all leagues did it the same. As I said before, it's nothing we can't live with here at Clyde FC. Besides, someone has to do it wrong, so that it's so much more fun when it's done right!

I like the changes that have been made, and how the season schedule has played out.

Here is a radical idea -
- why not leave things as they are for the new season.

I must say I am a Match Secretary in an amateur League and can tell you most clubs like to see league schedules punctuated with Cup ties.

In SESL if the league is going well you have the decision to "throw" a cup tie and save ELs or if your league programme is not doing so great it is a break and you might catch teams in the former situation. It is a chance for smaller teams to do something - if not win the Cup then at least make some cash by getting through a couple of rounds.

Leaving all of a Cup competition till the beginning or the end usually results in the highest rated SL teams winning - not an incentive to smaller clubs at all.

However at the moment we have a League Cup section type of Cup - a home and away double leg Cup, so why not a one off KO Cup for each Division, played on neutral ground. Gives every team a real chance of winning a Cup.

Only a thought.....!

While in theory you'd think David was correct and logical, but the joy of Cups is surprise results, and that appears the case in SESL also.

From memory, this seasons sesl cup last 8 included:-

FAL - ranked 18th from league position
ARB - ranked 24th from league position
MOT - ranked 36th from league position
GM - ranked 42nd from league position!!

ARB actually got to the SESL cup final, so small teams have a chance in SESL it seems.

As the season 18 is nearing completion, I thought I woulf resurrect this forum thread to grab a few opinions of what is hot and what is not, in SESL currently.

While the online web site has found favour earlier on this thread, I also hope I have addressed the 'Blog bad vibe' issues by removing a few of the troublemakers last season.

Also we tried address slow cup group play with a match every 2 days - good or bad?

Random injuries is the hot topic this week, but keen to read overall opinions of season 18.

I can take criticism, so please feel free to be honest on the good, bad and ugly in SESL currently.


Mark, Commish

I thought the rapid cup play was a good idea, however i can see how some mangers would dislike it as they may struggle to get online to create line-ups.

Random injuries is part of the game, it can be annoying but you have to accept it! These things do happen IRL so why not in SESL?!

The only bad thing i can see right now is the fact it looks like the new season isnt starting until late march/early april! Booooooo

HOT
rapid cup group play good idea
random injuries
varied referree's

NOT
cp costing more than tp

Clyde & Calvin like the random injuries. Strongly urge weekly matches, with mid-week cup play. Multiple games per session, of course.

The changes to the SESL Cup group stages were in my opinion brilliant.
For a start by playing them all in a row, it gets most of the league involved, there is less tanking games for league performance.
Also doing it all in one week was hugely exciting, there was no waiting around for weeks to find out how it all panned out.

The random injuries have not been a problem for me, I don't play a lot of aggressive, so I am not really sure if I've experienced any real effect by them. I do think that they at least added a bit of spice to an otherwise mathematical league (I've spreadsheets for INV through to season 21, SL management not 150 games of EL management).

My second favourite change this year, after the quick fire pool stages was the refs.
In previous years there was no variety on the refs, and this year there has been, I have actually had to look at the ref before picking my line up, I still play mostly normal to control my EL, but the variety in the refs have been brilliant.

I am not a fan of MVP's, I think they reward success that is earned already by league position and morale, I would favour end of season rewards for position over MVP.

I reserve judgement on the end of season awards, but I suspect that most of them will go to the teams at the top of their respective tables.

And finally the worst thing about season 19 is that it looks like I will send a team down for the second year running. Hopefully the chairman will have forgiveness.

I liked the rapid Cup ties, the varied referees (despite me failing to check out mine and suffering s/os accordingly, and random injuries (although I would like to see more players staying on the park with just a short loss 0 too many come off then you realise they haven't lose much in EL so they could have stayed on)..

I have no problems with MVPs but do feel the amounts for some end of season awards are a little high and just serve to widen the gap between the haves and have nots.

Its been a Great Season in my opinion.
We've had plenty of controversy !
The Blog & Journals have been brilliant !
Like the Cup format & Random Injuries
I am amongst the minority who like the new Awards too!
Al & Mark continue to do a FANTASTIC JOB
Thanks Guys!

Good: Different referees, more random injuries, lack of NMRs again, participation, more "foreigners", two Cubans especially have added a lot to the league.

Bad: Too much bickering on Blog, loss of 3 experienced managers.

Indifferent: SESL group play every two days - as it was it's only one extra week and the rapid play makes it difficult for some managers.

I have no problem with CP being worth more than TP - if it's rarer then it will be worth more and it's CP that makes the stars. The TP just helps them on their way but it is free to start with.

Good:

SESL. You just gotta love it

Bickering on the blog. It might be stale and boring otherwise

SESL groups. I liked the pace

New referees. Some suggestions are good, Changes are made and everyone home happy

Bad:

Too much CP/TP in each auction lot. Spread it out a bit.

Slightly too many age 0 players at auction.

Bickering on the blog. Sometimes it gets just a little tiny bit out of hand.

Random injuries. A couple a season is fine, every 2nd week a disaster. Hopefully we've found a happy medium.

Good:
Being back in SESL
Random injuries

Bad:
The amount of TP and CP on offer in auctions.
Random injuries, as some players loose 1 EL due to injury and gain 4 EL at the end of a match. I feel that injured players should not have the automatic 4 EL at the end of the match, just because they are injured!

Indifferent:
SESL CUP group stage in a week.