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I am really surprised that basketball players in Lebanon are still quiet over what’s happening recently. The Lebanese Federation may be obliged to take a decision soon that will literally kill basketball in Lebanon and harm first and foremost the Lebanese players. As you can see from the report, All the teams (except Riyadi) want 3 foreign players instead of 2 and their arguments are as follows:
Allowing three foreign players:
– will increase competitiveness.
– allow the Lebanese players to improve.
– lower the budgets of all the teams.
What they are basically saying is that Lebanese basketball players are overpriced and that they’d rather overpay one additional foreign player than invest in Lebanese. Honestly speaking, this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard and that can ever be implemented. If anything, the teams should allow only one foreign player and the federation can always bring down the salaries for Lebanese players if they find them outrageous and high (which they are not).
If the teams are suffering financially, it’s because they’ve been spending massively on foreign players (instead of spending on young talents) in the past years in order to clinch the title, and I am sure they will do the same as soon as their financial situation improves and spend even more on foreign players since they will be allowed three.
I am really glad the president of the FLB Walid Nassar is against allowing three foreign players and I really hope he doesn’t change his mind and look for alternatives. Speaking of alternatives, here’s what I suggest:
1- Set a yearly budget range (between 750K and 1.5M) that all teams must abide by.
2- Allow 1 or 2 foreign players only and LIMIT the spending on foreign players to 25% of the total budget.
3- Force the teams to implement a 3-year financial plan.
4- Form a committee to follow up on the team’s spending and penalize those who fail to show a positive balance within 5 years.
That’s one of the ways to improve Basketball in Lebanon and I am sure there are other alternatives. Asking for three foreign players will bring the game 10 years back.
I am totally against the rule and the only real reason the teams are nagging is because Ismail Ahmad got the Lebanese citizenship and can play as a regular Lebanese player (being a bunch of cry babies). However the real problem isn’t here the problem is that our players became greedy asking for very high wages and they lack the skills a foreigner has and we lack a proper youth system to have a balanced team and league. In teams such as Barcelona alot of players are not Spanish and you still see the Spanish national team achieving good results(they won the 2010 FIBA Wold Championship). I do agree getting three foreigners is stupid and we should implement the salary cap that is used in the NBA but getting to the root of the problem is properly training our players in a professional environment and having more professional techniques such as a draft.
“Why Are They So Determined To Kill The Game?”
…To join the dead country!
Just one thing , it’s very true that 3 foreigners will kill lebanese basketball but Riyadi club already killed the Lebanese basketball for 7 consecutive years (2 foreigners and Vogel !!!)and nowadays despite that Riyadi has a great team decided to work and to get Ismail Ahmad the Lebanese nationality ….!!!!wtf !!!!! As for the Lebanese players I think that ur definitely right NAJIB concerning the scale and the budget limit however the lebanese basketball players are still overpaid and their salary are extremely high ( they should shut up ) 🙂
You do know that Riyadi had NOTHING to do with Ish getting his Lebanese nationality right? Riyadi didn’t kill it Hommentmen had Vogel and two foreigners this season too… Plus yes SOME players are asking for sky rocketing prices and unfortunately lack the skills the foreigners have thats why as a coach he’d rather get a foreigner for the same price rather than paying an over priced Lebanese player. One way to fix this; work on the youth more and more and let the “wasta” out of it. If my dad was a coach or a sponsor that does not mean I qualify to play in the first division unfortunately a lot of young players were able to play because of that.
Hahaha ! Homentmen took Vogel when Riyadi depreciated him like 200 percent . Like an1960 old Mercedes …. Loll big time 🙂 seven years in a row Riyadi killed bball with joe Vogel and same for ismael now … As for the Lebanese wages I agree with u ..