Post by JP on Jul 19, 2008 12:28:07 GMT 1
55% of the votes on the 'Team to beat' poll were for the Sheffield Steelers on this forum and that's the exact view from the coach...
From The Coventry Telegraph:
Thommo wary of Steelers
Jul 16 2008 By Antony Hopker
SHEFFIELD STEELERS will be one of the major challengers to Cassidy Coventry Blaze's league crown this season.
That's the prediction of Blaze coach Paul Thompson, who has run the rule over the first side to announce that it has completed its roster for the forthcoming campaign. Steelers have made very few changes to the side that beat Blaze in the play-offs - three months after the coach and all the players were threatened with the sack after a poor run of results.
"They are a good team," said Thompson. "When a roster is completed I rate each player on it, and then I amend it when I've seen them play once. I think they will be challenging again for the league.
"They have solid players and the coach is finding his feet. They have the stability this year that we had last year, we are in more of a transitional stage.
"We will be competitive. We will still have the leadership of (Sylvain) Cloutier, great goalscoring and the work ethic I demand. Our defence is younger, but that's partly deliberate and we will mould as a side."
With Steelers drafting in Scott Basiuk from Manchester Phoenix and Nathan Gillies signed, their roster lacks an out-and-out hard man such as Blaze's Carlyle Lewis.
"They will be gritty. This is the format that Dave Matsos believes works for him as a coach. Last year they moved Jeremy Cornish out, added £400 a week extra to the roster and the skill that brought them in Dan Tessier made all the difference.
"They have invested heavily in bringing quality players in and they are a big club. I'm looking forward to our match-ups against them."
Blaze first play Sheffield in the Charity Shield at the Skydome on Wednesday, September 3.
From The Coventry Telegraph:
Thommo wary of Steelers
Jul 16 2008 By Antony Hopker
SHEFFIELD STEELERS will be one of the major challengers to Cassidy Coventry Blaze's league crown this season.
That's the prediction of Blaze coach Paul Thompson, who has run the rule over the first side to announce that it has completed its roster for the forthcoming campaign. Steelers have made very few changes to the side that beat Blaze in the play-offs - three months after the coach and all the players were threatened with the sack after a poor run of results.
"They are a good team," said Thompson. "When a roster is completed I rate each player on it, and then I amend it when I've seen them play once. I think they will be challenging again for the league.
"They have solid players and the coach is finding his feet. They have the stability this year that we had last year, we are in more of a transitional stage.
"We will be competitive. We will still have the leadership of (Sylvain) Cloutier, great goalscoring and the work ethic I demand. Our defence is younger, but that's partly deliberate and we will mould as a side."
With Steelers drafting in Scott Basiuk from Manchester Phoenix and Nathan Gillies signed, their roster lacks an out-and-out hard man such as Blaze's Carlyle Lewis.
"They will be gritty. This is the format that Dave Matsos believes works for him as a coach. Last year they moved Jeremy Cornish out, added £400 a week extra to the roster and the skill that brought them in Dan Tessier made all the difference.
"They have invested heavily in bringing quality players in and they are a big club. I'm looking forward to our match-ups against them."
Blaze first play Sheffield in the Charity Shield at the Skydome on Wednesday, September 3.