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In Holland or to any other Associate Countries, you will not find a structure even...................
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What do you base that statement upon?
I have played in Holland (some time ago) and know the structure in Scotland. Both have national club leagues. Scotland has a pyramid structure so that any club can be the best in the country. The top league has 10 clubs from across Scotland with good class overseas professionals ie. test and state players. The same is also true of the 20 clubs below them. This also applies in Holland where Neil McKenzie of SA is a pro this season.
In fact they both have long established structures and are actively looking to improve them and improve standards. Instead Scotland need to consolidate the level between club and the first class game they encounter against the counties. They are talking about district teams from Scotland, Ireland and Holland playing each other.
Nor do I do believe Ireland or Scotland will be playing in the county championship. In fact Scotland's involvement with the counties is being reduced not increased next season by the ECB. The number of games is to be halved. Rather they will need to look at the international stage to find matches to develop their players.
As for such players getting into the counties, the counties seem quite ameable to taking on players from europe if they are good enough. A 17 year old Scot has just joined Middlesex. Scotland has at least 5 county players. Ireland has a similar number. Holland has at least 2 county players, the same for Denmark. Oh and Ed Joyce has just qualified for England and so probably has played his last game for Ireland.
Edited on, July 15, 2005, 10:27 PM GMT, by Trueblue.