LePeilbet, club vs country, and injury compensation

Discussion in 'Boston Breakers' started by kool-aide, Jul 21, 2010.

  1. kool-aide

    kool-aide Member+

    Feb 1, 2002
    a van by the river
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Amy LePeilbet is listed as "unavailable (ankle)" on the roster report. She injured that ankle in the first USWNT-Sweden WNT game. Then she played for 45min in the 2nd game vs Sweden. I'm guessing Boston officials were none too pleased that their injured player was on the field for a friendly.

    Today's game will be the 2nd she misses due to injury suffered on WNT duty. Will WNT insurance pay any compensation to the Breakers for LePeilbet's injury? Will the Breakers request such compensation from the US Fed?

    I'm not really a Boston fan in that I'm not in Boston and have never been to a WPS Breakers game. But I was really surprised (and a bit unhappy) LePeilbet played on that injured ankle. A needless risk, imo. It is possible that had she not played on Sat, she might have been available today.

    What do you (hardcore?) Breakers fans think?
     
  2. Mattymags811

    Mattymags811 Member

    Aug 18, 2006
    Attleboro, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I wasn't happy to see her play only because of the potential to make the injury worse. Coming off at halftime without any noticeable limp made me happy. My guess is that she would play tonight if Harvard had grass and if this was the last Breakers game for the week. I'd be suprised if she wasn't ready to go for Chicago on Saturday.
     
  3. pokey55

    pokey55 Member

    Aug 17, 2008
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Is it possible she reinjured it during practice this week? Because she seemed okay in the second game. I agree it seemed stupid to have her out there for the second game especially since she doesn't seem like she'd be on the bubble for a roster spot. That said, I'd be surprised if compensation was offered or asked for by the Breakers.
     
  4. kool-aide

    kool-aide Member+

    Feb 1, 2002
    a van by the river
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why shouldn't they ask for proper compensation?
     
  5. MRAD12

    MRAD12 Member+

    Jun 10, 2004
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    I agree. Why not?

    Just my opinion, but these players are employees of their clubs. The WPS season is in full swing with many crucial games coming up. IMO, it made no sense for LePeilbet to play in a meaningless exhibition, days after she got hurt in the first one. And it's not fair to the Boston Breakers.

    The WPS has enabled these players to come into USWNT camp fit and game ready. It has also saved USSF money by not having to have residency camps and calling in many more players. Pia can pretty much go to the WPS games and see who is playing well and who is not and who can fit in with her system.
    This is all being done for the USSF by the WPS. That's one of the reasons why this league is so important, IMO.

    So IMO, USSF and Pia need to be a little more considerate of the WPS teams and how playing hurt players and/or calling up too many players from one team may affect those teams and their impact on the playoff run and not to mention the fans who are paying to see these players.

    We love our USWNT but now there is another dimension in womens soccer. A pro league. And many of us now have dual loyalties between our clubs and our country. To many of us who are in WPS cities, or fans of WPS teams our country is important, but our club team is no less important.

    The coinciding of USWNT games in the middle of a heating up WPS playoff race needs to be carefully considered. Not to mention playing hurt players.

    These are important matches for the WPS, and USSF and Pia need to realize this.
     
  6. pokey55

    pokey55 Member

    Aug 17, 2008
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    I guess I should have elaborated a little more. I absolutely agree that USSF/WNT coaches need to be more considerate of WPS teams; these weren't even FIFA dates (correct?) so there was no obligation for the players to be released I think and I tend to think a little more consideration should have been given to how long certain players played and injuries and all that.

    I absolutely agree about the importance of the league and what it's doing for the USSF, however, I'm not sure I've seen anything that makes me think the USSF sees that or respects WPS enough to offer comp for an injury. That said, I also tend to think that WPS teams seem like they bend over backwards for the USWNT; two friendlies scheduled so that most of these players missed 2 weekends of WPS play? That seems pretty disrespectful of USSF but not one team refused to release a player and I can't imagine them doing that (not wanting to rock the boat). Maybe I'm reading too much into things or seeing something that's not really there.

    Could Boston potentially have recalled LePeilbet after the first game? I genuinely don't know how that works but if they could and didn't, then can they complain that she played in the second game? (I mean they can complain and should be upset but if that option exists, why didn't they stand up for their investment then?)

    It's not that I don't think Boston deserves any comp for this, just that I'm not sure they'd ask for it. And I freely admit I don't have a lot of hard evidence for this so feel free to let me know where I'm wrong.
     
  7. Layman

    Layman Member

    Mar 7, 2002
    Playing for one's country is an honor. I think compensation never comes into one's mind.
    Certainly the coach must have consulted the player before fielding her. Pia wouldn't like to give away easy goals by placing an injured and incapacitated player in a crucial defencive position.

    I hope Amy will make it to the Women's World Cup but she has to be more careful not to give away the ball in bad passes which gives the opposing team the golden opportunity to penetrate the defence for goal. You seldom saw that happened in Men's World Cup games. The defensive players didn't even allow the opposing players get near to the ball before they passed it away to another unmarked team mate.
     
