Smithy wrote:
I don't agree that you can call it cheating. If you have a question on the rules, and you raise that question with the rule-keeper, and get a green light, you can't be said to be cheating.
Cheating implies an element of dishonesty or trickery, which can't be said to exist if you've put your hand up and asked for a ruling.
Anger at New Zealand Facepalm Football I can understand. But the club/player/coach in question don't deserve any grief in my opinion. At least not on the facts disclosed so far in this thread.
Up to one of the clubs to appeal.
Hang on, if what has been posted earlier in this thread is true, we have a CEO of NZF approving/signing off an "arrangement" (one which appears to be precedent setting at this age grade) whereby his own son can stay registered with Onehunga Sports, yet play for East Coast Bays through the winter season and then return and remain elligible for Onehunga sports in Nike Cup! (Given the geographical separation sounds more like an arrangement of logistical convenience for the player's family more than anything else - while at the same time preserving the son's opportunity to play with one of the nation's more favoured teams to win the NZ leg of the Nike Cup competition.
How many other players in NZ elligible to play in nike cup in 2014 were provided with the same level of, argh, flexibility? How many other federations/clubs were advised that this same arrangement was available to them if they had players this would be beneficial to?
At best this is nepotism at its worst, at worst this could quite easily and conceivably be considered by many many people at face value as, argh, cheating!