The one who got away

I was about to post on this Hobo

The LTA make me sick!!! How on earth did they allow this to happen? It makes you wonder how Draper is still Chief Executive.

The LTA needs to be shaken up big time.

It's shocking really. The amount of money they spend and they still aren't producing. Worse thing is, I swear I read a statement from Draper saying that "things were getting better" and that he intended to stay on.

Even though Henman came through the LTA I read that his parents had to organise most of his development anyway, although I can't confirm that.

such a shame that we've lost out on a potential talent that was right there in front of them.

Who cares? It doesn't change my life if some girl decides she's going to make HER fortune in another country. It wouldn't enrich my existence if the next Slam winner comes from the same Island that I do (or even worse, just wears the flag).

Quite why this affects peoples lives, I have no clue.

I am an American and none of the best players come from the states anymore and it doesn't bother me although a lot of casual fans have tuned out. I agree with Bogbrush on this one, I am not nationalistic at all when it comes to watching great tennis talent. I like Novak and he is a serb, can't stand Roddick and his game although he is an American. The only American player that I find mildly tolerable is Mardy Fish. The rest of them are way too dull and one dimensional all big serve and big forehand.

I am annoyed because the LTA moan about the lack of talent coming through the ranks and yet you get a scenario like this. This isn't about being nationalistic, it is about the failings of an organisation that cannot operate effectively. If it was about being nationalistic people here would be calling her a traitor. This isn't the case. If anything you applaude the Australian Tennis Federation for providing the right facilities for youngsters.

Yes, lets get back to the title "the one that got away", no-one is moaning about Naitktha emigrating, its the complete lack of impulse from the LTA.

What the hell were they doing ? there are supposed to be a whole hoard of spotters roaming the country looking for anything that resembles talent, they get a call to come look at a young player who has been doing well.

5 YEARS LATER! they suddenly "see" her doing really good stuff in Oz land and they take the plunge to offer her support !!!! what a bunch of merchant bankers, as far as I'm concerned they are not fit for purpose, spending millions on a Tennis centre in Roehampton with no-one using it.

The mind boggles as to the chit chat that goes on in the corridors of power at the LTA, and if Draper loses his job over this, then I'll be celebrating his departure.

Oh - My - God ! if you read the source article, it actually gets worse !!!

And if you listen to Draper talking out of an orifice not normally associated with talking http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/9291826.stm he says that profits are up and that will enable the LTA to spend even "more" money on the development of "British" tennis.

Reminds me of certain articles on old 606

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A71971833

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A65742339

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A78459448

Its such a pity, we've been down this road before and it looks like the LTA just can't run a successful company that can find and train and coach young British talent. They have the best resources in the world and yet they can allow this to happen right under their noses.




I shudder to think what excuses Draper is going to come up with, but seeing as they are self-scrutinising, he'll get away with glossing over the cracks with his usual slick talking banter and laugh all the way to the bank with even bigger bonuses.

What they should do Jubbahey is close Roehampton and open several sites around the country then that way they won't run into the same problems of talent going there and going stagnent.

David Lloyd had the right idea for a coaching program

Davis Lloyd should have Drapers job, but it would be like trying to get a badger out of a hole.

Dustin Brown now plays for Germany after getting no satisfactory response from the LTA. He is currently ranked 123 with a career high of 89 in January of this year. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dustin_Brown_(tennis)

British Male Top 400 (excl. Murray).
216. James Ward
279. Daniel Cox
293. Daniel Evans
338. Joshua Milton
365. Richard Bloomfield
369. Jamie Baker
371. Alex Bogdanovic

If Roger Draper was a football manager he would have been sacked three years ago.

As Nore Staat said Dustin Brown from Jamaica was rejected by the LTA and is now representing Germany.

0K he is a bit erratic but would have possibly been an asset for Davis Cup rounds.

Jubbahey wrote:Davis Lloyd should have Drapers job, but it would be like trying to get a badger out of a hole.

Yeah, great. I wonder how much would get spent on.... well, let's think...... sending players to sports centres?

If I were top dog of the LTA I'd spend every last penny on making sure there are servicable courts available to the maximum population and not spend a penny on the so-called elite. People advance for selfish reasons, let them do the fighting and reap the rewards their talent and effort deserves, but I don't see why anyone else should be helping them unless there's a payoff. If an LTA contracted youngster wants to sign up to repaying a success divident (say 30% of all future winnings) then great, treat them like an investment, but otherwise they're asking for charity.

Thats not quite true Bogbrush, David Lloyd had said many times that grass roots is where it matters and his clubs are just a focal point for anyone wanting to try out tennis, because there aren't enough facilities around the country to go to and take the game up.

In fact he has been so outspoken about the LTA's approach that he has virtually buried any chance he might of had getting a position on the LTA, if he ever wanted it.

Going abroad isn't a guarantee of success - whatever happened to 2004 Wimbledon junior runner-up Miles Kasiri? Going further back, Joanne Moore and Megan Miller were 2 others whose families felt they would be better off training at Bollettieri's than over here, yet none of them made any impact in the senior game.

I think the proof will be in the eating here.It will be interesting to see how Naiktha progresses. It's concerning that the LTA took so long to be alerted to her potential, so if she does blossom into a senior success then they will definitely stand accused of letting one slip through their fingers.

Fine Jubbahey, that he's ruled himself out isn't the point. If he comes out and states his policy as put 100% of the money to grass roots then fine. I just have a feeling that putting a VI in charge of the money mightn't be the smartest move.

For me the point of the exercise should be the promotion in participation in the sport, and the emergence or otherwise of a superstar is irrelevent. Completely and utterly irrelevent.

Absolutely agree with you Bogbrush on that.

If kids can't get access to cheap affordable courts with equipment made available at reasonable costs, then how will we ever find out if we do have a budding superstar in the making.

Like you say, Tennis is not as accessible to the public in the same manner as football or even cricket.

Its not rocket science, make tennis more attractive to play than it is now, make courts available and advertise the sport to areas that think tennis is just for toffs.

David Lloyd has stated that the money should go to grass roots first and foremost, the fact that they (LTA) have spent Millions on providing equipment to schools, is applausable, but flawed, as the kids there are already geared towards the football. Its in the parks and recreational grounds that kids will grow up to know what tennis is actually about, not just for the rich to take up.

well I don't know how it is in the UK, but here in France (which is a successful tennis nation by all accounts) you can find a club in pretty much most rural areas. Cost for a year's license fee (which is about one and a half to two hours lessons a week, plus free access to your courts) used to be about 100£, though it's prob a bit more now. Also the club could lend you a racquet until you got one for yourself.

Can someone say what it's like in the UK?

Is that for Juniors MFC?

It is dependant on where you live in the UK, in my area, SW London/Surrey border, it can be expensive...£300 a year, but that is as an adult, as far as I know, some schools are connected to clubs and can offer subsidised coaching and temp memberships.

Its all a mish-mash and needs to be streamlined into something that is acceptable Nationwide and in conjunction with grass roots courts etc

Information about taking up tennis at a young age is difficult to unearth and info about possible places to go if a kid likes it so much and wants to pursue it further, without it costing the earth.