  8. kool-aide

    kool-aide Member+

    Feb 1, 2002
    a van by the river
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The player may or may not consider the insurance situation in terms of their club vs country. But professional teams do consider it. They would be fools and grossly negligent not to consider it and make sure proper insurance papers were signed prior to a player taking the field for their national team.
     
  9. Morris20

    Morris20 Member

    Jul 4, 2000
    Upper 90 of nowhere
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    No federation pays compensation to pro clubs that I'm aware of - it's always an issue in the EPL where much larger sums are at stake. It's particularly galling when you've got a player like LePeilbet risking her relatively meager livelihood so USSF can play a "cash a check" game at the expense of WPS. You'd hope USSF would try to avoid conflicts with WPS in a non-WWC year, but Chuck, Sunil, and the boys gotta eat and as you can see on these boards, they're not going to do it on the cheap.
     
  10. pokey55

    pokey55 Member

    Aug 17, 2008
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    I wasn't sure what the precedent for that sort of compensation was around the world. If that's the case, I'd be even more surprised to see compensation offered or asked for in this case. I wonder however if something like this would make teams in the league less inclined to release players (if given the option). I doubt it but if I were in charge, I might be.
     
  11. Morris20

    Morris20 Member

    Jul 4, 2000
    Upper 90 of nowhere
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Since the federation can basically shut the league down anytime by revoking it's registration, I don't see WPS making a stand here. Even the EPL isn't willing to risk that.
     
  12. Dartsoc

    Dartsoc New Member

    May 16, 2004
    It was insane that the national team pulled players in the old league and it remains insane that they are still doing it. The WPS is very weak financially and is in dire need of branding, fan loyality, and idenity for star players.

    So Suburbs Coach A plans an outing for his girls' team and lines up parents to drive, buys tickets and lo and behold - all the name stars are over playing Bosnia is a friendly......This pisses peeps off.

    Applying an IQ of maybe 90 - The National Team could train in Ca and play 125 Games from Jan 12 th to May 15th and from Sept 15 to Dec 12th. But then when did anyone think in a common sense fashion in Women's Soccer?
     
  13. kool-aide

    kool-aide Member+

    Feb 1, 2002
    a van by the river
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not entirely accurate. There are insurance policy situations for players injured during international play. Not all clubs pursue it. The most high profile case is when Owen was injured during the '06 WC, his club did receive a substantial payment as part of an insurance policy to cover his salary for time missed. I've read but can not confirm that Chelsea didn't pursue a claim against Ghana for Essien b/c they didn't think the Ghana FA had the money to pay.

    The USSF can certainly afford insurance policies on players that are called up to participate in a national team (male or female) camp/game (and I believe it does have one).

    I am not talking about what some G14 clubs want -- compensation for merely "letting" their players play in a FIFA event. I'm talking about compensation or perhaps better called insurance payments for players on international duty who are injured and miss club games. To reimburse clubs for player's salary during time they can't play due to injury related to national team play.
     
  14. MRAD12

    MRAD12 Member+

    Jun 10, 2004
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Other than being eligible for international tournaments, international games, Open Cups, and such, why does any league need to be affiliated to USSF. It's a great blessing to have. But why does a league HAVE to be under the USSF umbrella?
     
  15. pokey55

    pokey55 Member

    Aug 17, 2008
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Forgive my ignorance, but I thought teams were not required to release players (or suffer consequences from refusing to release players) if the game was not during FIFA dates?
     
  16. kool-aide

    kool-aide Member+

    Feb 1, 2002
    a van by the river
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Also, to add to my earlier post. There was a rather large genearl insurance compensation policy (to pay clubs in case of player injury) set up by FIFA prior to the WC in SA in part to (help?) address player injury insurance claims and the possibility that some FAs wouldn't be able to afford to pay were a player to miss club time due to injuries that happened during the WC.
     
  17. Morris20

    Morris20 Member

    Jul 4, 2000
    Upper 90 of nowhere
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    If the league is unsanctioned, than registered players (i.e. players on the national team) can't play in the league and they can't transfer players to/from sanctioned leagues throughout the world, like OL.

    Also, generally, the insurance policies that pay out to clubs are purchased by the clubs.
     
  18. Eleanor

    Eleanor New Member

    Oct 4, 2008
    Interesting debate, but MatchTracker shows LePeilbet in the line up today.
     
  19. MRAD12

    MRAD12 Member+

    Jun 10, 2004
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Ah, OK. Makes sense.
     
  20. Mattymags811

    Mattymags811 Member

    Aug 18, 2006
    Attleboro, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    She played 90.
     
  21. kool-aide

    kool-aide Member+

    Feb 1, 2002
    a van by the river
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Clubs have some insurance policies for injury which occurs during club play. But Federations also take out insurance policies against injuries which occur during international play. Well, some of them do. The ones who can afford it (unlike the example of Ghana/Essien I gave earlier). And FIFA itself took out a general pool policy prior to the SA WC.

    So much for the veracity of the Roster Report.
     

Share This Page