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Tony lends a Hand with GB return

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GB Ice Hockey Head Coach Paul Thompson has announced that Tony Hand MBE, has confirmed his return to the international fold, becoming a Player/Assistant Coach of the National Team for their forthcoming World Championship Pool B tournament in Slovenia.

Hand, the player coach of bmibaby Elite League outfit Manchester Phoenix, previously retired from international hockey, but has agreed to return to the new professional set- up being installed by Thompson.

“I want the GB programme to work and to win” Hand said. “Once Paul confirmed to me how the programme was to operate and that we were going to Slovenia in April to try to make progress on previous seasons, I wanted to be involved.”

The Scot added, “I am a coach now and that is my future, so the position of player/assistant coach is one that certainly had my mouth watering. I believe that I have a lot to offer the Great Britain programme both as a player and as an assistant to Paul.”

Thompson confirmed that one of his main goals with the GB programme had now been achieved. “Tony has to play.” said Thompson. “He is the best player we have and he can do things that other player can’t.  He can pick locks that others can’t even find, let alone pick. I said off the bat that I wanted the best, I needed the best, if we are going to go to Slovenia and do well. Tony Hand is still the best in my book and getting him on board is a major boost to the whole programme. I just couldn’t have imagined going away without him.”

A clearly delighted Thompson added, “It’s also a double whammy for me. Not only do I get a great player but, I get another first class coach for the team. In Assistant Coaches Rob Wilson and Tony Hand I now have two trusted lieutenants. Men who know the game, who know and have played international hockey before and guys who will work around the clock with me in preparing a team that will go to the Championships geared to improving our standing.”