Skipper Mark Barnett will bounce back, says player-coach Jeff Stuart. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0419560)
GUERNSEY player-coach Jeff Stuart has said his team for their vital national league matches this weekend is possibly the strongest island side ever.
The Greens are today playing Team Solent at St Mary’s Sports Centre, Southampton, before tomorrow’s meeting with University of Chichester Thundercats in Hamble.
Stuart has named a 12-man squad for the two Division Four South West games
‘This is quite possibly the strongest team that Guernsey has turned out,’ he said.
‘The unit combines speed, strength, composure and a ‘team first’ mentality that is unmatched in previous years. We offer depth and presence at all positions and it will be a difficult task for either of the teams we face this weekend.’
Stuart has made five changes from the 13-man squad that defeated Bristol Storm and Cornwall Cougars in their first two national league matches at the start of last month.
Kerry Smyth, Jim Rowe, Pierre Jehan and Jan Renouf have been brought into replace Aaron Walden, Dan Marriott, Lee Ogier, Neil Davey and, most noticeably, captain Mark Barnett.
Focus HR Solutions guard Andy Stephens has been given the armband duties.
Stuart said that the door has not been shut on the former London Towers star Barnett.
‘Barney remains one of the premier players on the island and has shown his strength, versatility and level of playing maturity over the previous few weeks at training,’ said Stuart.
‘He has not been selected to the 12 that will face Solent and Chichester this coming weekend but his determination to pull on the Guernsey green will see him back in the vest very soon I am sure.’
Team Solent go into the weekend with wins over Cornwall Cougars, University of Chichester Thundercats and Bath & Trowbridge Titans to top the early season table.
Chichester, apart from that one loss against Solent, did get the better of Twobridge Titans.
Stuart is expecting two challenging matches.
‘Both the opposition teams are university-based teams with excellent links and history with established league clubs,’ he said.
‘Team Solent currently sit top of the table and we very much see them as occupying our position at present.
‘From what we understand of them they are high energy and high scoring, and while we can easily match them in these departments we will be bringing the addition of commitment to a team identity and structure to our play that will prove to be the deciding factor.
‘Raising our game for Sunday fixtures is always going to prove difficult but we are very strong one through 12 and this strength in depth will allow us to compete right across the two days.
‘We, as a team, are all of the mind-set that we will return on Sunday with a four and nought record and it is going to take an exceptionally strong, talented, determined unit to prevent that from happening.’
Guernsey: Jim Rowe, Kerry Smyth, Pierre Jehan, Jan Renouf, James Tracey, Andrew Stephens (capt.), Jason Hooper, Michael Beausire, Nigel Govett (player and assistant coach), Shek Sesay, Scott Rowe, Jeff Stuart (player-coach).
Article posted on 7th November, 2009 - 2.29pm
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