STEEL BY NAME, STEEL BY NATURE

Yorkshire icemen show grit after turbulent start to the season

There are not many people who would have tipped the Sheffield Steelers to become League champions at the start of the current campaign.

After a turbulent summer, the club were preparing for the upcoming season more in hope than expectation.

With the departure of the coaching staff, worries over finances and a lack of player arrivals, fans of the Steelers were hardly preparing for a season of title-chasing.

Shortly before the start of the season, the club had to contend with the departures of Dave Matsos (coach), Dave Simms (club founder) and Mike O’Connor (general manager). The trio’s exit in July 2010 stemmed from a declining relationship with previous owner Bob Phillips.

Phillips took over at the Steelers in July 2005, and under his regime, the club achieved play-off success in both 2008 and 2009. But a drop in the team’s performance co-incided with key stars leaving, and the relationship between the owners and the coaching staff eventually became more and more strained.

The collapse of the club’s management company at the time, Yorkshire Sports Ltd, meant that a new company had to be called in, fuelling rumours of financial troubles at the club. At the same time the club’s fans were growing restless and after the departures of Matsos, Simms and O’Connor many fans turned on the owner Phillips with boycotts and demonstrations being mentioned.

After a few uneasy and unamicable months, Philips ownership of the club ended in December 2010, when he sold up to Paul Ragan, who also owns Steelers’ rivals Cardiff Devils.

The change of ownership brought stability to the club and allowed them to mount a serious title challenge. As a result the club finished the current regular season at title winners, ironically finishing on the same points (87) as Cardiff, but with more regulation wins that ensured the title returned to the Motorpoint Arena after a two-year absence.

Andy Turner, operations manager at the Steelers, believes that the key reason to the success achieved this year is head coach Ben Simon, 33, who was appointed during the off-season. Turner said: “They’ve come through really well this year, and the majority of that is down to the coach (Simon).

“He’s managed to keep everything that happens off the ice a separate matter. He’s got the guys just worrying about the hockey and that’s all.”

Seth Bennett, a local journalist for BBC Radio Sheffield, shares Turner’s sentiment that Simon is at the heart of the positive season for the Steelers: He said: “It’s been a hard season. Behind the scenes they’ve had big problems and a change of ownership was what they needed.

“But that brought its own internal problems, with guys that have played under Bob Phillips and guys that hadn’t. So then Ben Simon had to try and unify the locker room, and he managed to do a decent job through the first half of the season.

“Once the ownership took place, and you look at how their season has gathered pace, they’ve maintained a good work ethic.”

As far as the second half of the season was concerned, the Steelers built on a solid base. Their road to title success was helped no end by huge home wins including an 18-1 trouncing of Edinburgh, a 9-0 hammering of Newcastle and the final day 7-2 victory over Braehead which eventually clinched the title.

As they enter the play-offs, Coach Simon will be hoping that one of the Steelers’ stars of the season will keep up his impressive form. Ervins Mustukovs has undoubtedly been a key component in the team’s fantastic campaign.

Upon Mustukovs’ arrival at the club, the previous coach Matsos called his signing a “big gamble”. However, the Latvian has certainly repaid the faith that was put in him. This season Mustukovs has had ten shut-outs and has played a pivotal role in the Steelers rise to the summit of the league.

Bennett believes the Eastern European has had a memorable debut campaign. He said: “He’s already got ten shut-outs, which is a phenomenal feat. He could well be the best goalie in the league. He could even be one of the best goalies, statistically, in British ice hockey history.”

After all the positivity around the club since the new owner’s arrival, there was an air of unrest that entered the locker room, when in mid-March Simon rejected a new contract offer. He said: “Nothing has been offered that I would accept. I want to get myself what I think I am worth without pricing myself out.”

After those comments, the Steelers have since gone on to claim the regular season title and it is hoped that the American will commit to the club as new owner Ragan aims to build a core foundation at the club for long-term success.

