byLarry Eder
There are always pluses and minuses with any job. Charles van Commenee, the UK Athletics high performance boss, is preparing for the onslaught. With the high popularity of UK Athletics, and the London 2012 Games less than two months away, can Commenee gets queried about all things track & field.
His recent wincing in an interview was observed by several journalists, until van Commenee admitted to falling off his bike in Amsterdam recently, and breaking a few ribs.
The most recent was that Jessica Ennis, who set the British heptathlon record at the recent Hypo Meeting in Gotzis, Austria, was called “fat” by a high ranking UK athletics official. Charles van Commenee seemed slightly amused, or perhaps, bemused by the situation, but denied that the official was him.
Does not really sound like his way of operating. Charles van Commenee is seen at many meets observing the coaches and athletes, taking notes, and purposely staying out of the limelight.
With the likes of Phillips Idowu, Mo Farah, and Jessica Ennis, UK Athletics should do quite well in the medal department. Either way, van Commenee will be under intense media scrutiny. That comes with the job, as van Commenee would point out, not admitting that the scrutiny is either frustrating or just plain time consuming.
That will not happen over the next two months, as the UK Athletics top coach will be accused of everything but global warming and perhaps, creating the internet.
Here is a recent piece that appeared in the New Zealand Media:
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/athletics/news/article.cfm?c_id=19&objectid=10811761
