I figured that we would be doing well to get 100 people in. So when over 250 crammed into the Team Room to meet Tony Hand, it was a demonstration of the passion that still exists for the team. The fans are desperate to see the Phoenix back - and I use the word "desperate" in its most positive sense. If support counted for points in the Elite League, they might as well give us the trophy now.
A mixed reaction on the Forum to the appointment of Tony Hand as Head Coach - which is undeserved. I couldn't quite articulate the thought properly, but I think it felt like an anti-climax. Nothing to do with Tony per se, just that if it had been Mike Sirant or Ken Babey, then there would have been universal applause for someone who was - in effect - completely unknown. Because TH is such a known quantity, it perhaps engendered a feeling of "is that it?". I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.
He could have been forgiven for reading the forum and wondering what the hell he had let himself in for, and a small part of me was genuinely worried about the Q&A. In the end, the questions were overwhelmingly positive.
It is significant that a number of questions were about the Big Picture. The rink, the juniors, making sure the Brits got ice time etc. I've been to club Q&As and they can sometimes descend into specifics about tactics or players. Its kind of unusual, yet hugely gratifying to see so many to see fans thinking this way. The fans have bought into the philosophy, it is not about trophies now, it is about getting the fundamentals right. Players will come and go - but the organisation must stay.
So, I'm an Attention Whore. Sue me.
It was then down to myself and Mags to wear the new shirts. Basically Neil said beforehand as I was in the vicinity - "I need a volunteer to wear the shirts - well done Mike." Wha? Huh? It must be said that as a model with a painfully thin figure, the long hair and the lack of breasts, I'm just a raging cocaine habit away from being Kate Moss.
I like the new shirt design, although it isn't finalised. Seemed sturdy enough material, even if it is made by Rhino. The pre-order queue seemed to be quite long, even at 20 quid a pop. Only thing was I couldn't see that much difference between the Home and Away designs - I rather suspect them to be a variation on the Home theme, with the away shirt being a lot more distinctive. A very subtle thing is the name printed at the top left, under the collar. Very small, but one of those little touches that as a fan makes me say "Do that for my shirt, and I'll give you a big cheque right now."
Neil even managed to get it off me at the end of the evening with only a small amount of blood spilt. I considered throwing a screaming hissy fit, but you know, there's a time and a place.
1 comment:
I like that shirt.....I can't say I know Tony Hand or his style, my only slight dissapointment is they talked to the NHL with great prospects and all that and we end up with Tony Hand, who can't be better that lots of the candian coaches, If the club said listen its our first year, we have spent lots on the rink and need to be carful with the money and may be have a player coach who can grow the club in the early years that would be great......
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