With the play-off series now in full swing, the Steelers can look forward to brighter times. A meeting with Cardiff in the final could lie in store, should both clubs progress past their respective semi-final opponents. That would put owner Ragan in an unenviable position should that meeting occur at the National Ice Centre on April 3, as it would put two clubs together, both of whom he has ownership of.

However, even if the Steelers do not achieve play-off success, they can still look back on what has been a hugely successful campaign.

For them to be disappointed at losing out in the play-offs would show just how far the club has come since the final days of the Phillips era.

CAPELLO U-TURN GOOD NEWS FOR JT, BUT NOT FOR MORALITY

One of the worst things you can ever do, in any walk of life, is to go back on your word.

Whether it is a promise or a guarantee, it should be respected and upheld.

Fabio Capello has fallen foul of this scenario in his decision to seemingly hand the England captaincy back to John Terry.

Terry undoubtedly tarnished the tag of a professional footballer with his well-publicised misdemeanours last year. He is not alone though, and it would seem there are few members of the England party who can admit to being free from the shackles of such bad reputations.

Nevertheless, the original decision to relieve him of his leadership duties was the right one. He is not an example to set to younger players who look on in awe of the national captain. Capello got something right (for a change) when he insisted that Terry would not be made captain under the remainder of the Italian’s stewardship.

However, with Ferdinand’s recurring injuries and question marks over potential deputies, it seems Capello is inclined to return to Terry. If he does indeed give JT the armband back it would be sending out the completely wrong message.

It would be saying that, despite behaving inappropriately off the pitch, other players are more than welcome to reap the rewards after committing such offences.

Other more favourable candidates will be announced and considered but if Terry gets the nod, then we can all consign the Italian manager’s spell in charge of the England team as a complete non-starter. After the World Cup debacle, this would take the absolute biscuit.

And it would strengthen furthermore the belief that someone new is needed to revamp the national team – and soon.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK KEEP ON ROCKING

Spurs maiden CL campaign continues to amaze

The sight of an ageing Milan side being brought to an aggregate defeat at White Hart Lane by a young team of hungry hopefuls was a joy to behold on Wednesday night.

Here was a club that had lifted the European Cup on no fewer than nine occasions, and is steeped in history and expectance.

However, it also perhaps was a changing of the guard in European football. The likes of Nesta, Jankulovski and Seedorf are not likely to have many Euro campaigns left, whilst Spurs go from strength to strength with their young, attacking score-one-more-than-you philosophy.

It is still hard to believe that Spurs are in their debut season in the modern-era of the Champions League. There is no doubting that they have been a breath of fresh air to the competition. Their progress to the final eight of Europe’s elite only highlights even more, the quite sensational turnaround that Harry Redknapp has masterminded since his arrival at the club three years ago.

When he turned up at the club, it is no secret that Spurs were in a state of disarray. The Carling Cup success that they had enjoyed under Juande Ramos had faded significantly and they were only going in one direction: down.

Fast forward to the present day and Tottenham are an outfit whose displays are breathtaking, most notably on Champions League nights.

25 goals in ten games in Europe this season shows just how attack-minded they are. But do not think that they are only capable of outscoring opponents.

The endeavour the team displayed to keep a clean sheet against Milan showed that they are also capable of frustrating opponents when necessary.

If you glanced at the bench in that last 16, second leg, then the players at Redknapp’s disposal is just another sign that Tottenham are no longer an also-ran outfit. Gareth Bale, Jermain Defoe and Ledley King (injury permitting) would have been dead-cert inclusions in any other Spurs starting line-up. The fact that Redknapp does not feel the need to include them from the start shows the trust that he places in the squad that he has spent the best part of thirty-six months building.

Whether Spurs European journey ends at the quarter-finals or not, Redknapp, his coaching staff and the entire Tottenham fans can all be proud of their achievement, and the quick-timing of it.

One thing for sure is that if their European form transfers into the Premier League, then many more nights like this will be taking place at “the lane” in the coming years.

WHO NEEDS TORRES?

The acrimonious departure of Fernando Torres to Chelsea may prove to be a blessing in disguise for Liverpool, as far-fetched as it sounds.

