Hi All For those of you who dont know me from my nickname, I’m Stuart Gower-Jackson… I Have quite a few replies for various people down the forum but will reply here to all of the (Ill try to name who Im responding to – but without a doubt, Donald, whoever you are, requires the first)! Im just replying to opinions of names, not people…

What has Johnno done to you that you need to personally single him out and completely abuse him… “no personal offense”… what a load of rubbish!!!

Weak link? What grounds do you have to say that he was a weak link? Im not sure if you noticed, but I was not at all on from during a few of our last couple of games, and only managed to find the target once or twice. Indoor is about scoring goals, and as far as I can remember, we struggled to score them at the end. I dont remeber us struggling as a result of our defense having any waek links!

Which student would you have selected agead of him? With Simon’s experience, calm head and solid performance under pressure, can you tell me one player who should be rather than him?? In fact dont answer that, its not worth getting yourself into more contravercy… Who has been a common link in the back over the past decade, and how many IPTs have we been fortunate to have won? Enough about Simon!

Selectors…. Every Province was given the opportuinity to nominate selectors for SAHA’s consideration. 3 were appointed and for various reasons, 2 couldnt fulfill their appointments. That meant that one individual had to watch every single match possible, over 3 days of hockey in a hall that would get upward of 35 deg C, without having the luxuary to consult anyone. BUT Brian Edwards has more experience in selecting sides, coaching, and playing at international levels than anyone I know, and if there is anyone that is more qualified to single handedly, and completely without bias (as much as it is humanly possible), then Brian is the one. Do not question his selection or throw any abuse his way, as he endured something that I wouldnt have in order to ensure that our SA Indoor side has the opportunity to possibly go to another WC!!! Brian has played, coahed and selected NAtional teams for years, and I think that his opinion deserves a little respect. I firmly believe he is a bigger man than to select his mates!!  There has been so much behind the scenes work to even get SAHA to endorce this last IPT, and to get all the Provinces here, and if you knew that, Im sure you wouldnt be here airing your opinior in the way you have. With all respect to the other selectors who have valid reasons, maybe the “bias” you accuse Brian of, should be rethought and you could have a go at them? They didnt allow Brian to have anything but his own opinion. Well done Brian!

Injuries….  I completely agree with James, Pam, and Educated on the Cindy and injry issue. Did you notice that Simon was injured?? I didnt…
Jo – I think you perception of indoor hckey is a little twisted. Im not sure if you watched the Inland vs Matabeleland match? The score was 23-1 or something like than… 24 goals in 40 mins…a goal in less than every 2 mins! How can you say that Varsity thrashed Collegians? They won by 2 goals in the first, and 3 in the second (in which they lost the second half 4-2, for what its worth). Those results arent thrashings… thats just my personal point… Regarding why collegians had more than varsity… what difference does it really make? Inland had 5! Brilliant boys!! Lets not bring the last selections into it as I believe there was a lot of rubbish spoken by uninformed, emotional etc etc people. Maybe the selectors didnt get it 100%, but they did a pretty good job, and the reason why we did how we did is only a result of the unfortunate position indoor has in the country, in particular, financially… enough on that.

Jo, see above regarding the one selector story! Do you still feel the same way? Do you really think that SAHA in all their experience would send a sole local selector to a tournament??? Get real! Both Gally and I must be getting on then…

Dave, Im not sure you have any right saying what you have said… Brian selected some players he has excluded in the past and not selected others who have… perhaps he sees something you dont? Maybe you watch 15 games this year and have a different opinion?
Donald, sorry to reply to you again, but it sounds like you arent from the midlands… I dont remember  Brian watching many of SImon’s league games, and if you had half a clue about the league in Pmb, you’d know that it definitely doesnt bring out the best in players… local chaps will know what I mean… 
Jonathan, your comments arent worth a response, and it really bites me that I have to agree with the very small bit about the process. Yes, it should have been different, but are you willing to destroy the future of SA indoor hockey and the dreams of myself and many others because of a situation the arose not as a result of the players but administration. Should we not have then let Brian select a side, should we not then go to Namibia and hopefully qualify, should we not then a least have an opportunity to go to another WC and play, learn and enjoy some REAL indoor hockey? Id hate to see the past 2 years work (by many who will remain annonymous) go to waste? Not if I can help it!!

Kapouw, agreed.

Dave!!! Get over it, if you had any idea of what local, provincial and national politics have been overcome in order to get an IPT on the calendar again, you may want to stp blaming local politics for what you feel was a bias selection?

Guys and Gals, there appears to be very little good coming out of this forum! As you choose to remain as annonymous as possible, I cant tell if you are players or spectators.. not that is hsould make a difference. As players, we have a responsibility, and sometimes more than that of provincial and national administrators, to ensure that out awesome indoor hockey sport keeps being recognised. There is a lot that provincial and national bodies dont know about how passionate we are about the game. Maybe we should be encouraging the fact that out of nowhere, we managed to get SAHA to endorce this IPT, we got a side selected for Namibia, and if alll goes to plan (ok, it may only be mine at this stage) hopefully another IPT in November to select a side for the WC in Feb 2011!! Now wouldnt that be something worth venting about rather than the above. Those of you who were not selected, wrongly or rightly so… take it like a man, suck it up, and come back in aNovember and prove everyone to everyone else, that you deserve to be there. Hockey is a small world here in SA, those of you who had so much to say will soon be known, and what do you think will happen when the selectors find out who it was abusing them like this???  Some opinions should not be put on forum such as this and should be kept for pillow talk and around a fire with your family….

Im probably not going to read anymore of this forum, I just thought you all needed to know a little more about the ’behind the scenes’ stuff. Simon and Brian do not deserve the abuse, and if it is personl, go on and state your name… grow a pair.

Cheers

Jock