Final GB Squad Announced

[Shorty]

Netminders

#1 Stephen Murphy Edinburgh Capitals
#30 Stevie Lyle HC Morzine, France

Defence

#4 Mike Ellis Nottingham Panthers

#11 David Phillips Hull Stingrays

#13 James Pease Coventry Blaze

#14 Jonathan Weaver Newcastle Vipers

#15 Tom Watkins Coventry Blaze

#24 Graeme Walton Belfast Giants

#28 Danny Meyers Nottingham Panthers

Forwards

#5 David Clarke Nottingham Panthers

#8 Matt Myers Nottingham Panthers

#9 Tony Hand Manchester Phoenix

#10 Greg Owen Basingstoke Bison

#12 Warren Tait Sheffield Steelers

#17 Mark Richardson Cardiff Devils

#18 Shaun Johnson Newcastle Vipers

#20 Jonathan Phillips Sheffield Steelers

#21 Ashley Tait Coventry Blaze

#22 Paul Sample Cardiff Devils

#25 David Longstaff Newcastle Vipers

#26 Nathan Rempel Cardiff Devils

#27 Russell Cowley Cardiff Devils

Reserves

1st Forward #2 Jason Hewitt Sheffield Steelers

2nd Forward #7 Gary Clarke Milton Keynes Lightning

1st Defenseman #23 Mark Thomas Sheffield Steelers

1st Netminder #29 Mark Lee Newcastle Vipers

No place for Paul Moran.

[charlish2099]

good to see meyers and myers, Clarkie and Ellis where no brainers,

[carolle]

Is there such a shortage of D men that they have to use Ellis,Watkins and Walton in D instead of their usual forward position.

Before the final cut they had D man Leigh Jamieson down for a forward and now he`s not even in the squad.

[spik]

So WE have more players IN the squad than our friends up north. Oh how that must be hurting the guy who claimed MORE players from Sheffield meant they had a better set up WITH Paul on board days after he had left to them. WHEN the squad was first assembled;D

Good luck to them.I think we may do better this time than people think (head on block).....3rd.

[cc77]

excellent news for our lads, well done.
Tony Hand still going strong, bet some of the young lads hope to be playing for GB when they reach his age.
Good luck to the whole of the GB team.

[mattscold]

Surprised leigh jamieson isn't in the list, i'd take him over pease or walton for that matter!

[Luca Toni]

Me too. Jamieson has always imprssed me. Wish he was a Panther.

[carolle]

mattscold said:

Surprised leigh jamieson isn't in the list, i'd take him over pease or walton for that matter!

Exactly my thoughts..

but as Tommo had him down as a forward and not a D and Walton down as a D and not a forward

it`s hardly surprising!!

[Shaggy]

Not surprised to see our 4 there... pretty much no-brainers. Ourselves and Cardiff having the most players in the initial line-up, Sheffield equalling if you count the reserves.

Bit of a geriatric crew there... Hand & Longstaff... hmmm.... (some Phoenix fans have been criticising Hand's hogging of both puck and ice time) - seriously not convinced by Shaun Johnson.
Glad Ash Tait is fit this year - GB captain again, no doubt.
Solid netminding set there - good news.

Not surprised by Leigh Jamieson's omission... he's been very disappointing over the past couple of years, I think. And VERY not surprised by the omission of Colin Shields. Quite apart from the fact that his ECHL team in the play-offs might keep him out of the first couple of games, he's quite frankly been poor for GB lately.

It's looking like a tough group for GB, so this could be a baptism of fire for Thompson et al.

[Super Pekka Virta]

Where's Paul Moran..clap..clap..clap
Where's Paul Moran..clap..clap..clap ;D

Congrats to Clarkie, Myers, Ellis and Meyers

[twix]

Jamieson was impressive in the EIHL inaugural season, he's been nowhere since then.

Not really surprised Mopes didn't make the final cut. His claims of moving to Sheffield to keep in the eye of the GB selectors were always a bit odd as he wants to be a D man not a forward. Ellie was offering him the chance of 6 weeks training as a number 2 D man before returning to the Panthers as a d-man for the play-offs. Currently his defensive game is nowhere near good enough but he's not naturally a forward either. Still find his insistence on not dropping down to the EPL for short-term training with increased ice time a very bizarre and potentially career harming decision.

Shame Marc Levers didn't make the cut, personally would have picked him well above Warren Tait on performances against the Panthers this season. However I do accept that I may be biased (and note that some of Marc's best games do tend to be against us)

I'm pretty sure I've seen Ellie play mainly in D for GB. I was quite surprised he played mainly forwards for the Panthers so that's not a major shock. Frankly we don't have very many decent British forwards and the best ones (eg Paul Dixon) just aren't available for this tournament. Not sure about Watkins or Walton to be honest.

