Time for this week's Elite Report, again with a difference. This time I am going to talk about the two conferences and give a honest; well in my eyes; opinion on how each team is performing. Kind of a half time assessment before the business end of the season kicks in. From Christmas; the real business starts and we will soon know who is capable and who is not.
Easily upset? Stop reading right now! Otherwise read right on...
Gardiner Conference
Braehead Clan: Everybody's, and that's including me here, pre-season favourites to capture the Monteith Bowl. Except it's not really gone as plain sailing as it was planned to be. Clan have slipped up when they are expected to win, and in some games thrown away leads that you would have expected them to hold onto. If they are to win the title; they need to stead the ship in their own zone - otherwise the rumblings of discontent that are sounding from their loyal fan base: will go louder and Finner will be seriously under more pressure than he ever anticipated.
Dundee Stars: When the Stars appointed Marc LeFebvre, the man who was a mitigated failure in Coventry, most wondered how long it would be before Dundee showed him the door too. But Stars have been rejuvenated under the 33 year old Canadian, and currently lie the highest of the Gardiner Conference sides in the EIHL standings. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be in Coventry for him, but Dundee now have a coach that slowly turning their fortunes around. Can they keep it up though?
Edinburgh Capitals: Like Dundee, Capitals changed their coach this season coming and surprised a few when they handed the responsibilty to power forward Riley Emmerson. It's not been a bad appointment at all as Caps have surprised many, especially the Erhardt teams, with unexpected wins against them at Murrayfield and on the road. The only blip is that they have a leaky defence and that could cost them unless Riley plugs that particular hole. After seasons of despair, could things be looking up in Scotland's capital city?
Fife Flyers: Fife have been very much up and down so far, with more dips than the Pepsi Max Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. On their day, they can be very good but they can also be damn awful as well. A lot of talk centres around the future of head coach Todd Dutiaume, and whether he has taken this team as far as he can? But Fife is his adopted home, and I can't see him relinquishing his position that easy. But then again, would the Flyers hierachy see it anyway different? Change might be good, especially if the inconsistencies aren't ironed out.
Manchester Storm: To say the team, well the majority of it, was signed up in double quick time after the sad folding of the Hull Stingrays: Storm ain't done as bad as some of their results suggest. Omar Pacha is in only his second season of being a coach, and you can see he is slowly getting to grips with the dual responsibility. Some of his new recruits have impressed, and Pacha's next task is to get this "new" club into the end of season play-off rounds. Can they do it? Anything is possible, and it will be a fantastic achievement if they do. I think the best is still to come here..
Well that's the Gardiner done with, coming next: The Erhardt Conference's Half Time Report.
Edinburgh Capitals: Like Dundee, Capitals changed their coach this season coming and surprised a few when they handed the responsibilty to power forward Riley Emmerson. It's not been a bad appointment at all as Caps have surprised many, especially the Erhardt teams, with unexpected wins against them at Murrayfield and on the road. The only blip is that they have a leaky defence and that could cost them unless Riley plugs that particular hole. After seasons of despair, could things be looking up in Scotland's capital city?
Fife Flyers: Fife have been very much up and down so far, with more dips than the Pepsi Max Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. On their day, they can be very good but they can also be damn awful as well. A lot of talk centres around the future of head coach Todd Dutiaume, and whether he has taken this team as far as he can? But Fife is his adopted home, and I can't see him relinquishing his position that easy. But then again, would the Flyers hierachy see it anyway different? Change might be good, especially if the inconsistencies aren't ironed out.
Manchester Storm: To say the team, well the majority of it, was signed up in double quick time after the sad folding of the Hull Stingrays: Storm ain't done as bad as some of their results suggest. Omar Pacha is in only his second season of being a coach, and you can see he is slowly getting to grips with the dual responsibility. Some of his new recruits have impressed, and Pacha's next task is to get this "new" club into the end of season play-off rounds. Can they do it? Anything is possible, and it will be a fantastic achievement if they do. I think the best is still to come here..
Well that's the Gardiner done with, coming next: The Erhardt Conference's Half Time Report.
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