Ireland’s men’s hockey team were left seething yesterday after the board of the Irish Hockey Association withdrew them from next month’s Champions Challenge I in Argentina.
IHA board chairman Dennis Millar yesterday said the board had reluctantly taken the decision as they “could not see how the squad could be properly prepared for this prestigious world tournament” due to the current absence of a coach and manager for the team.
Paul Revington resigned as coach in May after helping Ireland improve from 18th to 15th in the world rankings while beating top 10 teams regularly, winning unprecedented silverware and coming within a whisker of Olympic qualification. Manager Peter Jackson then stepped down last week after more than 200 games.
The Irish men’s team took to Twitter to vent their anger at the decision by the IHA board to withdraw from the Champions Challenge I in Argentina.
The board have yet to find replacements but say they are “moving towards filling the vacancies as quickly as possible, but we cannot do this within the timescale required for Argentina”.
The consequences of this decision are far-reaching. The loss of at least 80 potential world ranking points and the deduction of an equivalent number could see them down almost 20% of their current total, potentially pushing them outside the world’s top 16.
That would necessitate their participation at an extra tournament in the Olympic cycle in 2014, should they drop back into the first tier of the World League. Furthermore, the IHA can expect a fine of up to 15,000 Swiss francs (€12,400) and possible further implications if hosts Argentina need to be compensated for any related financial losses.
Irish players contacted by Southern Fried Hockey yesterday were unwilling to speak on the record about the decision, but confirmed they had not been consulted prior to the board’s decision. Many took to Twitter to express their devastation – see tweets embedded below.
Responding to these issues, IHA chief executive Angus Kirkland told The Hook: “In reality, we held off looking straight away as there was a big push to try and retain Paul [Revington]. We could have looked concurrently. The Irish Sports Council, who advised us in this process, suggested to advertise during the Olympics to get your best chance. This is to appoint a coach for hopefully four to eight years.
“It was a tough decision for the board, not one they wanted to take. Clearly the players are unhappy, not just about the message but also the way it was related. The biggest problem will be the impact on world ranking. I can understand that being devastating for the players. To me, that’s the biggest issue.”
He confirmed that the players had not been consulted prior to the decision to withdraw but had been informed yesterday morning via e-mail. While the statement this morning on the IHA site did not mention financial issues, this appeared to be the inference drawn by many when the news was relayed earlier today.
Asked whether this was, indeed, the guiding principle behind the board’s decision, Kirkland said that “the coach is the primary issue” but added that the letter to the players did include a financial caveat.
Irish players show their disappointment after narrowly missing out on Olympic qualification.
“That was the primary drive in asking, ‘is this [tournament] going to bring value?’ Will this help the team? With the World League coming between February to May in 2013, we thought it would be better to have a coach coming in November to have a clean run into February.
“And to spend some money on preparing the team with warm-weather training. There is a financial impact – this was communicated, possibly not in the statement, but in the letter to the players.
“The tournament was coming in at more than we budgeted, certainly more than 2009 [at the World Cup qualifiers] even adjusted for inflation. That has an impact on the organisation as a whole. It’s going to be a difficult financial year.”
He cited the possibility of six major tournaments in 2013 for the senior set-ups, two rounds of the World League which lead into the World Cup – something that has a greater impact with the funding bodies – and the Europeans in Belgium.
“We do not want to be withdrawing from anything next year. We anticipate two rounds of the World League – for both men and women – and the Europeans. That’s six competitions in a year. It’s a tough year for sport generally but it is an expensive year.”
He did, however, crack open a narrow window of hope that the decision could be over-turned: “While we made the decision, we haven’t finalised the withdrawal with the FIH as yet.
He subsequently told the Daily Mail that “I’d rather lose a bit of face and get the right decision, and the board feel the same” as two proposals from a working group will be heard with a view to salvaging the Argentina trip.
On a similar note, a number of clubs have already banded together with a view to approaching the IHA on the matter.
Read on to see the reaction of Irish players on Twitter to yesterday’s news:
5 years work down the drain for Irish men’s hockey. After years of bullshit, this takes the biscuit. Absolutely gutted. #wherefromhere?
— Iain Walker (@RunningWalks) October 2, 2012
How does a group continue to aim high when the thought and cohesion at its foundation is so low? #wherefromhere#irishhockey
— Gareth Watkins (@GarWatkins) October 2, 2012
Likelihood frm quick calculation,Ireland likely to drop to 18th in world rankings due to decision this morning #irishhockey 4years hard work
— Conor Harte (@ConorHarte27) October 2, 2012
5 Years blood and sweat.What a brutal decision from the IHA Are they for real pulling us out of the CC1. #cheersforthesocalledsupport
— Precision Fitness (@PrecisionJonny) October 2, 2012
what is the point?????? disgraceful….
— Chris Cargo (@chriscargo25) October 2, 2012
‘dont have a reasonable timescale to appoint a coach!’- is this a joke? the board has had 5 months. #reactivedecsionsyetagain
— Geoff McCabe (@jazzygeoff5) October 2, 2012
clearly seems that the aim of winning the euromillions as budget plan has not worked out. hopefully the board win before our next tournament
— Geoff McCabe (@jazzygeoff5) October 2, 2012
aww dear.. Complete shambles once again..
— David Ames (@DavidAmes5) October 2, 2012
@patrickdgrimes it would be good if they were at least honest about the real reasons !!
— Iain Lewers (@iainlewers) October 2, 2012
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alangood
3 Replies to “Irish players seethe over CCI withdrawal”
IHA have confirmed their reputation as the biggest shambles in the world of sport.
focus on the line a narrow band of hope that the decison could be overturned! IT HAS TO BE!!
Yet another very very poor decision made by the I.H.A. management, it just beggers belief. The work of the past coach and all the players he encourage and brought on, to perform at a fantastic high standard of play. For the first time in many many years the Irish men’s team has developed into a team to be feard and respected.
Finance may or may not be at the back of this but the perception of the game and the governing body throughout the hockey world has to be at its lowest ebb ever. It just looks as if we are prepared to host tournmaents but not travel.
This will ensure we get NO HOME tournmaents for years to come and that will be the real cost to the mens team, travelling to tournamants all over the place. The I.H.A. has to approach every club coach or get 2 who know the system and get the team in to this tournmant, the untold damage to the sport in the worlds eyes is at stake, but also the perception of it in Ireland, who if on the mens side would choose to play a sport that coannot support the elite.
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IHA have confirmed their reputation as the biggest shambles in the world of sport.
focus on the line a narrow band of hope that the decison could be overturned! IT HAS TO BE!!
Yet another very very poor decision made by the I.H.A. management, it just beggers belief. The work of the past coach and all the players he encourage and brought on, to perform at a fantastic high standard of play. For the first time in many many years the Irish men’s team has developed into a team to be feard and respected.
Finance may or may not be at the back of this but the perception of the game and the governing body throughout the hockey world has to be at its lowest ebb ever. It just looks as if we are prepared to host tournmaents but not travel.
This will ensure we get NO HOME tournmaents for years to come and that will be the real cost to the mens team, travelling to tournamants all over the place. The I.H.A. has to approach every club coach or get 2 who know the system and get the team in to this tournmant, the untold damage to the sport in the worlds eyes is at stake, but also the perception of it in Ireland, who if on the mens side would choose to play a sport that coannot support the elite.
Stephen P Jackson