GB Ice Hockey Head Coach steps down

by UK American Sports Fans

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At today’s meeting in Newcastle, the Board of Ice Hockey UK were informed by Tony Hand that he has decided to step down as head coach of the GB men’s national team.

Hand took charge in 2011 and led Team GB at the World Championships in Slovenia in April 2012.

Under his leadership the senior national team travelled to Japan last autumn and won their Olympic qualifying tournament with a win over Romania and an historic victory over the host country to advance to the final Olympic qualifying tournament in Riga, Latvia.

They fell short of qualifying for the Sochi Olympics, but came closer than any other GB team in recent history.

Team GB struggled in their Group A pool at the World Championships in Budapest in April this year, finishing in fifth spot and being relegated for the coming season.

Team GB will compete in Division I Group B in Lithuania in April 2014, but this time it will be under a new Head Coach.

Hand is currently planning for his eighth year in charge of the Manchester Phoenix as player/coach, a team he most recently led to the EPL Playoff Title in 2013.

At this time, Ice Hockey UK do not have a new Coach in mind, but over the coming weeks they will start the search for the next Head Coach of the Senior Men’s National Team.

The Board of Ice Hockey UK commented that they “would like to thank Tony Hand for his service to the National Programme and for leading Team GB through one of its most exciting periods in their history”.