Yotes
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Post by Yotes on Aug 1, 2019 15:29:56 GMT
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Post by spik on Aug 2, 2019 7:27:27 GMT
Another difficult time for us whatever group.
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iginla
Chick Zamick
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Post by iginla on Aug 2, 2019 10:44:13 GMT
A bit same as last year isn’t it ? Christ Pidge will be having orgasms that we’re playing Sweden though ! 🙄🤣🤣🤣
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2019 10:47:54 GMT
A bit same as last year isn’t it ? Sweden, Czech Republic and Belarus all new opponents. Huge ask again but just enjoy it for what it is. Anything in terms of a result again a big bonus.
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Shaggy
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Post by Shaggy on Aug 2, 2019 14:08:41 GMT
For GB it's not going to be anything like the 2019 tournament... unfortunately. GB were effectively unknowns in Slovakia (first time at the top level in 25 years) and were expected by just about everyone to be relegated straight back down again. (Allegedly the French team manager said that GB shouldn't have been allowed into the top level, that it was a disgrace we were even there... if that's true, there was some epic poetic justice served up later on... ). But nobody knew what to expect, we were an unknown quantity, and probably weren't taken at all seriously by a lot of people. That attitude started to change with our very first game, making the Germans work very hard to beat us... the expected drubbing by Canada came after that, then the unfortunate game against Denmark where everything just went totally and horribly wrong. But after the game against USA... that was the difference-maker. Fans, organisers, teams... everyone woke up to the realisation that maybe this bunch weren't quite as weaky-squeaky as they thought. And then GB beat France. So the 'surprise underdog' factor is lost... even teams who rightly can expect to beat us aren't going to be quite so complacent. This year's success has made next year's survival much harder. But the main reason is down to the hosting for the 2021 Worlds - Belarus & Latvia co-hosting. It's an IIHF rule that host countries cannot be relegated the year before, to ensure that the host nation is actually playing. In most cases, that's not an issue... let's face it, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland etc - nobody expects them to come even close to the bottom of the table. But Belarus and Latvia are a different story... Latvia less so (they finished 10th out of 16 this year) but Belarus are promotes... the bottom reaches of the top level are where they are seen to belong. But it means that - since 2 teams have to be relegated and both Belarus & Latvia are safe - GB are going to have to get enough points to make sure that there are 2 teams other than Belarus or Latvia below them in the final standings. That's going to be hard... not impossible, GB having finished 13th this year with Latvia above us... so if we did the same next year, as long as at least one of Latvia or Belarus was above us - we'd stay up. But the mix of opposition is going to make that very hard indeed. I'll be going out there cheering them on... but in all honesty, I'm expecting relegation. I pretty much expected it in May over in Slovakia... but the difference between that tournament and next year's is simply that we really didn't know what to expect in Slovakia... we've got a much better idea for Switzerland.
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Shaggy
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Post by Shaggy on Mar 21, 2020 23:42:45 GMT
Well... that's it - the 2020 World Championships have officially been cancelled:- <IIHF statement> Now we have to wait to find out what's going to happen regarding refunds (and that will take some time - especially for the unpaid volunteers who run GBSC, so please don't hassle them!) and then what will happen next year - will it still be Belarus & Latvia hosting (hope so) or will they shove the entire schedule back a year and give it to Switzerland?
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Post by spik on Mar 23, 2020 22:34:03 GMT
The last two challenge games now cancelled, after the original Poland and Hungary games. It is the Kazakhs and the Canadians now cancelled. Thus we are void of all planned games for the GB team.
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Post by spik on May 9, 2020 10:52:38 GMT
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Post by spik on Feb 5, 2021 21:09:35 GMT
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Yotes
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Post by Yotes on Feb 5, 2021 22:28:19 GMT
No relegation? That's a bonus.
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Post by ashfieldpanther on Feb 6, 2021 8:04:30 GMT
Do GB have any warm up matches planned (difficult I expect) and how will the team look, compared to last years WC team, and the one that played at Nottingham ?
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Post by ashfieldpanther on Mar 11, 2021 13:13:28 GMT
Do GB have any warm up matches planned (difficult I expect) and how will the team look, compared to last years WC team, and the one that played at Nottingham ? Further to this. Only Travis Earhardt and Farmer are not listed in the Elite Series rosters. Farms hasn't played since he left Lausitze in December, Earhardt not since 2020 season was terminated. So we can expect those two not to be in the WC roster, who would step up to replace them.