Although the Spaniard’s defection to Chelsea for the pricely sum of £50m may have been hard to digest at first, certainly for Kopites, it is certainly being met with more positivity – especially after his torrid debut on Sunday.

The former hero, now very much public enemy number one on Merseyside, was shackled out of the game by his former team-mates, most notably the trio of Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel and Jamie Carragher.

This, however is not the only reason why many think his move may not work out so badly for the Reds. I think Torres will score goals for Chelsea, of that there is no doubt. I just believe his departure will have a much more positive impact on his former club than was first thought when he left on deadline day for the new British transfer record.

The money Liverpool received for him was overgenerous, even in today’s inflated market. They also managed to bring in two young, hungry players in Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. The two could form a lethal partnership; however that must wait for the time being, whilst Carroll recovers from his thigh tear.

For the moment, Liverpool are bobbing along quite nicely, and have developed a siege mentality. The new owners have wisely installed Kenny Dalglish as caretaker manager, although it is almost a formality that his role will be made permanent in the summer. They have also paved the way for wantaway stars (such as Torres and Ryan Babel) to leave the club, leading to a supposedly-more happy Anfield.

That would certainly seem to be the case given their current four-match winning streak. They are currently six points off the top four and certainly seemed to have turned the corner after their ill-fated stewardship under Roy Hodgson earlier in the campaign.

The question now is whether they can maintain this form. Whether Carroll and Suarez will get the amount of goals Torres did, is another matter.

One thing for sure is that the camp is now a much happier place without senor Fernando. And who would have thought that at 11pm last Monday?

NEW ERA, NEW CHANGE

Alan Irvine’s departure will come as no surprise.

Recent defeats, not just defeats but hammerings, at Exeter, Leyton Orient and Peterborough have put paid to his indifferent spell in charge.

The Scotsman was praised by almost everyone for his hard work and determination, but those two qualities alone are not enough to succeed, especially at a club where results are judged on a bigger scale than most rivals.

Irvine was undoubtedly far too negative, opting for a cautious approach.

The facts do not lie and since his arrival in January 2010, the Owls scored more than two goals, in a league game, on only five occasions, with them all coming this season.

Those are statistics that do not do him any favours.

He was a likeable figure, but you always got the feeling he was never the right man for the club. Supporters grew tired of the cliché-ridden interviews, stating the upcoming game will be “tough” whatever level the opposition were.

It would seem he parted with the club on amicable terms, and obviously SWFC wishes him all the best for the future.

Let us not forget that he did enable us to take our relegation battle to the final day, something that seemed impossible had the previous regime been still in charge at that time.

Moving towards future developments, and whoever Milan Mandaric chooses as the man to take Wednesday forward, you would hope that they will have experience of getting out of this League and hopefully the one above it.

My personal choice would be Alan Curbishley, but there will be tireless amounts of rumours in the coming days and weeks.

However, this isn’t something that can be rushed.

It has to be well-thought out, as it is arguably the most important managerial decision that the club has made in the past decade.

ONLY POOLS AND HORSES

Joker ‘Olly turns Serious

“This time next year, we’ll be millionaires”.

Those are the words that are uttered on nearly every episode of Only Fools and Horses, by the irrepressible Del Boy Trotter.

Ian Holloway could not have dreamed of saying those words when he took over at lowly Blackpool in May 2009. Yet only a year and a day after he took charge, Holloway was celebrating promotion to the Premier League with Blackpool, after winning the £90m play-off final at Wembley.

However, much like the Trotter’s doomed jackpot win, which saw them go from paupers to princes and back again, Holloway, seems to be far from settled sitting at English football’s top table.

‘Olly seems to be someone who has got it all having won the jackpot (i.e. won promotion to the Premier League). Yet now he is there he is finding that it is not everything he had ever wished for.

The recent debacle over his ten changes to the side which narrowly lost 3-2 to Aston Villa, was blown out of proportion by many in the media, but also worsened by Holloway himself. A siege-mentality has been adopted by him recently that is totally unlike the man who would come up with a press-conference cracker every week, not so long ago.

