So after a terrible start to the year and a 16-game winning streak that pulled them from bottom to top, the Giants have gone back into free fall of late. A new losing streak has seen the boys slide down to forth place thanks to a huge Panthers win against the Bison last night. The Giants are now set to finish outside the top two places in the league for only the third time in their eight year history. The last time they finished forth was under Rob Stewart back in 2003-2004 - The first year of the Elite League - and Stewart duly lost his job.

Ed Courtenay will also be leaving at the end of the year - but he is resigning from his post to head back to North America. Would he have lost his job had he wished to stay on? That’s anyone’s guess. I’ve been behind Ed from the start. His track record for the Giants in his first two years was second to none in terms of Giants coaches and baring a terrible to start to the season the Giants may well have been looking to at least a second place finish. Courtenay made mistakes in his recruitment in the summer but given the chance to fix the mistakes he certainly made the right ones.

Sure things have been sloppy of late heading towards the playoffs but no doubt its been hard for the team to keep a winning focus going for so long knowing the league was long beyond them. Since the arrival of the likes of Lyle and Campbell, thanks to Ed, the Giants have definitely improved and gone from a team in 10th place in fear of not even making the playoffs to a team with the potential to get hot and maybe even win them. We wait with bated breathe.

Category: Elite League » » Ed Courtenay, Nottingham Panthers |

.................................................................................................................