Hockey: Coach calls for change

SOUTHGATE won the first of three successive European Club Championship titles in Amsterdam in 1976, while Slough won the event in Barcelona in 1980, writes Bill Colwill.

Since then, the highest English placing has been Southgate's third in 1983. On Monday in Bloemendaal , Hounslow were fourth in this year's championship at the end of five successive years in Europe and will not be returning next season.

It was a disappointing end to Freddie Martin's five-year reign as Hounslow's coach. The former Irish international, who has enjoyed outstanding success in domestic competitions, spoke out forcibly at the present set-up in this country, which he believes is heavily weighted against another English success in Europe.

'Just crazy - how can we compete with the top Dutch, German and Spanish sides who come to the championship straight from their league season when, because of our domestic programme, we come cold to the event,' he said.

He was also critical of the size of the English National League: 'With 18 clubs there is bound to be a large disparity in their playing strengths, and not too many of our league games are meaningful.'

The Hounslow coach advocates a National League of 10 to 12 clubs playing home and away. He says until that happens no English club will return with European gold again. Martin would also like to see a reasonable Indoor season which would give players the opportunity to learn basic skills which are beneficial to the outdoor game.