Be careful this just maybe a money grab. Not saying it isn't.
But on the left side of the Atlantic we've seen many Euro soccer camps affiliated with top Euro clubs hold camps and charge large $ to get low level coaches serve pop and chips and call it teaching (most recently) Dutch Total Football.
The kids ate and snacked and got orange jerseys but learnt little.
Okanagan are trusted, they've run camps in Swindon before. I believe Dan Lane one of the GB U18 goalies went to the Okanagan Academy in Austria last year, and a lot of British kids have gone to the real Academy itself in Canada. And if you read it properly you will see this isn't a one week camp, its going to run for a whole season.
Edit: I don't care how crappy the coaching is anyway, every player in the country dreams of 5 hours on the ice a week and a 50 game season
Heard rumours of Cardiff dropping down too untill they get out of the BBT, not too sure about either tbh, its always nice to have new teams in the league but it may affect whats easily the most competetive league in the country at the moment.
I'd really love the EIHA, in the off season to have a good ol shake up, promotion relagation between EPL/ENL, and ask teams from the SNL and EIHL to join.
Surely Caps, Flyers and Stars fans arent too excited about another season of getting their arses handed to them most weekends, same with Hull.
Still I'd settle for the EPL to remain competitive for next season.
Quite agree, its such a mess with all these various bodies and governments controling this and that.
I'd argue that becuase they cover the whole of hockey, junior to senior that the EIHA and SIHA should just merge together. Both bodies have their faults for sure but they both sit far better with me then the bigger mess that is the IHUK.
All depends if the Elite goes **** up I suppose, if/when that happens I think that will be the best time to have a clean sweep of UK hockey.
Basically it's Silly Season. Lots of rumours from every league in every country.
The 3 or 4 Arena teams will ensure an Elite League of some sort.
But I agree there should be more co-operation between the governing bodies in the UK.
Basically it's Silly Season. Lots of rumours from every league in every country.
The 3 or 4 Arena teams will ensure an Elite League of some sort.
But I agree there should be more co-operation between the governing bodies in the UK.
Nottingham to the KHL
But seriously, I've already said before I would love a KHL/EBEL type league with the British arena teams, some of the better French teams and a couple from the Dutch league. The rest would form an old BNL type league with the richer EPL teams. It might look a little something like this:
Nottingham, Sheffield, Belfast, Braehead/Cardiff, 4 French teams, 2 Dutch league teams.
Then in the BNL type league:
Cardiff/Braehead
Hull
Coventry
Edinburgh
Fife
Dundee
Guildford
Manchester
Milton Keynes
Basingstoke/Swindon
Then have an old EPL league which could be split into two conferences
South:
Basingstoke/Swindon
Bracknell
Slough
Romford
Wightlink
Chelmsford
Invicta
North:
Sheffield Steeldogs
Telford
Peterborough
Whitley Bay
Billingham
Solway
Blackburn
Last edited by Imaginary Threats: 03-03-2012 at 05:17 AM.
That set up looks good to me, promotion relegation? Or seperate leagues?
Also, Id whack Solihull in the Northern, theyve been getting some pretty good gates this season.
I don't think promotion/relegation will work because in the EPL league it's split into North/South.
In the EPL I would also add in Cardiff ENL devils to the South and another team in the North to give both leagues 8 teams. I'm not sure I would put Solihull in since they got relegated from ENL1.
There are enough teams in the South to have another 2 leagues.
Division 1 would have the following teams, and Division 2 has the rest, and have promotion/relegation between the two.
Bristol
Bracknell Hornets
MK Thunder
Slough ENL Jets
Streatham
Solent
Swindon ENL Wildcats
Basingstoke Buffalo
Chelmsford Warriors
I don't know who the stronger clubs are in the North, but I would integrate the ENL teams with the SNL teams so there are enough teams to have two more Northern leagues.
It's bloody embarrassing on every side. Nobody is coming out of it looking very good at all - the players for what is basically bullying (and getting far too personal in some cases), Simms for biting back and the fans for encouraging it. British ice hockey, professional as ever.
They really need to think about merging the leagues together and have a structure set up because at the moment it's like two separate entities which isn't conducive to the game at all.
They really need to think about merging the leagues together and have a structure set up because at the moment it's like two separate entities which isn't conducive to the game at all.
