Ernie Lazenby wrote:The ECF is starting to look like the 'Marie Celeste'
When all the good men and women have gone who will be left to steady the ship- 'the clique' the 'cosy club'
This is becoming really painfull to those who have been playing chess a long time. We have no chance of getting any meaningfull recognition while the national body continues to fall apart and without getting personal the buck must stop at the top. Regretfully I have to say to someone I once respected and have known a very long time ' Your time has passed, for the good of the game leave and leave now'
Another old person sticking to old guns (not Abi but Ernie a man who believes in camps). The ECF needs unity and that is only going to happen when we WORK together all the way across the board (And I mean top to toe, not the directors) Abi is another major loss. We need a vision of the ECF. A three way split with variations within each.
I do this too often but here goes:
1. An ECF financed by membership only (Variations could include: ELO instead of Clarke System; Clarke System only; a central publication for all members, an email contact mag; British Championship Events, No Britsh Championship Events; an England Team both adult and junior; no England teams; just an adult professional team; just a England junior team; Olympiad events; no Olympiad events; Fund management; No fund magagement; a sponsorship fund; no sponsorship fund; control of child protection policy; control of Arbiter standards; an accredited coaching register; no control of child protection policy; no control of Arbiter standards; no accredited coaching register; congress support; no congress support; liaison with outer FIDE; no liaison with FIDE; liaison with other Home countries; no liaison with home countries; drive for contructive recognition for chess; no drive for contructive recognition for chess; liaison with other games and sports; no liaison with other games and sports; legal representation for our players abroard; no legal representation for our players abroard, etc, etc, etc, etc your voting choice on each subject, each changes the cost over time)
2. An ECF financed by Game Fee only (Variations could include: ELO instead of Clarke System; Clarke System only; a central publication for all members, an email contact mag; British Championship Events, No Britsh Championship Events; an England Team both adult and junior; no England teams; just an adult professional team; just a England junior team; Olympiad events; no Olympiad events; Fund management; No fund magagement; a sponsorship fund; no sponsorship fund; control of child protection policy; control of Arbiter standards; an accredited coaching register; no control of child protection policy; no control of Arbiter standards; no accredited coaching register; congress support; no congress support; liaison with outer FIDE; no liaison with FIDE; liaison with other Home countries; no liaison with home countries; drive for contructive recognition for chess; no drive for contructive recognition for chess; liaison with other games and sports; no liaison with other games and sports; legal representation for our players abroard; no legal representation for our players abroard, etc, etc, etc, etc your voting choice on each subject, each changes the cost over time)
3. An ECF run by a mix of both membership and game fee (Variations could include: ELO instead of Clarke System; Clarke System only; a central publication for all members, an email contact mag; British Championship Events, No Britsh Championship Events; an England Team both adult and junior; no England teams; just an adult professional team; just a England junior team; Olympiad events; no Olympiad events; Fund management; No fund magagement; a sponsorship fund; no sponsorship fund; control of child protection policy; control of Arbiter standards; an accredited coaching register; no control of child protection policy; no control of Arbiter standards; no accredited coaching register; congress support; no congress support; liaison with outer FIDE; no liaison with FIDE; liaison with other Home countries; no liaison with home countries; drive for contructive recognition for chess; no drive for contructive recognition for chess; liaison with other games and sports; no liaison with other games and sports; legal representation for our players abroard; no legal representation for our players abroard, etc, etc, etc, etc your voting choice on each subject, each changes the cost over time.
4. (I know I said 3 but minds open people) a forth way, different to the above. But the choices are the same: ELO instead of Clarke System; Clarke System only; a central publication for all members, an email contact mag; British Championship Events, No Britsh Championship Events; an England Team both adult and junior; no England teams; just an adult professional team; just a England junior team; Olympiad events; no Olympiad events; Fund management; No fund magagement; a sponsorship fund; no sponsorship fund; control of child protection policy; control of Arbiter standards; an accredited coaching register; no control of child protection policy; no control of Arbiter standards; no accredited coaching register; congress support; no congress support; liaison with outer FIDE; no liaison with FIDE; liaison with other Home countries; no liaison with home countries; drive for contructive recognition for chess; no drive for contructive recognition for chess; liaison with other games and sports; no liaison with other games and sports; legal representation for our players abroard; no legal representation for our players abroard, etc, etc, etc, etc your voting choice on each subject, each changes the cost over time.
Now is the time to put these together and the whole country needs to be able to know that change is going to happen but agree that a full referendom by all chess players members will lead to a unified ECF. If not, lets start thinking about splitting the thing up and running around individaully as counties say or unions (I don't understand any of the unions) but think on this, would FIDE recognise the SCCU, MCCU, NCCU, etc. Would a non national but Union grading work? Would a non England team work. or are we going to work to democracy rules. Your choice people or we can believe in camps.
Or the best yet an ECF and a ECA in the same place at the same time. This is truly a no brainer, we need to except the choice of the masses and work with it. Only trying to put our point across when we through our het in the ring and put forward our plan as a driving force on the board.
This is easy stuff.
As an undeserved footnote: Abi does a great amount of work. I hope Northumberland keeps benefitting from her work (along with Tim)