From The Pavilion

Might I suggest a bit of a protective measure for teams having players poached for international tournaments, particularly at youth level where squad sizes are usually quite low. I have just lost 3 players to an international tournament, out of a squad of 14. So I can field a team for my next league game -- just!! -- but it won't be a competitive one and my league form is going to suffer massively. The squad for the international tournament in question has 32 players in it - why so many? Most of them surely will only be making up the numbers. Can't this be reduced to a more realistic number so league managers are not so drastically affected? Now I know a compensation payment will be made but frankly 20 grand does not cut it. I suggest that an international manager should not be allowed to take any players out of a squad where less than 13 players remain.

Regards,
Outlaw Pete, manager of Hudson Bay Traders in Canada

touring squads are currently only 20 that go at any one time

Every time I see this I have to ask: Did the person making the complaint try to work it out with the NT manager first? Did they explain their situation? Was it confirmed that the manager rejected the request?