GB Coach Resigns?
Mr I.A. Cragg
Just caught this on the Radio 5 Live news last night (22/5/96).
`David Whitaker, the G.B. hockey coach, has resigned with
only 8 weeks to go before the Olympic competion.'
The guardian today (23/5) says this:
`David Whitaker has resigned as Great Britain coach less than two
months before the start of the Atlanta Olympics. The official reason
is that his business has grown enormously and he feels unable to
give the coaching the attention is requires.
He says his decision has been made possible by the successful way the
manager David Whittle and the supporting coache, John Copp (Reading)
and James Duthie (Surbiton) have developed.
Richard Dodds, chairman of the GB men's olympic hockey committee, said:
`Whittle now becomes the top man, Copp will be chief coach and Duthie
team coach.' Speaking at Bisham, where the team are training, he said
Whitaker wanted to resign after Barcelona in January but he was
persuaded to stay on.
Whitaker, 47, who became an OBE after coaching Britain's gold medal
winners in 1988 and was under contract as a part-time coach until after
these Games has been unable to give a whole hearted commitment to the
team. Besides his management consultancy he has a complicated personal
life, having recently left his wife and moved in with Sue Slocombe, the
women's team coach.
The officials who will take the team to Atlanta have bourne the brunt
before now. They will probably give players more individual coaching
and press for a more attacking game, but the loss of Whitaker is a
serious blow.'
(Copyright Guardian Newspapers, 1996, Manchester.)
Cheers,
Ian C.
Hamish Jamson
This must spell disaster for an overly-optimistic GB side. Our chances of
reaching the last four were remote but possible with a bit of luck, now
finishing in the top six and qualifying for the next Champion's Trophy will be
an achievement. I know from personal experience that DAvid was feeling the
pace a little and seemed to have lost a little of his motivation. But to blame
it on media attention to his private life is unfair and unjust. Leaving hsi
wife 3 months before the Olympics to move in with the women's GB coach, Sue
Slocombe, was a strangely timed move. There are reports that Christine, his
previous wife, was so shell-shocker that huge ammounts of pressure that even
Whittacker could not survive were thrust upon his shoulders.
The players have been let down but let's hope that Jon Copp and James Duthie
can raise the side to new heights. I have a horrible feeling that we'll
be hoping that for some time to come.
--
Hamish Jamson, _____
University of Leeds Advanced Driving Simulator, / \__
LS2 9JT. |________|
Tel: 0113-233-5730. O O
Aditya Talwar
In article <1996May24.1...@leeds.ac.uk>,
Hamish Jamson <ham...@psyc.leeds.ac.uk> wrote:
>This must spell disaster for an overly-optimistic GB side. Our chances of
I have always wanted to ask this question, I would like to know, apart from
England, where and how are the players from GB side selected. I know that
England has its own side, is this the team which is called GB or players
from the surrounding countries are also included (i mean Ireland, Scotland,
etc.)
aditya
--
Aditya: cos...@menudo.uh.edu
David Rutherglen
cos...@menudo.uh.edu (Aditya Talwar) wrote:
>aditya
>--
>Aditya: cos...@menudo.uh.edu
The 4 home countries are independent members of the FIH and play
separatly in FIH competitions ie World Cup, European Cup etc. In the
Olympic Games however Great Britain is the only country recognised and
the team is picked from the best players in the England, Wales,
Scotland and Northern Ireland national sides. This year nobody from
outside England has made the mens side however 3 of the GB womens side
come from Scotland.
David Rutherglen
Clydesdale Hockey Club
Glasgow
Scotland
schopra
>>All that stuff about the home countries playing as one during the olympics only....
How can it be that say Scotland can't get into the Olympics when they probably as
many or more players than say all of North America?
And how come no players from the other countries make the team?
Who picks this team selecters from all countries or what?
Sandeep
Hamish Jamson
: The 4 home countries are independent members of the FIH and play
: separatly in FIH competitions ie World Cup, European Cup etc. In the
: Olympic Games however Great Britain is the only country recognised and
: the team is picked from the best players in the England, Wales,
: Scotland and Northern Ireland national sides. This year nobody from
: outside England has made the mens side however 3 of the GB womens side
: come from Scotland.
Not strictly true, David. PLayers from Northern Ireland can either play
for Ireland or GB, but if they play for GB they can't play for Ireland in
events other than the Olympic Games. Look at Sam Martin of the 1988 squad,
he played his hockey in Northern Ireland, but played for GB whereas Jimmy
Kirkwood (also a Nothern Irish man) played for Ireland. Hockey is similar to
rugby union where a united Irish team play (even without a ballot!). Don't
tell Ian Paisley, he'll go mad!
Cheers,
Hamish
David Rutherglen
When Sam Martin & Jimmy Kirkwood played for GB the rules allowed them
to play for both Ireland and Great Britain. They had to choose one
country obviously for the Olympics but could revert to Ireland for FIH
tournaments. But you are right the rules have been changed since then
and they have now to make a choice between the two for all events so I
guess nobody from Ireland will play for GB again.