What the future holds for Ernests Gulbis

Promising Latvian tennis player Ernests Gulbis lost in straight sets to Benjamin Becker in the Australian Open last month to make it five Grand Slam exits in a row at the first hurdle. It is a worrying pattern emerging for a young man talked up as having so much potential, and who has been tipped as a future slam winner.

Let's not get carried away here; Gulbis is only 22, but it has been four years on the circuit now and the Latvian hasn’t managed to build on his French Open quarter final effort in 2008 when at the tender age of 19. Standout performances on the ATP tour have not been backed up with consistency, and while his rank has improved recently, I’m concerned that this wonderful talent will not fulfil his true potential.

Gulbis is from a wealthy family in Latvia, and was given top coaching from a young age to nurture his considerable gift for tennis. He turned professional in 2004 when at the age of 16, and alerted the world to his ability with a fearless display in reaching the fourth round of the US Open in his first Grand Slam. His fine performance at Roland Garros the following season led some in the tennis world to tip him for greatness, but a combination of injury, temperament and unconvincing work ethic caused the Latvian’s career to stagnate somewhat.

However, a maiden title at Delray Beach in February 2010 confirmed Gulbis was back on track, before a remarkable performance to stun the imperious Roger Federer in the Italian Open hinted that this could be a breakthrough year for the effervescent European. His fine form on clay led to him being seeded for the French Open, and made him an outside tip to break the Federer/Nadal Grand Slam stronghold. Alas, Gulbis disappointed again, going out with a whimper in the opening round as he limped off when two sets down to Frenchman Julien Benettau. Failure in Melbourne has followed, so it’s back to the drawing board for Ernests.

What is the clue to this fascinating riddle then? Gulbis is certainly unique. His exciting stroke-play and fearless commitment to hitting outright winners makes him an extremely watchable player as well as an unpredictable opponent. However, this spontaneous tendency to go for the outrageous can frustrate as much as it can draw resounding praise; while the drop-shot can be regarded as Gulbis’ pièce de résistance, it can also be seen as his bête noire when things aren’t going well for the Latvian. Gulbis’ mentality has also been called into question; he hasn’t developed a mental toughness in the same way as the likes of Novak Djokovic, which can put him at a serious disadvantage in important, closely fought matches. Then there is his lax off-the-court attitude; Gulbis admittedly ‘hates training’ and indulges in nightclubs and women more than a tennis protégé probably should do.

He has drawn comparisons to Russian former world number one Marat Safin and it is not hard to see why. The aggressive playing style and powerful serve is matched by the volatile attitude, while Gulbis is even coached by Safin’s former employer, Argentinian Hernan Gumy. Safin managed two Grand Slam victories in his career, but there always lingered a sense of what might have been, for the Russian was unbeatable on his day.

One hopes Gulbis can match and even eclipse Safin’s significant achievements, but persistent doubts remain over whether the young Latvian has what it takes to go this far in his tennis career. He needs to mature quickly; dedication has been a key element in the rise of other young stars such as Djokovic and Andy Murray who now occupy world number three and four rankings respectively.

With players of this calibre in front of him, and of course with the impervious Rafael Nadal in the prime of his career, it is an unenviable task for Gulbis to match these players on a regular basis. Unfortunately, unless his temperament and consistency improve rapidly, I can’t see him doing this. However, I believe that his swashbuckling play could reap rewards when all the positive aspects of his game come together in a major tournament, and that this maverick talent will one day see his name appear among the greats as a Grand Slam winner.

Hodgson's new home the Hawthorns as he returns to managerial hot-seat

West Bromwich Albion this week appointed Roy Hodgson to succeed Roberto Di Matteo at the Hawthorns, scarcely a month after his unceremonious departure from Liverpool. The Roy Hodgson saga at Anfield brings one common phrase to mind; the grass is not always greener on the other side. His achievements at Fulham were magnificent; after narrowly saving them from relegation, Hodgson steered the Cottagers to a more than respectable seventh in the subsequent 2008/09 season. However, the highlight of his time at the West London club was a marvellous run to the Europa League Final, exemplified by a 4-1 demolition of Italian giants Juventus, leading to Hodgson being voted LMA (League Managers Association) Manager of the Year after the 2009/10 campaign.

