Friday 11 July 2014 15:33, UK
Marwan Koukash believes the time is ripe for the RFL to stop running Super League and hand over control to the clubs.
The owner of Salford Red Devils remains frustrated in his attempts to tweak salary-cap regulations that would enable Super League clubs employ a ‘marquee player.’
Such a move, proposed by Koukash, has been blocked more than once but he has not lost faith in his idea.
I received verbal promises from various authorities last July that a marquee player would be introduced but the clubs, with the support of the RFL, last week managed to block the latest vote.
He wanted officials to back his plan to allow one exception to the salary-cap regulations so that Super League clubs could make a high-profile signing.
And he did not hold back in his criticism on Thursday, by saying: "Super League is a brilliant sport but you have to realise that it is being run by the RFL and I have lost all confidence in the RFL running Super League.
"The people running Super League have failed to grow the sport over the last five years and the time has come for them to step aside and let the clubs run the competition.
"I received verbal promises from various authorities last July that a marquee player would be introduced but the clubs, with the support of the RFL, last week managed to block the latest vote.
“They now want to discuss it in November and that to me means brushing it under the carpet.
"I am investing in the region of £2 million a year into this club and I want to make sure something I am investing in has a future.
"I am determined to stay in the sport. I am seriously addicted to rugby league."
Super League general manager Blake Solly told Sky Sports News the proposal was not dead in the water as the clubs could reconsider the proposal in October.
"On this occasion the clubs have said they don't think it's for now," he said. "They're interested in the concept of a marquee player but they'd rather defer it until the end of the year when they meet again in October, when they will have a look at the salary cap in general and in particular the introduction of the marquee player.
"Everyone agrees that having players of a higher profile would boost the comeptition, however what the clubs and league are keen to do is to make sure that that rule does not sacrifice the financial sustainability of the clubs, which is why they decided they needed to have a broader look."