Hopefully with Ashraff now chairman of IHUK we will see this sooner rather than later. Otherwise it won't be long until some of the EIHL teams like Hull will just say FU to the league and leave the Arena teams by themselves
There should be one league encompassing 20 teams and then leagues below that for feeder teams (think AHL>NHL path)
Their reply was; "Disagree, we don't think this would work in the British sporting market".. Fair comment but why can't it work? You can make it work and I think it could. Anyone my idea;
I think a 20 team, two conference, 4 division league would be best. East, West, North and South. 64 games p/y. 6 games against 4 teams in your division, 4 against 5 in the second div in your conference and 2 against other 10 teams in the other conference. Maybe implement relegation with replica structure in league below. If no relegation - draft for players aged 18 that year.
Divisions/Conference's could look like this;
North: Edinburgh, Fife, Dundee, Braehead and Belfast
West: Cardiff, Coventry, Bristol, Swindon and Telford
South: New London Team, Slough, Guilford, Romford and Bracknell
East: Chelmsford, Nottingham, Hull, Sheffield and MK.
Manchester could probably go in somewhere if needed or team number increased.
Also - I think it's a joke there's no London team in the top tier. Huge suburban area that could easily fill a team. Play at the O2? Like the old London Knights too if needs be.
Their reply was; "Disagree, we don't think this would work in the British sporting market".. Fair comment but why can't it work? You can make it work and I think it could. Anyone my idea;
I think a 20 team, two conference, 4 division league would be best. East, West, North and South. 64 games p/y. 6 games against 4 teams in your division, 4 against 5 in the second div in your conference and 2 against other 10 teams in the other conference. Maybe implement relegation with replica structure in league below. If no relegation - draft for players aged 18 that year.
Divisions/Conference's could look like this;
North: Edinburgh, Fife, Dundee, Braehead and Belfast
West: Cardiff, Coventry, Bristol, Swindon and Telford
South: New London Team, Slough, Guilford, Romford and Bracknell
East: Chelmsford, Nottingham, Hull, Sheffield and MK.
Manchester could probably go in somewhere if needed or team number increased.
Also - I think it's a joke there's no London team in the top tier. Huge suburban area that could easily fill a team. Play at the O2? Like the old London Knights too if needs be.
Yeah, that's not going to work. Teams like Chelmsford and Bristol (who may not even have a rink next season) competing with the likes of Belfast and Nottingham? This proposal would simply get laughed at. How closely do you follow the game over here?
They've already tried a London team and failed miserably, the interest just wasn't there. One of my teammates was telling a story of when he played for Isle of Wight they lost the first 10 games of the season, then one of the imports said "It's alright, when I played for the London Racers we didn't win a game until February" The London Knights played during the Super League era when interest in the sport was at it's max. Manchester used to draw crowds of over 10,000 in the MEN Arena and even filled it once, then when the Super League collapsed, they barely filled the rink in Altrincham and had to drop down to the EPL because of financial problems.
A draft will never ever work in any British sport either, especially not hockey, players aren't going to move to the other side of the country to play hockey because there's a very low chance they will make a living from it. Players develop within their own club systems like they do with every other sport here, that's just the way it is, it's kind of part of a culture, can you imagine what football players would think if they had to be drafted and couldn't choose who they play for? It's the same in all the other big European leagues except the KHL and they do pretty well without it.
Last edited by Imaginary Threats: 03-07-2012 at 11:13 AM.
I don't really follow it much but that's the sort of structure I'd like to see; Two Conferences ie. Teams are moving. I only really follow the top league.
I think what I'd like to see is a structure that allows teams to nurture young players and progress them through the leagues.
I don't really follow it much but that's the sort of structure I'd like to see; Two Conferences ie. Teams are moving. I only really follow the top league.
I think what I'd like to see is a structure that allows teams to nurture young players and progress them through the leagues.
In a perfect world yes but the fact that teams in the EIHL can't even compete with each other financially just makes the idea of having lower league teams play against them too, absolutely ridiculous.
In my boring comparison of soccer in Canada to hockey in UK........yeah, yeah, yeah yeah..........it's just me.
Why we Canadians should only observe hockey in Britain.
Stupid comments from soccer players from away.
