Comments on: SA Indoor Teams Announced

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 10:48:49 +0000

Great going Hockey SA…. it’s good to read the answers and for us ‘common’ folk to have our say. IT is high time that Hockey SA keep a pool of talent and remember them when selection time comes round – it builds faith in us players, knowing that even though we are injured we still stand a chance of being selected and spur us on to ensure that we repay the faith of the selectors. Remember guys talent alone is not everything- experience does count!

By: Gally

Gally — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:46:59 +0000

Administration: HockeySA – I would like to comment on the following point made by Jocko (Stuart Gower-Jackson) as I believe there could be a mis-interpretation of it with regard to the confidentially of our website users: “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???” HockeySA would like to assure all users that their identities on this website will remain confidential at all times. I would like to thank all of you for your continued support and interaction in HockeySA.co.za Regards Gally

By: Jocko

Jocko — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:38:08 +0000

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

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:29:27 +0000

Lots of good points Donald, but NOTHING has changed, and it never will!! Too much local politics with players and coaches.

By: Kapow

Kapow — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:46:12 +0000

Granted that everybody is entitled to their own opinion & just being a mere spectator people feel that they know so much about the in’s & out’s of the selection criteria. Firstly a player like Cindy Botha has a vast amount of experience and missing out on one IPT should not jeopardise her chance of being included in the side. Because she has been sidelined due to a pretty serious injury & is due back any day now, I’m pretty sure she would have to pass a fitness test in order to make the side.
Rassie Pieterse was sidelined for 4 months with a torn achilles tendon & had to pass numerous fitness test before he could play! Cindy is one of the best talents in SA hockey & not giving her the opportunity to recover from the injury would not be fair. Every incident needs to be taken on merit & not affording one of, or if not the best players in SA hockey (indoor/outdoor) the chance, then that would be a selection error!

By: jonothan

jonothan — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:24:36 +0000

i agree with you Donald. anyway James i think Donald was
not so much having a go at the player but at the selctor and
the whole selection process. Puffy is the one who needs to
look at his actions as the players are innocent and did not
asked to be selected.

By: donald

donald — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:10:14 +0000

Hey James, we are all entitled to our opinion and the whole purpose of an
interactive site is to be able to air our views which priviledge I am entitled
to.

The no offensive part was on a personal basis as regards him as a person
however this has nothing to do with his ability as a player.

I note that you are actually stating that he had a decent tournament.
Well I could name a few more who had outstanding tournaments so
why were they overlooked. Normally selectors choose on what they
see at tournament and would never know what a players ability is
in his home league. Fortunately for this player the National Selector
is his home team coach so one must then assume that he is being
selected for his performance in home league games. Nice advantage
for the Inland boys and I am sure that is not the way it is supposed
to work.

Maybe if he was injured before the tournament he should have sat
out and reported himself injured like Cindy Botha and if he was
good enough like she is he may have been picked anyway. I dont
believe he did his team a favour playing with an injury and this
doesnt always mean a person is a amazing sport, sometimes
a players needs to know that his injury can actually cost his
team and do the right thing and sit out.

No sporting code selects a player on his ability to give it
horns if the correct level of playing ability is not there.
In addition Simon is not exactly a youngster and one needs to ask
how come he did not come through as being an amazing
indoor player whilst he was at the peak of his hockey career?

Are you suggesting that unless we all agree with the selectors
of national teams we all need to keep our opinions to ourselves.
Wonder how many times you have ”slated” the national rugby or cricket
selectors or players or is that different?

By: James

James — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:07:09 +0000

Donald, I like the way you say no personal offensive to the guy when you are clearly slating him as much as you can. As far as I am concerned, a guy that injures himself just before the tournament but does what it takes to push through a pain threshold for his province which he has represented admirably over the years, that is what makes a sportsman. the fact that he was injured and still in fact played to a decent level. That is the sort of player you want in your side. One that will give it horns regardless. So I reckon take any personal vendettas and keep them to yourself.

By: supporter

supporter — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:03:21 +0000

Nobody said that Cindy is not talented or that she didnt go to last world cup. What about the talented boys that werent at IPT because of being at world cup they havent been concidered ?
And what about the other many talented girls that provinces didnt come to the indoor IPT, they couldnt be considered !!! Injuries are unfortunate and happen, but thats life. Its not like the world cup is this year, Cindy could still get into that squad but the squad after indoor IPT should only come from those girls.

By: Educated

Educated — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:44:22 +0000

The grounds for selecting Cindy Botha is the indoor team might just be the fact that she attended the last world cup and has played the game of indoor at national level standard for many years without missing an ipt. The fact that she has been sidelined because of an injury does not affect her skill or ability! I would hate to see the state of any national sports team if players were excluded from important comptetitions because of a pervious injury. Injuries happen when you play sport at the highest level! I applaude SAHA for starting to show faith in players and thinking ahead. Cindy has proven time and time again that she is a player of class and deserves the chance to at least prove that she is fit enough to participate. I challenge you to find a player who participated at ipt who could replace Cindy and match her experience, knowledge and skill in indoor hockey. Not going to happen!