Looks quite a strong team and I'm much much happier with it than I expected to be when the current coaching combination were first announced. Now we just need them to totally ignore Mr. Wilson's style of coaching and stay out of the penalty box, something GB teams historically have difficulty with anyway.

[Jasper]

Where's Paul Moran..clap..clap..clap

Grow up

[Deleted]

I for one am very sad that Paul Moran didn't make the cut.

No, not the best skater or player in the world, but the guy has a heart as big as the universe and always gives 110%.

Coaches can count on Paul to do whatever they ask of him.

Don't sneer, Paul and his family will be gutted.

[Doom]

spikc said:

So WE have more players IN the squad than our friends up north. Oh how that must be hurting the guy who claimed MORE players from Sheffield meant they had a better set up WITH Paul on board days after he had left to them. WHEN the squad was first assembled;D

It's not hurting this guy at all, because it wasn't intended as a my Dads bigger than your Dad comment.

It was in response to a comment about the Steelers having never done anything good for British hockey. I pointed out that we had more British players in the provisional squad than any other club, hence we were doing something that we've always been criticised of in the past....using Brits.

For what it's worth, although none of the players from the Sheffield/Nottingham squads have come through our own junior development systems, I believe that our two cities now have the best junior set-up in the country....That's something we should both be proud of and will serve us well in the future.

Good luck to all the players selected whichever club they're from.....They're representing our nation.

Regards

Doom

[spik]

Same here Doom.... ...but had to mention it.

[AG]

Having watched Giants all season i can promise Jamieson has played forward all year,suprised he isn't in the squad he seems to have matured in how he plays,and Walton has been immense on D alongside Kelman

[Lord of the Rinks]

wombat said:

I for one am very sad that Paul Moran didn't make the cut.

No, not the best skater or player in the world, but the guy has a heart as big as the universe and always gives 110%.

Coaches can count on Paul to do whatever they ask of him.

Don't sneer, Paul and his family will be gutted.

There's no room for sentiment, just because he gives 110% every game, does not get you in the final team selection.
I have no problem with PM and how he plays, but you cannot pick a guy just because he gives his all, you need guys who can put points on the board.

There are others omitted, who will just as equally be gutted.

[Shaggy]

It has to be said... I'm one of those who has backed Paul Moran, but just based on this season's performances, I wouldn't have picked him either. No insult intended to him, it just hasn't been his year.
Won't stop me wearing my game-worn Moran GB jersey in Slovenia next month, though...

[gazzathedevil]

No Suprises in the final 22 at all for me, Jaimeson has had to play forward all year because he's not a good enough D man for his team due to the rising stock of Walton.


Moran just hasnt got the cutting edge at international level and he has been on a points drought for some games now.

Hewitt was slightly unlucky but then i dont think he is better than those picked in his position.


Loosk a strong GB squad fighting in a tough group i think silver is a realistic chance though.

[carolle]

Weaver given the C

[Heanor Lair]

doom said:

spikc said:

So WE have more players IN the squad than our friends up north. Oh how that must be hurting the guy who claimed MORE players from Sheffield meant they had a better set up WITH Paul on board days after he had left to them. WHEN the squad was first assembled;D

It's not hurting this guy at all, because it wasn't intended as a my Dads bigger than your Dad comment.

It was in response to a comment about the Steelers having never done anything good for British hockey. I pointed out that we had more British players in the provisional squad than any other club, hence we were doing something that we've always been criticised of in the past....using Brits.

For what it's worth, although none of the players from the Sheffield/Nottingham squads have come through our own junior development systems, I believe that our two cities now have the best junior set-up in the country....That's something we should both be proud of and will serve us well in the future.

Good luck to all the players selected whichever club they're from.....They're representing our nation.

Regards

Doom

Doom I dont believe for one moment that one character from the Shuff camp is spitting feathers that his mate didnt draft in more Sheffield players. Remember his perverse hate of everything Panthers overides everything else, absolutley everything else. Pretty sad I know but hey-ho his loss.

No doubt the deafining silence from said character will speak volumes.

Wonder if Thommo is still his bestest friend ;D

HL

[ggggranville]

heanorlair said:

doom said:

For what it's worth, although none of the players from the Sheffield/Nottingham squads have come through our own junior development systems, I believe that our two cities now have the best junior set-up in the country....That's something we should both be proud of and will serve us well in the future.

Good luck to all the players selected whichever club they're from.....They're representing our nation.

Regards

Doom

Spoken like a gentleman Doom