Is England's Golden Age Nearly Over?
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FEATURE Is England’s golden age nearly over? Richard Eaton investigates whether England will be able to continue their position as one of squash’s superpowers when the current crop of world-class players retire Massaro is 29, Alison Waters 29 and Jenny Duncalf 30. Age affects people differently, so it would be silly to downplay any of them. But Matthew's words reverberate. They won't be here for ever. Moreover, Emily Whitlock, aged 19 and just outside the world's top 20, looks like the only prospect good enough to reach the top. Why, with so much Lottery funding, do England not have many potential replacements? Egypt have. Other questions are asked about England's system. Is it flexible enough to accommodate outsiders? Has it adversely affected the coaching market? Does it put enough resources into talent identification? Criticism can be helpful, but it can also be a hindrance to a governing body trying to cope with a changing world. They need to stay clear about their goals and methods, and maintain faith through setbacks. Maintaining morale thus becomes crucial. England Squash and Racketball (ESR) are operating amidst fewer clubs, fewer participants, fewer coaches and significantly fewer talented young players, particularly women, than 20 years ago. This is not easy. Nevertheless, they still have the world's best system,according to Britain's Nick Matthew first male world champion, Peter Nicol. “It was brilliant,” he said. He even abandoned his Scottish squash-playing loyalties to join it. Without that, he could not have extended his reign as world no.1 to a remarkable 60 months. We won't be here for ever,” Nick women's teams who won world titles. Last Although that change took place more Matthew said recently. It sounded like year England had the world's top two players than a decade ago, Nicol believes the “the first toll of a warning knell. We are for the first time. It's an excellent record. system still has outstanding qualities. not as young as we were, he might have “The whole regime changed three years added. Enjoy us while you can. ago and maybe those things lasted longer This has been the golden age of than they should,” he admits. English squash, so conventional wisdom This may be an allusion to the says, and now it is it almost over. But has Everything...“ is there addition of a coaching development it been a golden age, is it almost over and system and an academy programme.The are England heading for a comedown? It latter caters specifically for younger happened to Pakistan and Australia. players,who now no longer just have to The answers seem to be: yes, it has hop on to the senior programme. been; yes, it may be; and no, not “Everything needed for a modern necessarily. But can it possibly” continue? With the professional player to flourish is there,” What is certain is that England have Allam British Open taking place later this Nicol said. never been so successful as in the last month and the World Men’s Team “I think we will find someone decade and a half. Championship next month, it is a timely unexpected. Sarah-Jane Perry is an They have produced four men and one question. example,” he added, referring to the 23- woman who reached world no.1; one man It is also timely because Matthew is year-old who leapt into the top 20 this year. and one woman who became world now 32, James Willstrop is 29, Peter “Not everyone thought she would do that. champions; and four men's and two Barker 29 and Daryl Selby 30,while Laura “It takes different answers to make THE SQUASH PLAYER 15 FEATURE acknowledges, from worthy viewpoints. Whitlock disagrees. “When I coached Phil Whitlock's are the most Laura (Massaro), there was a conspicuous. The former England transformation (in her game), but ESR international coached his daughter Emily were not there to facilitate it,” he claims. to world-class, helped Massaro become “No-one came and asked ‘what are world no.1 Nicol David's closest you doing?’ No-one offered me money to challenger and pulls no punches. support Laura. I couldn't support her as I “They just tinker with the existing wished. Whether she can go on and structure, instead of having their own become world no.1 I don't know. Maybe ideas, ripping it up and starting from she can.” scratch,” Whitlock says. Willstrop's praise should have pleased “What goes on is a whole methodology. Keir Worth, ESR's head of coaching and It's a history. It's difficult to break it,” he performance, who is proud of the system. alleges, suggesting that the system is too “It's better than it's ever been,” he says. set in its ways and though it is necessarily “We are more rounded in sports generic, that it should be less so. science and medicine, strength and “'It works for me, so this should work conditioning, psychology and nutrition, for you' is the attitude,” he claims. “Not and performance lifestyle. enough time is spent trying to help “Our structure is better. Previously, ESR president individuals. I was told that Emily wouldn't players came from a stronger club Peter Nicol break through till she's 22 or 23. By that structure, where day-to-day work was stage it's too bloody late.” prescribed by good coaches.” Whitlock is concerned about the Now, though, club coaches are at a those strides. I made mine at aged 19. chasm between junior success and senior premium.Attitudes are affected. “One of Nick (Matthew) made his at 23, 24; then attainment, into which players can fall the challenges is educating players so again at 27, 28. Daryl (Selby) came disastrously. “The culture seems to be to they don't think being best in England through a lot later. play junior tournaments till you're 19, then equates to best in the world,” Worth says. “It's easy to say England won't be as think 'I'll start adult tournaments now'. Another challenge is compensating for good as before, but you never know what “So the boys start at 400 in the the smaller talent pool. “Now it's about will happen. I read that we don't become rankings and the girls at 300, and they getting people into squash and getting adult till our 30s sometimes now. We cannot get into any qualifying them committed,” Worth explained. always grew up later in the UK, maybe tournaments,” he says. “They don't “Under 15, the programme is very more so now.” understand the system. Parents must be much about retention and trying to Nicol's praise is particularly directed up in arms.” expand the talent pool, rather than towards ESR'ssports science. But other Whitlock also believes England's being elite. people may make criticisms, he system hinders club coaches. “Several “But although we don't have the same coaches are definitely anti-ESR,” he volume of players, I think we will still have alleges. “They produce a player and he is quality, world-class players.” ASHOUR BIDS taken away from them. They feel Worth is hopeful about the prospects undermined.” of Adrian Waller and Joe Lee, believes FOR REVENGE By contrast, Malcolm Willstrop, once Tom Richards, recently world no. 12, can Event: Allam British Open a bitter critic of ESR, now fulsomely continue progressing at the age of 26 and Venue: Hull praises the governing body. “The most thinks Chris Simpson has made an Dates: May 20-26 important thing is having a good system encouraging push. He also points out that and England have the best in the world – Charles Sharpes is still only 21. Ramy Ashour, incomparably the world's in physiology, fitness trainers, everything,” He reminds us, too, that Whitlock is best player in the last six months, is hot says the coach who has produced more very young,claims Perry's breakthrough is favourite to become the first Egyptian to significant and predicts that England will win the British Open in nearly half a have a high-quality under-19 boys squad century. by the end of next year. He will also be seeking revenge over There may, though, be self-imposed England's Nick Matthew, who played England has the barriers holding other youngsters back. exceptionally to beat him in last year's “ David Pearson, the former national coach final and is defending the title in his best system who coaches Matthew, thinks so. “We native Yorkshire. should look at the mentality issue,” he Since then, though, Ashour has suggests. succeeded Matthew as world champion “When Lottery funding started, people and suggested he may have conquered appreciated it. As years have gone by, they the fitness problems which for a long champions than anyone for three decades see it as a right rather than something time prevented him from realising his now. “Sport is cyclical,”” he emphasised, which can help them become world-class. exceptional talents. repeating a familiar, but persuasive “That can prevent young players Matthew is seeded second in his mantra. “Look at Australian cricket and putting in the time needed. It's not the quest for a fourth British Open title, Pakistani squash. They used to be whole story, but it is in there. something no other Englishman has unbeatable.” “It must be very frustrating for achieved, but he may face a difficult Willstrop coaches his son James and someone like Chris Robertson (Pearson's semi-final with Gregory Gaultier, the only claims that ESR look more favourably on successor as national coach) who has Frenchman ever to win it.