Drew’s new family could be the Riders

Friday sees Andrew Sullivan facing his former team, a team he experienced the highs of winning the league, the play-offs and the trophy with all in one season.  That same team also experienced the incredible lows brought about by financial difficulties, which ultimately ripped the heart out of the franchise and pushed one of the best players in the league out of the door.

It was a tough time in Drew Sullivan’s life, losing a team that had built a strong bond, team-mates that had essentially become family. But it’s not something he has allowed to drag him down or fill him with revenge;

“I don’t have any ill feelings towards Tony (Garbelotto) – he did everything he could to keep me at the club…I’m disappointed with the way the situation was handled.  I think that it could have been handled in a more professional way and we could have parted ways being friends and I wouldn’t have had any problems with it.

“I was (just) surplus to requirements because of my wages.”

At a crucial time in the Great Britain captain’s career with the 2012 Olympics round the corner, Drew must have believed the success he had experienced with the Tigers in 2010 would be duplicated or at least rivalled during the following season and that the 2011 campaign would propel  him towards greater things at the Olympics.

To see that opportunity fade away must have been crushing.  It must have felt as though his chance was being taken away from him and that all that he had worked for was being wasted by decisions that were out of his control.  The team and the team-mates he had come to know and grow with were no longer going to be beside him in battle, he was alone.

In time of need, people turn to family and friends and that’s what Sullivan did.  He spoke privately with close friend and fellow GB team-mate, Flinder Boyd and after spending time with management at the Leicester Riders, decided the best thing for his career was to return to the BBL and to do it with a team capable of winning, which is exactly what he did.

“Before I came here, I did my own due diligence – had long conversations with Flinder (Boyd) about what he thought about the team.  The good thing about Flinder is he told me straight up his opinion and to be honest with you, he’s got it spot on.  The guys are committed to winning.”

There are on-going talks between the Leicester Club and the GB Captain to secure his services for the remainder of the season and while both parties know what is needed, Sullivan still feels there is some distance in negotiations:

“I can’t commit to a situation unless I know I’m going to get a commitment back.  At a professional level, no matter how much we love the game, we still have bills to pay.”

Coming from the situation in Liverpool with the Tigers, it is highly understandable that Sullivan is interested in getting paid what he feels he is worth.

Once those terms are met – something Riders owner Kevin Routledge is confident is close to happening – Sullivan may find what every good family needs – a home.