Wimbledon R1: IT'S BOGGO TIME!

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

RE: Wimbledon R1: IT'S BOGGO TIME!

Angry Man · Newbie

Boggo should have done a Joe Kinnear in his press conference.

It really does annoy me every wimbledon the way britains lack of top level players is blamed on the players especially Boggo. Its not him who wastes the 20 odd million a year from wimbledon. All he can do is try to be the best he can be. Its not his fault that hes the british number 2 and they keep giving him wc's. In every match at wimbledon hes been the underdog and often a huge underdog.

And yet every year when the brits lose we have the same unpleasant ignorant garbage in the tabloids written by people who know nothing and probably last saw a tennis match 50 weeks ago .

Robxon · Lower Club Player

Angry Man wrote:

Boggo should have done a Joe Kinnear in his press conference.

It really does annoy me every wimbledon the way britains lack of top level players is blamed on the players especially Boggo. Its not him who wastes the 20 odd million a year from wimbledon. All he can do is try to be the best he can be. Its not his fault that hes the british number 2 and they keep giving him wc's. In every match at wimbledon hes been the underdog and often a huge underdog.

And yet every year when the brits lose we have the same unpleasant ignorant garbage in the tabloids written by people who know nothing and probably last saw a tennis match 50 weeks ago .

If you can't blame it on the players who can you blame. I am not for one moment suggesting that given the men's draws this year we could expect anything different.

However, I do think it is odd that players from countries without any expensive tennis infrastructure achieve success, yet the Brits don't.

I really do believe that the money from Wimbledon is a curse. It gives everybody the opportunity to have a go at somebody else.

The LTA don't make players, they may or may not fund them. The Coaches don't make players they may or may not help them. The only people who make players are the players themselves. If they want it badly enough to do what it takes, they will succeed.

Why is it that we constantly hear from the players at the NTC that they are amazed at how hard Andy works? Why are they not working just as hard?

If you ever need an example of just how far hard work and single mindedness can take you, look no further than Tim Henman. He was never the most naturally talented of players but he worked and worked at it.

The LTA certainly have a role at the grass roots level starting youngsters playing competetively but I really do not believe that they should be focused on the elite of the mens game. Why did Dan Evan's suddenly start performing when his LTA funding is taken away?

Why is it important for the LTA to fund players who are never going to reach the top levels of the game? It is always seen as a negative that both Tim and Andy came from 'outside the LTA'. Actually it is much more likely that they knew exactly what help they needed and where to get it. And with their single minded approach they went for it.

The question remains do British players want success badly enough?

Happycynic · Pro player

I think the thing is, INDIVIDUAL players may be performing to their best. The lack of top 100 players may not be the fault of the INDIVIDUAL who got to 180 - if that is the result of where they get from their best endeavours.

The SYSTEM (LTA) has to generate enough individuals such that some turn out to be Murray.

It could be that GB men just don't perform. Alternatively, the drip into the men's game may be too slow.

Lack of performance on an individual level may account for the GB lack of success. The system may also contribute. In fact, these are not mutually exclusive.

To me, there is a significance that AM, our finest player for a generation, has a tennis coach and playing mother. This suggests that the system matters and is underperforming.

The Hoose · Satellite level

Other countries have players as bad as Bogdanovic but they don't get a load of stick.

How about Julien Jeanpierre, age 29, WR 496, career high 133 - having had the benefit of the "great" French system?

In another country, Boggo could happily go about his business without receiving the blame he does. The problem is mainly that there's nobody better than Boggo in this country, not that Boggo deserves loads of criticism.

christian · Intermediate Club Player

Absolutely agree with what Hoose said we were discussing this British obesession with knocking our players, in any sport really. I so look forward to Wimbledon every year but the one thing that I always dread is how much stick the Brits get. As someone pointed out the other wc's hardly set the world alight so who else should get them.

Can't believe some of the stick Boggo gets, moaning about him getting 10k for losing, have they any idea how long that lasts? The daft thing is the press moan about them getting wc's but what would they fill their space with instead cos the amount of time spent talking about them is ridiculous? If they are that bad ignore them, like they ignored Mahut and Dimitrov.

Happycynic · Pro player

I agree about the money thing. I'm sure Boggo could do quite nicely retiring and coaching. No more travel, no more stress from the press. Just a sweet constant income...

Being a tennis player around 180 doesn't make for a big net income compared to retiring and doing something else. You do it 'cos you like it.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

All of you raise some good points, i think it clear that some players have underachieved and some haven't. Expectations can be unfairly high especially at this time of year.

i think the LTA have to take some of the blame. it's clear that some players have improved when not directly under their supervision, wehatehr thats due to extra motivation down to no funding or duie to being able to do thinsg their own way its hard to say, but what is claer is that both boggo and evans seemed to get thei best results whne not with the LTA.

i think the LTA need to have a much more flexible approach to their coaching, and allow players to have a greater say in what goes on.

i find it laughable how it's trotted out that boggo gets paid £30k per year in funding, and before that boggo got paid £375k in funding to Brad Gilbert. Er no Boggo (and the other players of course) doesn't see a penny of that. the funding is what the LTA deem their coaches and facilities and other support staff are worth. Boggo might think the coaches are a piece of carp but what can he do? nothing expect leave the LTA, but then he loses his travel allowance, or stick with him.

Players should have supervision with what to do with their funding, of course, but they should be allowed much more say in who it is spent on

steven · Tennis legend

Count Zero wrote:
Boggo might think the coaches are a piece of carp but what can he do? nothing expect leave the LTA, but then he loses his travel allowance, or stick with him.

I didn't realise Mardy Fish was now on the LTA coaching staff ... in fact, I'm sure I saw him beat Tipsy today!

James · Satellite level

Steven..

Surely there must be rules about this sort of material..!

With regards to Brits I've never been able to understand the press' view that it is the underachieving of British players as opposed to the LTA that is at the heart of the issue. Surely a player with a rank such as of that of James Ward represents the equivalent of Peterborough being given a WC into the main draw of the Champions League and proceeding to lose against Marseille in the first round. Do the press turn the blade into a Blue square premier side when they lose to a premier league team in the FA Cup? No because they recognise that it isn't a lack of motivation or effort that produces the generally inevitable result but the gulf in talent & ability.

There is a general assumption that all British players have the ability to be top 50 players but aren't getting there due a lack of dedication and/or fitness, when, sadly I suppose, that isn't the case. And yes, some British players aren't mentally strong enough but its recognised in the tennis community that a positive mental approach is as much of a weapon as a huge forehand, therefore missing that side to your game is surely just by-the-by.. some have it some don't; but like a weak forehand it can be worked on. (Not sure if this part really makes any sense but thought I would soliloquise anyway)

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Boggo's interview after today's doubles match is interesting. He appears to suggest that he'll be transitioning towards being a doubles focused player though he was asked a leading question so it's not exactly clear.

http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/interviews/2009-06-24/200906241245855251406.html

-- Edited by kundalini on Wednesday 24th of June 2009 04:26:12 PM

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

i think the answer was tongue-in-cheek kundalini...probably mocking his poor singles' record by saying now he's won a doubles match he's gonna be a dubs specialist

Count Zero · Tennis legend

yes the more i have thought about it it may have been boggo taking the piss at bit with the reporters.

wolf · Tennis legend

LMAO @ the Bogman - I've been wanting him to give some back to the journos for so long.

Vandenburg · Futures level

im really not sure what to make of boggos new interview style

the psychology of it is interesting,
he seems really not concerned by the press or people thinking hes crap, maybe meaning hes more relaxed in life now?