The English Hockey Association (EHA), it would appear, are no more pleased than their Irish counterparts with the draw for next summer's European Nations' finals and are to seek clarification on the seedings for the tournament from the European Hockey Federation (EHF).
While the Irish, who have been drawn in the same pool as England, concede that their recent tournament results - not least their third-place finish in July's qualifier - mean they are in no position to complain about the difficulty of their draw, the English feel they have been hard done by.
Chris Spice, the performance director at the EHA, claims England have got a "rough deal", after being placed in the same pool as Germany, bronze medallists in this year's World Cup, and Spain, who finished third in the 1995 European finals. The EHA's main grievance, it would appear, is that Russia, who, unlike England, failed to qualify for this year's World Cup, have been placed in the unquestionably easier Pool A. In the London Times earlier this week, however, Martin Gotheridge, the chairman of the EHF outdoor committee, insisted that the seedings - which were based on all major tournaments since (and including) the 1995 European finals - were carefully worked out and approved by the international federation. "I can understand England believing that they have a cruel draw, but that's not the same as an unfair one," he said. Irish coach Riet Kuper, who is in Dublin for the panel's first training weekend of the season, is left to rue the team's failure to win July's qualifier. The reward for France's success in Helsinki is a place in Pool A, alongside the Netherlands, Belgium, Lithuania, Russia and Scotland, all of whom (bar the Dutch World Champions) an in-form Ireland might feel capable of beating.
As it is, they must contend with the might of Spain and Germany, as well as England, the Czech Republic and the Ukraine, making their target of a top six finish (to ensure automatic qualification for the next European finals) formidable. There are just three Leinster League games this weekend because of senior squad training. Victory over Clontarf would see Old Alexandra go joint second in the Senior A table, while Corinthian can go three points clear of Hermes II in Senior B if they beat UCD at Belfield.
LEINSTER LEAGUE - Senior A: Clontarf v Old Alexandra, Dardistown, 2.0; Glenanne v Genesis, St Mark's, 2.30. Senior B: UCD v Corinthian, Belfield, 11.0.
ULSTER SENIOR LEAGUE - Section One: Victorians v Ards, Olympia Leisure Centre, 2.30; Portadown v Ballymoney, Edenvilla Park, 2.30; Enniskillen v Collegians, Irvinestown, 2.30; Randalstown v North Down, Antrim Forum, 1.0. Section Two: Banbridge v Larne, Havelock Park, 4.0; UUJ v Civil Service, UUJ, 2.30; Friends v Knock, UUJ, 4.0; Owls v Omagh, Paisley Park, 2.30; Queen's v Saintfield, Upper Malone, 2.30.
