Laura's new coach - potential candidates

philwrig · Hall of fame

Laura's new coach - potential candidates

korriban · Challenger level

I agree that the Swede looks a tantalisingly good option - especially if Laura demands to be worked as hard as or even harder than I'm sure Maria did.

I still don't understand what was so wrong with Krajan? OK he may have been a hard taskmaster, focussed on tennis 24/7 and perhaps not a barrel of laughs - perhaps the chemistry wasn't there - but if Laura doesn't do what she's told to do by the coach and with the requisite commitment, maturity and professionalism (Krajan's words) - then it won't matter who the coach is. After all Laura will have known precisely what type of character Mr Krajan was pre signing him up (it's widely publicised), and I presume her team decided to go with him BECAUSE he was so driven, focussed and a hard taskmaster.

Do we all at least agree that if this next coach also doesn't work out, then the problem might be closer to home?

-- Edited by korriban on Tuesday 15th of October 2013 02:05:36 PM

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

philwrig wrote:
[...] Now for the speculative part, I assume deep down that Laura felt Miles was not the long term solution, and so she is cutting ties now, she did fall out with him, but is looking to take this opportunity to bag a top coach who she can get on with plus has all the tools to get her to maximise her potential. [...]

Did you mean to type a "not" between "did" & "fall", Phil? confuse

I know nothing about their respective merits of the five candidates you list, but Högstedt sounded the ideal solution from my reading of OEM's article this morning.

-- Edited by Stircrazy on Tuesday 15th of October 2013 05:53:21 PM

philwrig · Hall of fame

But Krajan's intensity/negativity was too much, his previous clients concurring with that theory (Jankovic and Cibulkova).

Yes if this new coach doesn't work out, assuming of course it's one of the first 2 on the list, you do have to question Laura just as much.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Shame that Carlos Rodriguez is not available - I like that man.

korriban · Challenger level

philwrig wrote:
But Krajan's intensity/negativity was too much, his previous clients concurring with that theory (Jankovic and Cibulkova).

Yes if this new coach doesn't work out, assuming of course it's one of the first 2 on the list, you do have to question Laura just as much.

Phil. Perhaps. But Laura's team didn't exactly have to do extensive due diligence to find out what Krajan was like as a coach, as a travel/training companion and as a motivator. It's all very public and they know who to ask (Jankovic, Cibulkova and Safina).......all I'm saying is that you have to believe they chose him precisely BECAUSE he had these character traits and a reputation for being a hard man, and that this kind of discipline was just what she needed at that point.......I'd suggest he gave her exactly that and she either didn't like it or couldn't hack it. The medicine she probably needs is NOT going to be sweet, and any top coach worth their salt is not going to avoid prescribing it for fear of being sacked......because their reputation is based on results.......perhaps they can wrap the medicine in sugar coating (maybe Krajan wasn't canny enough to bother), but it still needs to be taken on and off the court.

korriban · Challenger level

Coup Droit wrote:
Shame that Carlos Rodriguez is not available - I like that man.

Ditto

philwrig · Hall of fame

Stircrazy wrote:
philwrig wrote:
[...] Now for the speculative part, I assume deep down that Laura felt Miles was not the long term solution, and so she is cutting ties now, she did fall out with him, but is looking to take this opportunity to bag a top coach who she can get on with plus has all the tools to get her to maximise her potential. [...]
Did you mean to type a "not" between "did" & "fall", Phil?
I know nothing about ther respective merits of the five candidates you list, but Högstedt sounded the ideal solution from my reading of OEM's article this morning.

Good spot #corrected

indiana · Tennis legend

I think it's maybe a bit unfair to be over-critical from afar about Laura's break-up with Krajan. Yes, do true dillegence, and a lot about him was well known. In many ways it is encouraging that she went for such a known taskmaster, but ultimately the long term chemistry would only really become clear once they were together. It is unfair to just assume that she couldn't hack it.

The next appointment though has become even more important. It needs very careful consideration then a real commitment from Laura to trying to make it work.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

In the immediate future, Laura's off to Nick Bollettieri's establishment: brief article in today's Evening Standard.

korriban · Challenger level

indiana wrote:
I think it's maybe a bit unfair to be over-critical from afar about Laura's break-up with Krajan. Yes, do true dillegence, and a lot about him was well known. In many ways it is encouraging that she went for such a known taskmaster, but ultimately the long term chemistry would only really become clear once they were together. It is unfair to just assume that she couldn't hack it.

Indy, I didn't just assume - Krajan pretty much said she was too immature and didn't put in the required work: he was pretty specific. Sour grapes perhaps, but I'm not aware of any similar negative comments about his players when Cibulkova and Jankovic parted company with him (I believe Safina's LT injury came while he was still coaching her). Mind you they weren't too positive about him, but their fortunes certainly picked up under his watch.

But it's Laura's career and she makes the decisions, so if he didn't work for her.....c'est la vie!

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

Needs a decent manager coaches come & go !

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

I spend a lot of time at NTC and it's not exactly an Indonesian sweat factory !

philwrig · Hall of fame

Another name enters the frame :

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/10381480/Laura-Robson-may-have-lined-up-Dutch-mentor-Sven-Groeneveld-to-be-her-coach.html

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

A1 tennis academy wrote:
I spend a lot of time at NTC and it's not exactly an Indonesian sweat factory !

Why am I not surprised!

At the risk of repeating myself(, which I'm going to anyway). I just hope that Laura has the epiphany that Andy had sooner rather than later (if at all!), and decides she wants to make it big. I would hate us to be here after five years bemoaning her exceptional talent. I don't think it'll matter if she has the best coach in the world unless she decides she really wants it, graft and all.