England v Holland squad announcements

[chrisroe]

The squads for the England-Holland tour have been announced on the BA of E website (extract below).

The Yehlex England-Holland Tour - Squads
England:Manager: Finn Traerup-Hansen
Men’s singles: Colin Haughton (Lancs), Aamir Ghaffar (Middlesex), Andrew South (Notts).
Women’s singles: Tracey Hallam (Staffs), Julia Mann (Warks).
Men’s doubles: Nathan Robertson (Notts), Anthony Clark (Notts), Robert Blair (Leics), Simon Archer (Worcs).
Women’s doubles: Gail Emms (Herts) & Donna Kellogg (Derbyshire), Ella Tripp (Cheshire) & Jo Wright (Lancs).
Mixed doubles: Robertson & Emms, Blair & Natalie Munt (Herts), Archer & Kellogg.
Holland
Manager: Eric Bakker. Coach: Martijn van Dooremalen
Men’s singles: Eric Pang, Gerben Bruijstens.
Women’s singles: Brenda Beenhakker, Judith Meulendijks.
Men’s doubles: Tijs Creemers & Jurgen Wouters.
Women’s doubles: Brenda Beenhakker & Judith Meulendijks, Lotte Bruil
Mixed doubles: Chris Bruil & Lotte Bruil.

Chris.

[sponsford]

Thanks Chris.

Where is Mia Audina in the Ladies Singles? Is she not playing?

Good Luck ENGLAND

[danbelcher]

it promises to be a very competitve and even tour. I am looking forward to supporting england. Remeber Anthony Clarks thread sometime ago about making some noise? so let's get behind them. I think the venues should give out those plastic clapper things free like they did at the world champs

[dlp]

England have named their strongest squad, which is good for the fans.

I think without Mia playing England should have the edge. Mia would have played first singles and /or first doubles. We should be favourites to take mens doubles whichever pair we play, and possibly have the edge in mixed and ladies doubles , both Singles will be up for grabs. All the matches except probably mens doubles though could go either way.

A much more even and unpredictable tour than the previous china events where we lost almost every womens singles and doubles and often mens singles and often won the md and mixed.

[ronaldshipton]

I think the main thing we can get from this is experience. They should play a younger squad in some of the matches but judging by the selections this isn't going to happen.
What about Eleanor cox and Andy smith to play some of the Singles if they are not injured.
In the matches that are not that important, pick like Sven erickson thats what i say and build for the future aswell as playing the older players who deserve it.

[archerfan]

We should absolutely play all our best players as this is our opportunity to bring in the crowds and sell the sport. The results need to be the right result and this will only happen if we play our best team.

[Grover]

Agreed Paul - must be the top players, everyone complains when we get beat by the Chinese, we need to win a few matches against reasonable opposition to get the crowds out.

[archerfan]

thanks grover, I have just joined the forum. Speaking to the one and only Simon Archer he told me I should join.
It is difficult for the younger players and I do understand when people say we should play them, But our sport is not receiving massive t.v. coverage. You are right , the chinese tour last year did us no favours in the non playing public eye.

[Lewisio]

One thing to bear in mind, when we win, which should happen. It won't be the greatest victory ever.

The young Chinese squad brought over were future stars. Non of the Dutch squad have won any major tournaments, their highest pair is Bruil and Bruil, who play an awful lot of tournaments and invariably lose early.

Also what Sudirman Cup group are Holland in? Not the top group, so no excuse for England not to win, especially when we are playing our best players. We might be crap in comparison to China, Denmark, Korea, Indonesia etc. But Holland, without their World class (imported) player. Should be a resounding 5-0 five times over. Then we should look for a better challenge next year.

[sonnyjim]

Dan i agree 100 percent. Thing is though i would like to see us learn from it and give some of our younger players who have earned it the chance to get some experience just like the chinese that you have mentioned.

If the chinese are fielding weaker teams that need experience then why don't we win the first two matches, then field a mixed younger team so we get something out of it aswell.

Thing is iam not sure that the BA of E are confident that we will win.

[archerfan]

Sonny I understand what you are saying but I still come back to the point that the public will not want to spend their hard earned money on an England loss. The balance is very difficult but I still think a successful team will do more good.

[sonnyjim]

I dont think people will spend their money anyway. It's not as if we have big names in the game to draw in the crowds even if we put out our strongest team.

