Muller’s plan ‘would reduce IHL to a farce’

ONE of Irish hockey’s most influential coaches has added his voice to the growing dissatisfaction within the sport with Ireland senior women’s coach Gene Muller’s plans to base the national squad in Dublin on a full-time basis.

London native Mick McKinnon, who guided Armagh to six successive promotions before masterminding Railway Union’s first Leinster league title win in 100 years last term, says he is firmly opposed to Muller’s plan to centralise 20 or so athletes in the run-up to the 2011 European Championships.

A top-four finish at that tournament would secure automatic Olympic qualification, and Muller has been busy negotiating with players from Munster and Ulster about potential moves to Dublin, though no policy has yet to be officially put into place.