The next DC captain ... (update: JL has now resigned)

Ratty · County player

RE: The next DC captain ... (update: JL has now resigned)

scottie1 · Futures level

saw teletext on BBC not likely to be a bigname coach for Davis cup. Draper must have phoned Andy! So is it Leon Smith untested in my view at top level. Is it the Murray Camp that will decide who is the coach. I think Greg wouldbe unafraid to tell Andy off but anyone else would be a stool pigeon. If it is not a nig name maybe Andy wants Adam Lownsborough or something of similar ilk but to me the whole thing stinks of the Murray influence! ironically Jamie Murray disagrees so he must want Greg.

clayfan · Lower Club Player

I have to disagree with Ratty on the need for accessable public courts. It is unlikely you will get many street urchins coming along to be discovered, granted. But they do broaden the presence of tennis in the minds of the public. Even if someones only plays the odd game, they will follow the sport more and watch it on TV. The more interest, the more exposure and the more money is generated. Some will want to take their play on to the next level. The broader the base of the pyramid, the higher the apex! All the playing options I had for developing an interest in tennis have completely disappeared.

steven · Tennis legend

clayfan wrote:

I have to disagree with Ratty on the need for accessable public courts. It is unlikely you will get many street urchins coming along to be discovered, granted. But they do broaden the presence of tennis in the minds of the public. Even if someones only plays the odd game, they will follow the sport more and watch it on TV. The more interest, the more exposure and the more money is generated. Some will want to take their play on to the next level. The broader the base of the pyramid, the higher the apex! All the playing options I had for developing an interest in tennis have completely disappeared.

True. I wonder to what extent this is the LTA's responsibility though, other than encouraging local councils to build more courts and keep them open - after all, it's not the FFT that funds all the local courts in France, it's the local councils that do it.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, I agree clayfan. We're not particularly talking more access for the very poor we're talking more access generally so that anyone might be more likely to pick up a racket than they might otherwise have been. And if just a few get hooked and turn out to be very good you've increaed the player base.

I have agreed with Ratty befire that the problem essentially is the player base. Do we just accept that ? Accept that we don't have the players and they mainly go to other sports or try and do things about it ?

I haven't got loads of bright ideas myself but to me somehow giving more and easier access to tennis facilties ( and then making that a good experience ) seems to make so much sense. Obviously there is cost / benefit ratios to be considered. But you have to try different things and not go on as we are.

Current way = current player base = long term continuation of GB tennis failure ( in producing overall good numbers ) = folk on a tennis forum in 20 years getting excited about maybe a 3rd GB guy entering the men's top 200.

johnnylad · Tennis legend

To be fair my local park has just replaced their dirty tarmac/gravel courts complete with ropey nets with a nice new blue acyrilic surface and brand new nets. It also seems to have persuaded the local drunks not to smash their empty vodka bottles on the court now.

Thoguh the bad news is they hace replaced the tennis court as their dustbin with the kiddies playground.

LadyTigress · County player

I read all of the developments in the newspapers on the way to uni the past couple days. Big spread on the Draper quote this morning. Does this mean Greg Rusedski, our front-running candidate, is now ruled out too?

EDIT: Also in the same article there was this same nonsense about Andy supposedly not making the commitment to play against Lithuania and Draper making it sound like it was Andy's decision and then excusing him a la "oh well I do understand he has Grand Slams and Masters events to play, and that's raising the profile of tennis back home here in the UK". Codswallop. Wasn't it mutually agreed amongst everyone that Lithuania would be such a pushover that Andy wouldn't be needed, and thus Andy wasn't invited to be on the team? The article I read made it sound like Draper was implying that they had wanted Andy on the team and asked him but Andy had refused because of his other commitments.

-- Edited by LadyTigress on Wednesday 24th of March 2010 09:29:30 PM

clayfan · Lower Club Player

Article in the Glasgow Herald this morning. Their chief sports editor is in Miami and has been speaking to Andy Murray. He has written that "Leon Smith has emerged as the strong favourite to captain the Great Britain Davis Cup team." "He is set to succeed John Lloyd .."

The interview asks Andy about playing in the tie against Turkey and his reaction to JL criticising him for not being available for the Lithuania tie. He pointed out that he has to continue to put his career first. He pointed out he got injured in the last tie with Poland and took time and points off his schedule. "I need to make a decision on what's best, not only for the team but also my own career." He says other top players duck out of playing Davis Cup too. (So it looks like a no, then!)

Count Zero · Tennis legend

yeah i heard a bit of news last night that pretty much suggested it was going to be Leon.

do we think he would make a good choice? i don't really know anything about him.

scottie1 · Futures level

Leon was Andy's coach as a kid and is respected in Scotland as a coach. my big worry is that Andy will have more power than before and therefore Andy would pick the team! Remember was there not some argument between Andy and Goodall at one point then Andy and Jamie so if you are not friendly with Andy you are out.

Having said that he is our only World class player but Boggo sahould be back in the team give Evans time to mature. Next team should be Boggo/Baker/Fleming/Skupsi with Ward as reserve. If Andy decided to play it will probably be Andy/Huchins plus two others with Murray/Hutchins in doubles.

James · Satellite level

From the Beeb: 'Leon Smith to be named next DC captain'

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/8608963.stm

Count Zero · Tennis legend

hmm, should have put some money on it. i wonder what odds i could have got 13 days ago.

-- Edited by Count Zero on Thursday 8th of April 2010 11:30:53 AM

steven · Tennis legend

I think that might have counted as 'insider dealing' Count!

If it is Leon Smith, I think whether it's a good appointment or not depends on whether they really do think he's the best man for the job (and what little I've heard about him has been generally good, so that's not out of the question) or whether he has been appointed as a sop to Muzza, since that would be a very questionable policy if he was intending to commit to play DC on a regular basis (i.e. I'd much rather we had a completely independent captain who would stand up to him if necessary) and an utterly ridiculous policy if he isn't.

Ratty · County player

I can never quite work out what special skills are needed to be Davis Cup captain.

What you seem to have to do is:

1. Choose the 2 highest ranked players to play singles. It helps not to fall out with your best players (Lloydy messed up on this one, obviously).

2. Choose the 2 highest ranked players to play doubles.

3. Get someone at the LTA to sort out travel arrangements, etc.

4. Sit by the net during each match. Complain vigorously to the umpire when there are any dodgy line calls. It's advisable to talk animatedly to your players during the changeovers (another one Lloydy messed up), if only to say things like "Try coughing loudly when Jonny Foreigner is about to serve" or "Have you seen the rack on that bird in Row 3".

I think that any of us could do this as well as Leon ....

philwrig · Hall of fame

Leon Smith tennis's version of Steve McClaren or an inspired choice take your pick.