European Championship - Team ENGLAND

[Jonathan Rogers]

I personally think the players would be better off with money than a coach. Peter Wells might help a bit, but the players are used to preparing on their own. It's useful to have a coach of course, but they should only be fairly paid. As Gormally has recently noted, Jones only earnt about 17,000 last year and obviously in some years he'd have got less than that.

completely wrong. It is not the role of the ECF to supplement the income of professional players through its international budget. The budget for both teams should be spent with a view to maximising the team result - so each team should get a coach (provided that the ECF thinks it would be helpful, and surely it would) even if the players would prefer to take the extra cash!

[Simon Brown]

I personally think the players would be better off with money than a coach. Peter Wells might help a bit, but the players are used to preparing on their own. It's useful to have a coach of course, but they should only be fairly paid. As Gormally has recently noted, Jones only earnt about 17,000 last year and obviously in some years he'd have got less than that.

Utter nonsense.

[Mark Howitt]

I get that a coach MIGHT help... I mean I do know the role of a coach. How about someone who knows them personally asks the players if they'd prefer more cash or a coach? Anyway, just glad have strongest team out!

[LawrenceCooper]

I think it all depends who the coach is. The opinion of the players is that Peter Wells is very highly valued and makes a big difference. Having accompanied the England teams in 2009-2012 and visited in 2008 I think it was no coincidence that the best two England performances came in 2008 and 2012 when Peter was captain (despite not having Luke) even though the final placing didn't necessarily reflect this. Certainly in 2008 they were on a very high board and played both Russia and China and last year Peter made a big difference albeit not everyone was on form.

[Mark Howitt]

I'd be interested to know what Peter does- I'm sure he does a good job tbh. From what I've read he seems to be a good theoretical player- seen him a bit. I know he seconded Adams sometimes. I remember reading Kevin Spraggett's account of captaining Portugal and it was interesting.

[benedgell]

But the Board itself takes the blame for failing to show any leadership here. It has never sought to justify or explain why its priority is to contribute what it can to ensure the best possible mens' team - something which, it accepts, requires outside sponsorship anyway - even though this means contributing virtually nothing to many other events where players have won the right to represent the ECF in international competition.

There was however this from the April Council meeting

International Teams
DO presented to Council the following policy proposal from the Board so that they could consider and express its support.

Proposal: “Council believes that the Federation should aim to have the strongest possible England teams competing in the European Team Championships (Open and Women’s), the Olympiads (Open and Women’s) and the World Youth under 16 Chess Olympiad (Open and, when established, Girls).
We believe this is in the long term interest of English Chess.”
Agreed : In favour many; against 1

Admittedly this says nothing about whether the teams should be supported by non playing captains who can also act as seconds or coaches.

Well yes, and these details matter. Not much point aiming for the best possible woman player in the team if she (quite unsurprisingly) withdraws from the team for the lack of a coach. Playing a horde of 2400 + players on board one, each likely armed with IM/GM coaches, would not have been appealing, I am sure. More generally, sending a coach for the men but none for the women sends a clear and most undesirable message. I find it most irresponsible that we should send a team to the toughest event of all - this is the European Chs, not the Olympiad where there will be many weaker teams - and leave them to sink or swim.

Jonathan, rather then raise this issue on the Forum, which frankly never ends well, have you contacted the International Director to ask about this? I don't believe I represent you directly as ECF Delegate, but if you'd like me to mention this issue to him on your behalf at the AGM I'd be happy to.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Well yes, and these details matter. Not much point aiming for the best possible woman player in the team if she (quite unsurprisingly) withdraws from the team for the lack of a coach. Playing a horde of 2400 + players on board one, each likely armed with IM/GM coaches, would not have been appealing, I am sure. More generally, sending a coach for the men but none for the women sends a clear and most undesirable message. I find it most irresponsible that we should send a team to the toughest event of all - this is the European Chs, not the Olympiad where there will be many weaker teams - and leave them to sink or swim.

Jonathan, rather then raise this issue on the Forum, which frankly never ends well, have you contacted the International Director to ask about this? I don't believe I represent you directly as ECF Delegate, but if you'd like me to mention this issue to him on your behalf at the AGM I'd be happy to.

Thank you for your offer Ben; by all raise it at the AGM if you think it merits the attention. I might say that others (closer to David than I) had already tried to advise him against what he has been doing with the women's team. As it happens I had already (in another context) queried with him the wisdom of effectively spending all his budget on the national teams (not knowing at the time that in fact he only really prioritised spending money on one of those teams). It is fair to say that he was not willing to explain his priorities in any detail. In my last email I suggested to him that it is mere nationalist hubris to think that even a fully sponsored men's team could actually finish very highly in the European team Chs. So, I imagine that my views as expressed in this Forum come as little surprise to him.

[Mark Howitt]

I'd like to know what the other nations' teams consist of. Haven't found anything conclusive yet.

[Mark Howitt]

I would say it's a disadvantage to announce our team before many other countries have announced theirs. Gives them more time to prepare.

[LawrenceCooper]

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/england- ... mpionship/

[Roger de Coverly]

I looked up the history in http://www.olimpbase.org of how the Women's teams had got on. They used to do well.

1992 8th from 18
1997 3/29
1999 7/34
2001 3/32
2003 10/30

All these were nominal two player teams with one reserve.

From 2005 the format changed to four player teams with one reserve.

2005 13/25
2007 22/29
2009 17/28
2011 23/28

If the 2013 team would be likely weaker than the 2011 team, was it worth fighting Norway and perhaps Ireland for last place? The Scots, Welsh and Irish almost always send an open team, even though they too are usually battling to avoid last place in the Open event.

[MartinCarpenter]

Probably not I'd think. Its one thing to struggle because you just don't have any players but another to do so with a potentially reasonable team but no money to field it

[JustinHadi]

Justifies the decision to concentrate on the open team in my view.

[PeterFarr]

Justifies the decision to concentrate on the open team in my view.

The open team came 22nd last time, compared to the women's 23rd.

Obviously that extra place justifies focusing only on the open team.

[JustinHadi]

Did you look at the last 4 events or just last time?