His attitude towards the media has become surprisingly defiant and bullish recently. Surprising for a man whose entire managerial career up to this point, has been the stuff of YouTube legend, with bloopers and quotes almost becoming his trademark.

His bizarre blackmail threat, offering his resignation if found guilty of fielding a weakened side, only made the situation even more complex. It also signified that Holloway is a different character to the one painted as a lower-league jester. It would seem he is keen to shake off that impression, and instead be portrayed as a very serious and competent football manager.

Contract wrangles, rushed signings and talks of financial penalties have so far eluded Holloway in his career, and they have undoubtedly marred his impression of the top flight now that they have become commonplace.

As far as the results on the pitch are concerned, have been nothing short of outstanding, yet they have they do have the look of a timid Hull City not so long ago, in their first season, in the sense that they like to attack and outscore teams, rather than hold out for an edgy 1-0 win.

Victories at Anfield and St James Park have gone some way to showing that Holloway’s bunch of lower-league journeymen and foreign unknowns may actually survive amongst the big fish.

They also have an individual match-winner in Charlie Adam, much like Geovanni was for Hull when he first joined. The key is keeping up the results and morale, after Christmas, when the euphoria and hype over the Seasiders will have surely wilted. That is something that will be arguably the hardest part of Holloway’s task; keeping momentum going, whilst trying to add sensibly to the squad to ensure survival.

When comparing Holloway to the Trotters, it is ironic that both have had sniffs of the big-time, the money, the limelight etc. But the question is will Holloway’s moment, and Blackpool’s for that matter, last longer than a season. If it does, it will have been an outstanding achievement.

If he was to break up the relationship between him and the seaside club, purely because of a disciplinary rule or a contract wrangle, then there are many that would believe he would be a “plonker” to do so.

LTA FACING CRUCIAL MATCH POINT

THE CONSEQUENCE OF REWARDING FAILURE

Like an under-pressure top seed serving to stay in a Grand Slam, British tennis is in a state of disarray currently.

At a time when many sporting clubs and institutions are cutting their cloth, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is still receiving its more-than-generous funding of £26m, with hardly any justifiable reasons for doing so.

The institution has come under scathing criticism in recent years for failing to produce a sufficient amount of prospects like Andy Murray or Laura Robson.

When evaluating the success or failure of the organisation in recent years, many people simply suggest one name: Alex Bogdanovic.

Bogdanovic, 26, has become a laughable figure in the game, due to a succession of wildcard Wimbledon entries which sees his record stand at eight consecutive first round exits.

The case of Bogdanovic is just one aspect that falls under the LTA’s umbrella of failure.

In order to combat the problems faced by British tennis, earlier this year Sports minister Hugh Robertson announced that a greater emphasis will be placed on the game at grassroots level,. He said:

“We expect tennis to play a prominent role and to capitalise on the huge demand and potential that exists in schools as part of our plan to set up an Olympic and Paralympics-style competition. This will be a nationwide competition that is open to every school and every child in the country”.

It would seem this initiative is aimed at producing a better standard of players in the future years; nevertheless, the matter of today’s prospects must also be questioned.

James Ward is 23, and is ranked as British number 2, yet only scrapes into the world’s top 200 and is virtually unknown by even the most diehard British tennis followers.

Ward featured in the recent Davis Cup debacle when Great Britain, minus Murray, were embarrassed in a 3-2 defeat to Lithuania that signalled the team’s sole dependence on the world number four, aswell as highlighting the deficiencies within our ranks from the Scotsman’s understudies.

Murray’s shoulders must be close to buckling, given the weight of expectation that he is carrying. The LTA’s reputation is on the line every time he enters a major tournament, and with each failure, a harmful blow is dealt to them from scathing critics.

Many from within the game have talked about a cut in funding, with the intention of teaching them that their failure cannot continue to be supplemented so graciously.

Whatever the solution, it needs to be quick, in order for the LTA to avoid the infamous game, set and match analogy that surely faces them at this moment.