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Post by spik on Mar 11, 2021 13:20:53 GMT
Do GB have any warm up matches planned (difficult I expect) and how will the team look, compared to last years WC team, and the one that played at Nottingham ? Further to this. Only Travis Earhardt and Farmer are not listed in the Elite Series rosters. Farms hasn't played since he left Lausitze in December, Earhardt not since 2020 season was terminated. So we can expect those two not to be in the WC roster, who would step up to replace them. Other notables to which I'm not aware of what's happening to them. Mosey, Conway and Richardson....and as we know O'Connor. Farmer - retired I hear.
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Post by ashfieldpanther on Mar 11, 2021 13:33:19 GMT
Further to this. Only Travis Earhardt and Farmer are not listed in the Elite Series rosters. Farms hasn't played since he left Lausitze in December, Earhardt not since 2020 season was terminated. So we can expect those two not to be in the WC roster, who would step up to replace them. Other notables to which I'm not aware of what's happening to them. Mosey, Conway and Richardson....and as we know O'Connor. Farmer - retired I hear. I expect Mosey, Conway, Richardson and O'Connor to be in the squad as they are all or have been active recently
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Post by spik on Mar 11, 2021 22:17:47 GMT
Other notables to which I'm not aware of what's happening to them. Mosey, Conway and Richardson....and as we know O'Connor. Farmer - retired I hear. I expect Mosey, Conway, Richardson and O'Connor to be in the squad as they are all or have been active recently LEE has come to mind also....but I thought they had to be part of the 'series' to be able to play for GB. especially as we were debating Mosey as either an import or GB player. Not seen in any of the lists these guys or picked up.
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Yotes
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Post by Yotes on Mar 11, 2021 22:50:09 GMT
LEE has come to mind also Playing in Italy, same club as Perlini.
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Post by spik on Mar 11, 2021 23:04:21 GMT
LEE has come to mind also Playing in Italy, same club as Perlini. Can I gather then, like O'Connor those not listed are declining to play, and thus can't play in the GB squad? Thought that's what they said at the start, players had to show up for a chance to be picked. Otherwise some are busting a gut for places for nothing? I gather some are still playing abroad, like Perlini and Lee. Just interested to know who is available and not interested to join this series.
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Yotes
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Post by Yotes on Mar 11, 2021 23:38:36 GMT
I don't think GB is dependent on playing in this. When it was annouced: "Our number one priority in the Elite Series is to make sure that most of the Great Britain national team players are included. We have already been working with Pete Russell to ensure that as many of the players that he has in mind for the World Championships in May, as possible, will be included, if they’re not already playing abroad. In addition to this, we are hoping to provide roster spots for as many other elite British players as want to play in this series, regardless of which teams they played for last season, plus a fine complement of import players that will ensure compulsive viewing for all hockey fans in the UK and beyond." "Many of the potential players in the squad will now get competitive ice time ahead of May’s tournament in Latvia. Some of them haven't played in a long time and others have had interrupted seasons, so it was vital they have some competitive matches ahead of a massive tournament where we will, once again, play the best teams in the world." www.eliteleague.co.uk/article/991-2021-elite-series-confirmed-for-april-maySo I think he'll still look to pick the players who have opted out, if they're worth picking.
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iginla
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Post by iginla on Mar 12, 2021 8:04:15 GMT
Playing in Italy, same club as Perlini. Can I gather then, like O'Connor those not listed are declining to play, and thus can't play in the GB squad? Thought that's what they said at the start, players had to show up for a chance to be picked. Otherwise some are busting a gut for places for nothing? I gather some are still playing abroad, like Perlini and Lee. Just interested to know who is available and not interested to join this series. Assuming they’re all fit the squad will be exactly the same as last time Spik and Lee,O’Connor,Richardson and Perlini etc will be in it. This EIHL series whilst masquerading as a keep fit jaunt for the GB players is really just a watered down version of the EIHL but of lesser quality than normal.
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langer
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Post by langer on Mar 12, 2021 15:17:29 GMT
The 19' team was old as it is, now the same core is two years older. Due to Covid it's unlikely the 21's will get the same standard of international pre tournament games the 19's had, playing in what is going to be a watered down standard mini tournament in addition to the pre tournament camp is as good as it gets.
Riga isn't going to be pretty. Due to no relegation it'll be interesting to see how the makeup and standard of a 22' squad will start to shape up as the older players of the so called 'Golden Era' retire.
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