Individual News
19th of September 2008
It's been a frustrating weekend, losing by one goal to Manchester and then in a penalty shoot-out in Newcastle. Yes, we got our first point, but it could so easily have been two wins. I thought both games were affected by controversial calls; at home, we had a goal disallowed and away one of the Newcastle goals seemed clearly offside. Equally baffling was the call on Curtiss Patrick for "fighting". We really need consistency, especially in the reading of physical play.
But that's going to happen in any game. You just hope things even out over the season. What matters to me most is the attitude shown on the ice, and I am more certain than ever that we've got the right guys in the locker-room.
Putting a team together is not always straightforward. For example, I knew I wanted to sign Jason Goulet. At one stage it looked like he might not be available, so I had to search around for someone like him. No-one else fitted the bill and I was delighted when we finally agreed terms and he arrived on the day of our first match. That kind of waiting I can live with.
Waiting for Kevin Reiter's paperwork to be cleared in America, however, is not something I want to experience again. Unless something unexpected has happened, he will have travelled to Belfast with us. His late arrival was out of our and his hands. He received an e-mail several weeks ago to confirm that all his paperwork had been processed. For the Canadian players, passports and visas were received within two days of notification. Kevin is not the only American player in the Elite League to have been delayed for so long.
As a coach, I haven't got the time to worry about why it took so long . My priority was to find someone to step up in his absence. It would not have been fair to put Joe White into that situation; his time will come. I turned to Stephen Wall, who has been magnificent for us. He has earned the respect of fans and colleagues alike. Many thanks, Stephen, and good luck to you and your team for the rest of the season.
Now we can prepare as a full squad and start building for a successful season. Don't forget to join in the stampede next weekend. We've got lots of reasons to give Cardiff a warm welcome.
But that's going to happen in any game. You just hope things even out over the season. What matters to me most is the attitude shown on the ice, and I am more certain than ever that we've got the right guys in the locker-room.
Putting a team together is not always straightforward. For example, I knew I wanted to sign Jason Goulet. At one stage it looked like he might not be available, so I had to search around for someone like him. No-one else fitted the bill and I was delighted when we finally agreed terms and he arrived on the day of our first match. That kind of waiting I can live with.
Waiting for Kevin Reiter's paperwork to be cleared in America, however, is not something I want to experience again. Unless something unexpected has happened, he will have travelled to Belfast with us. His late arrival was out of our and his hands. He received an e-mail several weeks ago to confirm that all his paperwork had been processed. For the Canadian players, passports and visas were received within two days of notification. Kevin is not the only American player in the Elite League to have been delayed for so long.
As a coach, I haven't got the time to worry about why it took so long . My priority was to find someone to step up in his absence. It would not have been fair to put Joe White into that situation; his time will come. I turned to Stephen Wall, who has been magnificent for us. He has earned the respect of fans and colleagues alike. Many thanks, Stephen, and good luck to you and your team for the rest of the season.
Now we can prepare as a full squad and start building for a successful season. Don't forget to join in the stampede next weekend. We've got lots of reasons to give Cardiff a warm welcome.