The recent emerging side which was announced recently is a joke. Pease tell me how players who have already been in and were dropped from the National side can be considered emerging players. If they are intending this to be a SA A side then I can understand keeping them in the “loop”. Furthermore, if you have watched hockey as long as I have you must surely understand the concept that even with skill and being able to play a great game, some players just reach their limit and no amount of coaching will make them improve to the level needed at national level. Now some of these emerging players definately fall into that category.

I am dumbfounded that the selectors did not consider that not even one of the youngsters who played for KZN Inland were worthy of a spot in this emerging side. Bearing in mind that Inland were 2 minutes away from a semi spot when they played Coastals and the fact that bye and large they are a club/varsity side competing in a National tournament and the fact that despite this and injury to key players they still held their heads high and came 5th overall. Doesn’t say much for the other provinces who came behind them.

In my opinion for what its worth, at least 2 players should have walked into this emerging side being Justin Domleo and Jethro Eustice who are amazing youngsters and two of the better defenders in the country. Clearly our selectors lost the plot and could not see further than the defeat they took from Southerns. A team works as a unit and a few weak links can kill a team/defender but Selectors should be able to see past this and recognise talent in the individual. That is if they have the ability and knowledge to start with.

In reality the selectors have managed to send a message that if you want to be recognised as an emerging or potential national player you shouldn’t be doing it with KZN Inland. Can they honestly say that out of the three teams Inland had at tournament only one player is worthy of selection ie Tommy Hammond. I dont think so. We all know what a wonderful player tommy is but he did not win the 5th position all by himself.

Another area of concern is the selection of all the white faces in this so called emerging team. Surely with our development programme and the criteria for the Commonwealth and Olympic games being 50/50 this would have been the perfect platform for our young non white players to be recognised and developed in a proper and acceptable way so that when we have to provide 50/50 we would be doing so on merit and ability.

SAHA has clearly not sent the right message to the Selectors who should re-think this entire squad and the reason for its being in the first place. Never mind that we are desperate for sponsors – what sort of message are we sending potential sponsers?

Finally, phew.. looking at the Ladies selection it would seem to indicate that coming 5th is no biggie as Western Province managed to snap up 10 positions in the National Team let alone an emerging squad.

The whole thing is a joke and we will always be a second rate nation in hockey until we sort out the internal politics and get some professional, unbiased people on board.