indiana wrote:

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I wasn't aware that we had "our own brand". And even if we generally did/do it is not a brand that will be a best fit for all. So in time there is a need to identify the best approaches for each individual player, be it grinder or whatever, and try to help them then receive the best coaching to aim to be all they can be 

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Yeah its called "kick and rush" haha, no we had fast tennis on grass, chip and charge, serve and volley until tennis started to change and then we failed spectacularly even on grass which we had to advantage on by far. Now that tennis has become defensive based and the slowing of the courts etc etc, unfortunately anyone who doesn't do this falls behind

"So in time there is a need to identify the best approaches for each individual player, be it grinder or whatever" this is the right idea however due to the severity of the completely free full time training programs this means several complications exist:

match results, how long they have the player for, strength, physical capability, strategical ability, mental fortitude etc etc

paulisi wrote:

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I suspect the LTA favour coaches qualified under the LTA system, they probably have a better chance of getting a position than a similar qualified foreign coach, whom the LTA know little about.

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 Boris's fault too, haha

Nah the LTA system is very weak, the blind leading the blind comes to mind

EddietheEagle wrote:

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More like the Emperor's new clothes. That's what it is when you allow a carpetbagging charlatan like Brad Gilbert to parlay his way into a multi million pound contract for, don't laugh, coaching Alex Bogdanovic. How could any sane organisation allow that to happen or the chief exec to get away with it?

A defining example of our own brand of tennis would be Henman's destruction of Kuerten at Bercy, Paris in 2003. He had Kuerten pulling his pulling his hair out at points during that match.

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 Isnt Dan a good example of our own brand of tennis in a modern context?

JonH comes home wrote:

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 Isnt Dan a good example of our own brand of tennis in a modern context?

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Absolutely. A breath of fresh air, the way he plays and a leader by example. Had he lost his double chin he could have beaten Monfils the other day.

This country doesn't produce grinders. Never has. If one does pop up he or she should be shipped off to Spain or S. America where they could learn their craft properly. 

EddietheEagle wrote:

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I'm not saying Gilbert or Annacone are no good. They clearly are in their own way but at the same time, to bring them over from California on quite ridiculous contracts, and part time at that, is beyond a joke. 

The way to use people like Peter Lundgren, Louis Cayer and Co. is to have them educate and teach our own coaches. Cayer was based here anyway, has a serious approach and has earned his spurs. Lundgren seemed like a fish out of water at the LTA. What did he do there? 

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I always thought Dan had little to do with the LTA (that it was more a national pride and convenience thing), its also funny how the LTA's rules and morals go out the window if they get a small whiff of success.  

No matter how good a coach is it has to be the player, one thing that is very different between the two systems is for example the help (murray, alcaraz) got from the Spanish federation early in their careers vs the help (boggo, liam broady etc) get from the British one.

Help starting in the smaller tournaments on the tour where they can test their level and grow their need and want to fight for it. Instead of the one time a year all of nothing wildcard then the negativity that they don't deserve their 26 thousand pound pay out etc etc

 I'm sure Boggo could have done better, but he also could have done much worse, I think like 3 of the seven times he played wimby he played number 1 seed and eventual winner straight off the bat. 

There are young British coaches not employed by the LTA who are working with some of the leading ladies on the WTA tour. One is Tom Hills who was with Maria Sakkari when she beat Jo in the Rabat final last year. Secondly Andrew Bettles was/is  working with Elina Svitolina.  How is Annabel Croft's academy financed ? When you looked at the prices for the week it looked like an activity for the rich.