Does any one in England know who the 2 teams are for next years Internationals?

I believe the CEFF have had their ratification meeting so it would be good to know who the teams are, and indeed who the Captains are. The teams have not yet been posted on the CEFF site as far as I'm aware.

I've also heard, through the grapevine, that the roll over process in previous Internationals has been done away with.

I think this is a good idea and gives even more people chance to qualify to fish for their country. In the "old days" the roll over was introduced to ensure a level of continuity from one International to the next. Fewer people are entering the qualifiers these days so to ensure there are experienced anglers in any one team is not so much of a problem as it was. These days at least half the team who qualify each year have had previous experience of fishing at this level.

Thoughts anyone?

GH

Hi GH,
I have copied the teams from the CEFF website AGM Minutes:
The teams for the 2009 season are as follows:

World Team
Simon Robinson
John Horsey
Howard Croston
Davey Parker
Iain Barr
Baz Reece (Reserve)

European Team
Simon Robison
John Horsey
Mike Tinnion
John Tyzack
Phil Dixon
Andrew Gooding (Reserve)

Ladies European
Susan Sissons
Kate Royce
Eileen Chatwin
Beth Louise
Sheena Good
Hilary Tomlinson
Jayne Alecock

Rivers Team
John Tyzack
Simon Robinson
Richard Cobbledick
Alex Bobba
Robert Brown
Scott Nellins (Reserve)

Spring L/S International
Simon Gurney
Martin Webster
Mark Haycock
Andrew Green
Jeremy Lucas
Mike Dixon
Simon Newman
John Horsey
Trevor Colclough
Phil Dixon
Vince Brooks
Andrew Haskins
Gareth Headland
Peter Appleby
Joel Beeney (Reserve)

Autumn L/S nternational
Clive Collier
Dave Hodgson
Paul Davison
Hugh Frew
Clive Perkins
Steve Collins
Richard Slater
Scott Nellins
Mike Barratt
Andy G Taylor
Spring Carry Over
Spring Carry Over
Spring Carry Over
Spring Carry Over
Rob Honour (Reserve)

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Many thanks Stewy.

We have some very strong teams next year, l sense a Gold or two will be heading our way.

GH

I was surprised to hear that the rollovers had been done away with at the AGM and, although I agree it gives an extra incentive to enter the Eliminators, from an ex Manager's perspective I think that it may well result in weaker teams.

Although I would say that almost all of the anglers in the National are good anglers, you do find that many of them don't seem to perform in Internationals. With the rollover system you are guaranteed to have at least 4 anglers in your team who can perform at International level when the pressure is on!

I also think that, for whatever reason, competition anglers go through 'hot streaks' when they seem to do especially well for a season or two. This has certainly been the case for Richard Slater over the last season, and if the rollover system was still in place, it would give him the chance to fish a few Internationals while he's on form. Now of course, it will be impossible to fish 2 Internationals in the same year.

Grasshopper, as you and I are two anglers who have especially benefited from rollovers over recent years it's interesting to note that we have opposing opinions on the subject.

Anyway, I do have one reason to agree with scrapping rollovers...

It increases my chances of getting back into the Team!

Graham

Hi Graham,

I agree with you in as much that the roll over ensures there are 4 experienced anglers in the next team. However, it doesn't guarantee that all those 4 will perform when the pressure is on. Rolling over can depend on how the venue is fishing as Lady Luck can play a big hand at times. (The more I fish the luckier I seem to get)

Lower numbers have been entering the eliminators in recent years but the experienced hardcore are still there competing in numbers. Usually quite a few experienced Internationals re-qualify at the National Final as was proved this year for instance. I believe around 14 of the 20 qualifiers had gained a previous cap or more.

If the numbers entering the eliminators increase significantly then I agree that we could end up with weaker teams. It has happened in the past that anglers with limited ability have had two above average days and qualified for the team. Maybe, if the numbers do increase greatly, that'll be the time to re-introduce the roll overs.

Yes I have benefitted from the roll overs but I have also qualified from the National 4 times.

I just think the time is right to try something different and, like you, I'm glad there's 28 places up for grabs next year.

All the best.

GH

I would just like to say wales have to mighty strong teams for the loch style lads so roll on september 2009. I feel another gold or two

I agree completely with Graham on this point. Interestingly, I was the only person at the AGM to vote against the proposal to abandon the roll over. I think this move destroys the continuity we had in loch style internationals. I completely understand the added incentive of an extra 8 places possibly increasing entries in qualifiers. However, are not 20 places out of 100 enough? With 28 to go for, more than a quarter, I think this significanly downgrades the great achievement of making the frame.

Like GH, I have benefitted from roll over as well as qualifying through nationals, and have been enormously proud of both. I would be less proud, in future, of qualifying in place 27, say. Indeed, I think we will see effects other than weaker teams coming out of this: such as more emphasis towards the river teams and the bank fishing national teams (if we manage to form these, as planned), because there are far fewer team places available, and so really sort out the top performers from the rest of the field.

Anyway, the proposal for abandonment of the roll over was accepted overwhelmingly by CEFF AGM, so we must accept it and see how it works.

I can also see the benefits of abandoning the roll overs but would agree with Keith and Jeremy. I think a reduction in the rollovers would have been the way to go rather than giving it up altogether. Time will tell on this one

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