Beckham and Keane on playing inside on turf in Toronto.
Answers it's early March in Canada........it could be -15C or plus 15C this time of year.
Grass doesn't grow in 99% of Canada this time of year....I know 1,500 Km east of TO we still have 3 feet of snow on the ground in one of the mildest winters ever.
Sound anything like us 'Nucks talk about small rinks in UK? http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/stor...alaxy-tfc.html
It's bloody embarrassing on every side. Nobody is coming out of it looking very good at all - the players for what is basically bullying (and getting far too personal in some cases), Simms for biting back and the fans for encouraging it. British ice hockey, professional as ever.
I will admit I thought it was kinda funny at first. Dave Simms is a bit annoying but being a southerner I don't watch the Elite league so I don't really care, but I don't think he deserves some of the criticism he gets.
He's a bit like a ref, people are quick to criticise but they would not be willing to do it themselves or be able to do a better job, there aren't many people who do more for the sport than him in this country so he has my respect.
It would be a shame if the league were to implode again. They have a decent product and after having been to about 5 Braehead games this season, I am very impressed by their organisation and the core fan support. There is a number of decent players in the league and with a little bit more money for some teams to throw around, they would be able to get even better quality.
Braehead are a little hamstrung with only being able to field 17 players at any time and a couple of them are hardly ever on the ice. But they still manage to compete well with the stronger clubs. (a nice 4-3 OT win over Sheffield tonight).
As long as I am still in Glasgow, I'll keep going to the games. I think it's a good night out.
It would be a shame if the league were to implode again. They have a decent product and after having been to about 5 Braehead games this season, I am very impressed by their organisation and the core fan support. There is a number of decent players in the league and with a little bit more money for some teams to throw around, they would be able to get even better quality.
Braehead are a little hamstrung with only being able to field 17 players at any time and a couple of them are hardly ever on the ice. But they still manage to compete well with the stronger clubs. (a nice 4-3 OT win over Sheffield tonight).
As long as I am still in Glasgow, I'll keep going to the games. I think it's a good night out.
How much are tickets to Braehead games? There has been a thread on The Hockey Forum asking why people on there stopped going to games, and a lot said the tickets got so expensive it wasn't value for money anymore.
Anyway, came here to post the GB preliminary roster for the worlds this year:
Netminders
Ben Bowns (Sheffield Steel dogs)
Nathan Craze (Edinburgh Capitals)
Stephen Murphy (Belfast Giants)
Geoff Woolhouse (Sheffield Steelers)
Defence
Russ Cowley (Coventry Blaze)
Corey Neilson (Nottingham Panthers)
Stephen Lee (Nottingham Panthers)
Danny Meyers (Nottingham Panthers)
Ben O’Connor (Sary-Arka Karaganda)
David Phillips (SønderjyskE)
Kevin Phillips (Braehead Clan)
Mark Richardson (Cardiff Devils)
Mark Thomas (Sheffield Steelers)
Jonathan Weaver (Coventry Blaze)
Forwards
David Clarke (Nottingham Panthers)
Ben Davies (Cardiff Devils)
Robert Dowd (Belfast Giants)
Robert Farmer (Coventry Blaze)
Owen Fussey (Coventry Blaze)
Mark Garside (Belfast Giants)
Jason Hewitt (Sheffield Steelers)
Phil Hill (Cardiff Devils)
Brent Hughes (Dundee Stars)
Jeff Hutchins (Dundee Stars)
Leigh Jamieson (Milton Keynes Lightning)
Robert Lachowicz (Nottingham Panthers)
David Longstaff (Guildford Flames)
Bari McKenzie (Edinburgh Capitals)
Lee Mitchell (Braehead Clan)
Matthew Myers (Nottingham Panthers)
Arron Nell (Swindon Wildcats)
Greg Owen (Coventry Blaze)
Craig Peacock (Belfast Giants)
Jonathan Phillips (Sheffield Steelers)
Colin Shields (Morzine-Avoriaz)
How much are tickets to Braehead games? There has been a thread on The Hockey Forum asking why people on there stopped going to games, and a lot said the tickets got so expensive it wasn't value for money anymore.
It is 18 quid for the center ice gold seating, 16 for the rest of the lower level and 14 for the upper decks. I don't think it is that bad really.