[Khalid]

Looking at the results of the Taipei open none of our players have got past the first round .. and thats without the Chinese playing.

Archer and Kellog out first round to a Danish pair Eriksen and Schjoldager in 3 sets.

Blair and Munt out in 2 sets.

I cant help thinking these (past) masters like Simon would best serve the country and sport by bringing on our younger hopefuls.

Simon, amongst others have been around a long time and served the sport well - maybe its time for them to focus on the sport in other ways.

[Michael Banks]

Not true as Gail and Donna won their opening game.

[Khalid]

I stand corrected, I only looked at the mens matches.

I see that Ella Trip and Joanne Wright also got past the first round.

[Lewisio]

I see two options - 1- you play our top players, England win and everyone goes on about how great we are and what a great win. Or 2 - we were to put in some younger players, why not give a pair like Foster and Trueman a mens doubles, yeah they're not our top boys, but they've had some good results over the last couple of years, they won the French last year. The experience would be really good for them.

I'm hoping to go to one of the series and yes i'd like to see our top players in action. But its only going to be badminton people who go along anyway, so these people will go regardless of who's playing just so they see some badminton live for not very much money.

Its good to see South in the squad and hopefully he gets a game, but really what is the point in Haughton playing, he should win comfortably in about 30 mins, he gets a pat on the back and we all say wow he's really good and then he still goes out 1st or 2nd round of a major tournament. I'm not knocking Haughton, because he can't help being the best in the country, because the rest can't beat him and he can't help the fact that he's playing against world class opposition and losing. I genuinely believe all our top players are doing the best they can when they're in the tournaments, what you have to question is all the preparation before hand.

I would much rather pay my money and see South or Honey play for an hour and win in three, than Haughton or Ghaffar (although Ghaffar lost to Honey in the recent Elite), win really comfortably in two sets.

If the baofe want to put on a top class show get some tougher opposition, advertise the matches in papers and etc, give free entry to schools, so kids (the future players) can come and experience world class badminton and support our top players. And make it a spectacle rather than a small show of how great our top players are against lesser opposition in front of already committed badminton enthusiasts.

And I think anyone with marketing qualifications or without could pull off this plan, especially a marketing officer in the baofe, if they're just given instruction to do so.

[mrmagoo]

I don't think we should write off the dutch so quickly. I only see one certain victory which is the mens doubles. Eric pang is going to be very difficult to beat as is meulendijks. The ladies doubles and mixed will be close as chris and lotte bruil are world class players.I predict some very close matches. Now is the time to play our best team because when was the last time we won a series in this country? I believe you should only play for england if you are good enough to potentially win at this moment as good as our top juniors are they are no where near good enough to compete at this level

[RobertRowland]

I would love to see the youngsters get a match in this series. Why not give them a go - Raj Ouself, Harry White , Manny Trip they all deserve a go

[clingfilm]

Manny Trip, youngster!!!!!!!! are you sure?

[RobertRowland]

Manny is still only 23 and he has just won the Oxford Open, he must be worth a go.

[clingfilm]

Robert, are you really seriously suggesting to select manny trip as our england player to play against eric pang in the mens singles?

[tstevens]

What's wrong with that Cling film.
He won the Oxfordshire and is showing potential and commitment and he has the shots to trouble Pang.

[mrmagoo]

This is the same manny trip who plays for sussex and is about 30 years old? I think someones either having you on big time or this is a joke! To be fair though he is showing potential, i think he'll make a very good veteran in a few years!!

[clingfilm]

thanks mr.magoo.
he will make a reasonably good veteran.

[Michael Banks]

With all the talk of exhibition matches, it will be intersting to see how many people turn up to these events.

[simonmollyhus]

i hear that manfred just won the under 17 nationals so he is showing potential
but maybe england should be blooding some more youngsters for example kristian roebuck and dave lindley

[TinFoil2003]

I heard that Manfred just won the Under 13 nationals - well done Manny!

[dlp]

According to baofe site Mia Audina has been added due to injury in Dutch squad. Should make the matches more intersting since she is world class in both singles and doubles.

[janpetersen]

Who is this Manfreed tripp player?
Is he another England secret weapon that you haven't told europe about and will he be playing in the matches coming up?