British Men Singles

[The Expert]

The player Gordon Thomson has very good potential from what I saw at Den Bosch. Is capable at present of World 35-50, shows good aggression, pace and tactical awareness. Also Andrew Smith is developing a game and has a good world ranking. These are two players that GB should be working hard with for the Olympics.

[scsiscan]

Once agian Ian Wriight has chosen not to choose his national singles champ (Kidd) to play the critical singles against Holland and paid the price in loosing the team title.

I've heard Smith is doing well. Maybe he should be brought in from the cold!

[scsiscan]

Just checked.The IBF ranking

35 Smith
41 Ghaffar
62 Kidd

You can say what you like about the system or how and where players play but if you don't use the rankings as a selection basis then you may as well stop making them.

[mauipower]

I disagree. The rankings don't allow for who you've played and what tournaments you've played. They are also based over a full year and so don't allow for form etc. They are not even done by Badminton England so why should they have to use them. They are done by the IBF so that they can seed players at tournaments and to my knowledge that is what they are used for.

I agree that they give a good indication, however you only have to look at the English rankings to see that a ranking system can never be fair. Mike Edge and Mark Constable aren't even in the top 30 - and yet would beat all but the top few players. I will openly admit that my personal ranking is far higher than my standard, and don't expect people to actually think I am as good as my ranking. I am one of the highest ranked players in my county and yet don't get in either of the top 2 sides. By your reckoning I'd be in the first team!

Let's just hope Raj continues to improve and soon makes selection of Men's singles an easy decision.

[The Expert]

Do not confuse National and IBF rankings.

The IBF Rankings do allow for form and do take into account all the tournaments played and who you have played that is the exact basis for a world ranking.

National systems are different and this is down to the individual nations although organised nations like England and Denmark specifically relate their systems to the IBF rankings and certainly in Denmark and England they are the basis for team selections.

All ranking systems have variables but they are very accurate indicators of how well people have done in the tournaments they have entered. Its immaterial for semi-retired players they are out of circulation by choice and will be ranked accordingly.

In the case of England Andrew Smith has done well in European circuit tournaments hence his ranking. To go any further he will have to start achieving in IBF tournaments which I am sure he can do given time.

The feeling in the English management is obviously that at present Ghaffar is a better bet for results. Kidd was fortunate today against Navickas and Ghaffar equally with Lefort so it's down to Smith against Scott Evans to match them and bring himself through to the next round.

Ouseph is in transition from junior to senior and is not as capable as Smith at this level, no doubt he will improve but he has a very tough draw against Kenneth Jonassen.

[rhombus]

The current players have low rankings, does anybody remember Darren Halls world ranking from a few years ago. I am sure that it was higher than 35. Peter Knowles was in the mid to late 90's, was'nt he in the top 20 in the world. Doe'nt it show how we are struggling now?

[The Expert]

In April 1996 Darren Hall was ranked 19 ,Peter Knowles 28 and Anders Neilsen 37.

In April 2001 Richard Vaughan of Wales was 12, Colin Haughton 28 and Mark Constable 42.

Not too different from the English players now, and it has to be said a much more competitive circuit in this day and age:)

[opinion]

No mens singles player in Scotland will make the top 50 with the players they have just now.

[The Expert]

If Gordon Thomson was given the correct tournament exposure he is already a top 50 player.

No big problem for him to be a top 30 player in my opinion.

I think Craig Goddard does not enough mobility however I am not so sure about the upcoming players as I do not see them on the circuit.

[opinion]

Are we misunderstanding each other?

I was basing my comments on the first post by 'The Expert' when he was talking about gordon potentially being top 50 mens singles in the world. That is what I dispute.

Taking nothing away from Gordon to be fair, its just not a good enough system yet for MS at least.

[The Expert]

We can look at the evidence of the European Championships.

Gordon Thomson beat Pablo Abian (World Ranking 55) in straight sets.

He lost in three sets to the hugely talented Ville Lång (World Ranking 39) and lost in good games to Palyama and Druzchenko both as we all know Top 20 players when they are on their game.

Gordon Thomson is a young and developing player with the right foundation to go forward.

There is no doubt that he is a World Top 50 player given the correct training, developmental opportunities and exposure to tournament opportunities.

Andrew Smith who beat Craig Goddard in three sets operates comfortably inside the Top 50 and Thomson has the potential to do the same.