Mike's Back!

[timetoplaythegame]

Just a note for the people who want a whole new team, look at what sheffield did last year. They were pretty average the year before but kept almost all of the team and went on to the success they achieved this year. Yes they did have some pretty outstanding players but the difference in one season to the next was they already knew eachother's style of play and gelled as a team from day 1 whilst the others were playing catch up.
An interesting stat for me was the team that had the least amount of players signed (original team & replacements) last season was Sheffield and the most.....Basingstoke. Speaks volumes.

Get real. Sheffield were paying big money for better players ( despite the so called wage capping ) and basingstoke could only pay peanuts so got inferior players, simple as that.

Obviously Basingstokes off ice problems contributed to their turnover but most of the "bottom" teams had the highest turnover with the opposite happening at the other end of the table. You would be totally blinkered to think you can bring in 15 new guys and win games. Maybe half way through the season when some had been changed due to conflict of personality and the others had time tom "gel", but by then the league is gone.
I am with you in wanting new players but money alone doesnt buy happiness or trophies.

 

[nmase20]

I think people are making too much of the fact that Prpich had a disappointing Playoffs. Though it should be forgotten that he set up our winning goal against Belfast. He had a fantastic start to the season which suprised us all, and was pretty consistent throughout.

He also scored 35 goals.
35!!!!

Do you know the last time a player scored more than that for us in a season in the top league?
It was back in the 95-96 season, before the ISL was formed.
That's 13 years ago!!!!!!!!!

Thats a pretty impressive stat and quite suprising, when you consider how low scoring the majority of our games were this season it makes it even more impressive. I don't understand how people can be disappointed by what we've got so far, im actually very impressed. If we can get in a top goal scorer we will be laughing. Cant wait for the new season to begin

 

[Iceraider]

Get real. Sheffield were paying big money for better players ( despite the so called wage capping ) and basingstoke could only pay peanuts so got inferior players, simple as that.

And yet Belfast and Nottingham were paying even more but didn't win the league. But they did make more changes.

Seeing as you are so disappointed by our 6 players so far - if you were coach instead of Adams, what would our team look like next season?

nail. hit. head. Nottingham have constantly tried to buy the league and have got nowhere, I'm pretty sure we've even finished above them on a few occasions in the EIHL. If money was purely the reason sheffield won then why didn't sheffield run away with it last year too, they threw money at exactly the same players then? The reason is consistency, how many teams have won the league after wholesale changes the year before? Coventry certainly didn't, neither did Sheffield. Belfast kept a core of the team together for a few years and were a strong team for a few years, but they too have suffered recently from instabillity within the team. You can't expect to build a team around a revolving door policy each year, in fact there is lots of evidence to the contrary. The Devils are finally in a place where we have the power to keep hold of our better players and we should be applauding that not bitching that our goal a game player isn't doing enough to warrant a contract. I think some people on here need to realise that this isn't the ISL any more...

 

[Gaz G]

Im sat watching the devils 20 year dvd. In the devils 1st year they played against the deeside dragons who had a canadian player by the name of mitch prpich? Does anyone know if this may be a relation of mikes? More than likely a coincidence but just wondering. Cheers

 

[Brooke]

Isn't it his Uncle? Seem to remember reading something like that in a programme last year.

 

[Elich's Bitch]

Isn't it his Uncle? Seem to remember reading something like that in a programme last year.

It was his uncle who played all those years ago for Deeside