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Planet Field Hockey

Claire Middleton is a hockey writer with a reputation for cutting straight to the point. She writes regularly for the Daily Telegraph in England, and gets straight to the nitty gritty in this interview with PlanetFieldHockey.



PlanetFieldHockey: How long have you worked for the Telegraph? What is your capacity there?
Claire Middleton: I've worked at the Telegraph on staff in a couple of capacities since 1993; I'm now technically freelance, with a contract as hockey correspondent.


PFH: What is your hockey background?
CM: My background in hockey is as a reasonable goalkeeper (but who was better at badminton and tennis) and a poor umpire. I used to umpire at university because officials got a free tea and as a penniless student, two helpings a week of sausage, baked beans and mashed potato was not to be missed.


PFH: What is the most satisfying story you’ve ever done?
CM: My most satisfying story was probably a piece I wrote at the Sydney
Olympics - about rowing! The GB men's eight won gold, while the women's quad sculls won an unexpected silver. I went to university with Miriam Batten, who was one of the scullers, and it was marvellous to see her do so well. We had a long chat to catch up.


PFH: Who is the most interesting athlete you have interviewed?
CM: The most interesting athlete I have interviewed is probably Laura Davies, the golfer. She is always forthcoming, is very amusing and a brilliant sportswoman. Good day or bad day, she is always good value - a journalist's dream. She has won millions of dollars but is not remotely arrogant. Plenty of hockey players and coaches, who have achieved considerably less, could learn from her.


PFH: Do you think hockey should be a professional sport?
CM: Hockey is near-professional, though everybody likes to plead poverty as a convenient excuse for losing.


PFH: Why have England/GB not been able to capitalise on their success in the late 80's and earn a regular position with the world's medal contenders?
CM: England and GB have not capitalised on their performance in the late 80's because the sport here, in my view, is a shambles. We think we are better than we are and find irrational excuses for our failures because the truth hurts. Our players are largely lacking in basic skills and are nowhere near as fit as they should be. The club scene is of a poor standard, while organisationally, we have very few decent coaches and a lot of whingers with an inflated idea of their own abilities. The administration is one long paper chase, with a cast of thousands, and perennial meetings. The women's Olympic qualifier made an entirely predictable deficit of #150,000 (pounds) and no heads have rolled! GB are even worse and were shown by events in, and prior to Sydney, to be a blazer brigade of discredited politicians.


PFH: How do hockey players rate as interviews compared to other athletes?
CM: Just as in all sports, some hockey players are good at interviews, others are not. Usually they get asked pretty pathetic questions by people who have never played sport at an elite level. Mostly, they appreciate the publicity and do their best.


PFH: What can the hockey powers, especially hockey's representative organisations, do to market the game better both in the UK and internationally?
CM: Hockey in England and GB will become marketable when England and GB win medals. Currently, the English Hockey Association are devoid of ideas beyond putting women players in sexy poses. I am no specialist but I rather suspect there is a major correlation between countries with successful teams and the amount of sponsorship and media coverage they attract. Internationally, the FIH should stop tinkering with the rules - there is nothing wrong with the game. Then, they should put some serious money into providing decent television highlights of all their tournaments, and stop charging huge hosting fees so host countries can do the same.


PFH: Do you agree with the expansion of international tournaments to 16 teams? And the 4x4 pool system?
CM: Expanding tournaments to 16 teams is ridiculous and reduces the credibility of the sport, especially when teams do not turn up. I reckon the women's world cup qualifier in France could conceivably start three or four teams short. The best events are joint men's and women's events, and that becomes virtually impossible with 32 teams.

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