Melbourne Time

Category: All, News - Federer

Paul Annacone, Federer’s new “coach”

Paul Annacone

Most players on the ATP circuit have a coach, but pinning a full time trainer to Roger Federer has been an elusive sport.

There was a time, long long ago when he did have coaches – Peter Lundgren in his formative years until 2003, and Tony Roche from 2005 to May 2007. Now he has a “sort of” coach in Severin Luthi – the “sort of” being a recognition that although the Swiss Davis Cup captain goes everywhere with Federer, his role has not been formalised.

Now, it seems that he will “spend some days with Paul Annacone” and “explore our relationship through this test period”.

Here’s hoping that the ex Sampras and Henman coach can work well with our champion, and that the result will be a fine tuning of his normally fine tuned game.

Category: All, Gossip - Federer, Humour, News - Federer

Fed smashes racquet, “Mac The Super Brat” offers to help… hmm…

Kind of like giving whisky and car keys to a teenager isn’t it?

How exactly is John McEnroe going to help Roger Federer improve his game?

“Rog – you gotta work the umpire, man!

C’moooonn, the ball was ooouut!

You can not be serious!

Yeah, smash the racket, smash the racket. Feel better?

John McEnroe - Roger Federer's new coach?

John McEnroe - Roger Federer's new coach?

Violation? fahgettaboudit….”

Makes you wonder about the wisdom of the international press when they grab a throwaway line from a washed out loud mouth like McEnroe and suddenly the talk is that he will become Federer’s new coach.

Seriously? Sure, we all agree that Federer could need some help right now. There is that ailing right hand drive that seems to have a death wish for the net, the one handed reverse that has all the precision these days of a North Korean guided missile.

But even if wooden-racquet era John might have a few hints on fine tuning some technical elements of his game, surely it is that hardest place of all that Roger needs help on right now – that space between his two ears. And to do that he needs assistance from a good performance coach.

And finding the right man will be tough. He must be someone that Federer respects, and who is worthy of that respect. Someone with moral authority, poise and seasoned wisdom.

In-your-face Mac is not that man. He would be American chalk to Fed’s Swiss cheese, and although Roger would do well to pick up on some of McEnroe’s feisty determination and spirit, Roger just won’t, I humbly believe, say three Hail Mary’s for a guy who has sinned in just the ways Fed doesn’t want to go right now.

No, Roger won’t go for this “offer”. And those 125,000 fans who have already watched Federer’s racquet smashing heroics won’t get to see a whole library of Fed and Mac line-calling, abuse-hurling, umpire-bashing specials after all.

Category: All, News - Federer

Darren Cahill, NOT Federer’s new coach

The on-again, off-again saga seems to have finally stopped in off position, as Federer has advised the press that Darren Cahill will not take up a coaching role with him.

Category: All, News - Federer

Roger Federer about to confirm new coach?


Darren Cahill

Darren Cahill

Tony Godsick, Federer’s agent, has announced that Roger met with the Australian Darren Cahill in Dubai to get to know each other and work out how they could work together.

If confirmed, this will be the first time Federer has had a full time trainer since he split with Tony Roche in May 2007.

I hope this is true – it is clear that after five losses in a row to Rafa, Roger needs to make some changes, and a new coach can only bring fresh ideas and a new approach. Bring it on I say!

Category: Gossip - Federer, News - Federer

New coach for Federer?

I cannot comment on the veracity of this, but The Age newspaper in Australia has reported:

“Darren Cahill’s voluntary departure from coaching Australia’s Davis Cup team inspired speculation that he was set to be hired as coach by Roger Federer. “

Roger has of course not had a regular coach since the part time arrangements with Tony Roche (2005) and José Higueras (2008) ended. Darren Cahill is best known for his coaching of two other former number ones, Lleyton Hewitt and Andre Agassi. Cahill retains a close relationship with Agassi, and he and Gil Reyes, Agassi’s conditioner, are currently helping Spain’s Fernando Verdasco in his preparation for the forthcoming US hardcourt and European claycourt seasons.

Could there be any truth to this rumour, and more importantly, could it help to break Fed’s losing streak against Nadal?