Draper's shake-ups

stagger · Club Coach

Draper's shake-ups

stagger · Club Coach

The BBC just published this story;

Felgate dismissed from job by LTA
David Felgate
Felgate has been ousted by Draper
David Felgate has been sacked from his post as performance director by the Lawn Tennis Association.

New LTA chief executive Roger Draper has named Great Britain's Davis Cup captain Jeremy Bates in the interim.

Also departing the organisation are head of development Rebecca Miskin and finance director Paul Keen.

Draper was appointed as the LTA's new head in February and has wasted little time in making major changes to the governing body for British tennis.

He said:
'I would like to thank David, Rebecca and Paul for the contribution they have made to British tennis over the last three years.

"All three have worked extremely hard to support British tennis and I wish them all the best in their next ventures.

"An interim LTA Leadership team has been appointed to ensure that we move forward with purpose whilst a new structure is created and a new team recruited."

Here's the link.

-- Edited by stagger at 17:49, 2006-05-16

Sheddie · administrator

Moved to British men discussion section from General Discussion

-- Edited by UltimateSlabbaFan at 17:45, 2006-05-16

johnnylad · Tennis legend

Will this change the wild card situation for Wimbledon etc... It was Felgates system wasn't it?

Montana Doug · Futures qualifying

Yeah but what is Batesy gonna do which Felgate couldn't? I don't know, nothing against Bates or anyone else, but I'd rather them look for someone with experience at bringing talent through. Maybe going abroad. I know you don't have to be a great player to be a great coach, but even though he is a stop gap, Bates has coached no one apart from Davies Cup. I'd rather them look at someone who has had a hand bringing all these French, Spanish players through etc. Although we did have a French man a few years back. Maybe the problem is that kids just don't play tennis over there, which is not Felgate's fault.

stagger · Club Coach

I agree montana, but they made a point of saying that batesy was an interim choice, meaning that they intend to give the job to someone else later.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

johnnylad wrote:

Will this change the wild card situation for Wimbledon etc... It was Felgates system wasn't it?

maybe they will change it to stop alex geeting one

Montana Doug · Futures qualifying

stagger wrote:

I agree montana, but they made a point of saying that batesy was an interim choice, meaning that they intend to give the job to someone else later.

I know he is a stop gap, but still.....just like over here, my son's Summer Soccer coach is English, we don't understand soccer so we bring in the Brits (my son calls his sister a plonker now). Maybe it might be time to have some Spanish coaches teaching the younger players how to play on clay. I would just hate to see the same ol same ol when there are good youngsters coming up.

stagger · Club Coach

Draper was on the radio this morning talking about the new performance director. He said he was considering hiring a foreigner for the job...I wonder if he has someone in particular in mind. He also said his mission was to make tennis the second most popular sport in the UK after football. hahah good luck draper. you'll have to kill cliff richard first.

stagger · Club Coach

He's even flashing names around like Bolletieri and Brett. He said 'you pay peanuts and you get monkeys'.

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

Can anybody explain exactly why Patrique Hegelaur left? His credentials and skill set was perfect for the task, having achieved success in Tennis administration in France. Did he feel restricted by the LTA? Were there politics involved? As far as I know, he never gave a proper explanation for leaving.

Montana Doug · Futures qualifying

That is a great question.....Patrique Hegelaur created such interest when he first arrived there. You had this feel that they had got the right man with the gifts and vision and yet I wonder what went wrong.