Rarely has a managers stock plummeted so dramatically. After a summer move to Liverpool, Hodgson endured a miserable six months at the helm of the most successful club in English history. His tenure at Anfield saw the Reds make their worst start to a league campaign in 82 years as they dropped into the relegation zone, and Hodgson was relieved of his duties at Melwood with the Merseyside club languishing in 12^th place in the league, having won just seven of twenty league games with the 63 year-old in charge.

In the end it simply appeared a job too much for the popular Englishman. The stress told on Hodgson and he no longer gave the appearance of a man capable of improving the team’s fortunes. A couple of his comments to the media defied logic; describing League Two strugglers Northampton Town as ‘formidable’ opponents ahead of Liverpool’s shock Carling Cup defeat to the Cobblers was particularly bemusing, as well as his assessment of a 2-0 defeat to bitter local rivals Everton as ‘as good as we’ve played this season’. Fans did not take to Hodgson’s defensive tactics or his perceived criticism of their support, and there was a feeling of relief among many, possibly even Hodgson himself when he parted company with the Reds on 8^th January 2010.

Surely a break from the stresses of football management was the antidote. However, just a month later we find Hodgson back in the managerial hot seat at West Bromwich Albion, a club battling to retain their Premier League status. A run of 13 defeats in 18 matches convinced West Brom’s board to take evasive action and dismiss Roberto Di Matteo. This provided another example of a manager’s stock falling in a short space of time. After a great start to life back in the top flight for the Midlands side, Di Matteo was awarded Manager of the Month for September and was widely touted as one of the brightest young managers in the English game.

However, just four months on Di Matteo finds himself out of a job. The sacking attracted widespread criticism; LMA Chief Executive Richard Bevan commented that ‘Roberto represents another victim of the hire-and-fire mentality that pervades our game’. It is difficult not to sympathise with the Italian, but you can also see the logic behind the dismissal. West Brom have gained the reputation of a ‘yo-yo’ club in recent years, renowned for adventurous passing football, but unable to establish themselves as a permanent fixture in the Premier League. Financial concerns now make survival imperative, and the board clearly see Hodgson as a man who can tighten up the defence and put to bed the Baggies’ reputation as chronic division changers.

Hodgson admitted that he didn’t intend to get back into football so quickly, stating that the West Bromwich Albion board ‘sold the project’ to him. It is believed that Hodgson will be in charge of coaching and team selection, whilst the highly rated Sporting and Technical Director Dan Ashworth will handle player recruitment, another aspect of management that Hodgson received criticism for during his time at Liverpool. It remains to be seen whether this partnership set-up will help one of football’s true gentlemen restore his reputation as a manager of the highest calibre.

So what can Roy Hodgson bring to West Brom? The well-travelled coach has achieved Premier League survival in a relegation scrap before with Fulham after being appointed mid-season, so he brings vital experience that Di Matteo lacked. This was surely an important factor in the board’s decision to appoint Hodgson and not former Newcastle boss Chris Hughton, who also held talks with the club. Hodgson’s pressing style, attention to set pieces and well drilled training methods should tighten up a defence that has been leaking goals as of late, and with quality attacking players such as James Morrison, Chris Brunt and Peter Odemwingie all impressing this season, his new side should be able to find the net often enough themselves.

Nonetheless, Hodgson definitely has a tough job on his hands, albeit under less pressure than he was at Liverpool. West Brom’s defence is undoubtedly one of the weakest in the division, which was evident from the weekend’s game against West Ham in which they managed to throw away a three goal lead with some kamikaze defending. Hodgson was in the stands for this one; the way the Baggies contributed to their own downfall may have alarmed him, but he has this week to prepare his team for a crucial six pointer against bottom club Wolves on Sunday. One eye may well be creeping a bit further down the fixture list as well to a 2^nd April clash against none other than Liverpool, Hodgson’s previous employers. The wounds of his short lived spell at Anfield will still be raw, but what better way to lay his demons to rest than to win at the Hawthorns in that encounter.