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[Joe]

Because we're now down into a really sh*t group and the jet-lag/ travels costs are really really not worth the hassle, and so that some of the younger players can get some backbone and compete for their country!


I think it's the right thing to do, no doubt some if the media will be like wawawa he's anti English etc etc Hopefully after what John Lloyd said some might lay off him a bit... But then the media aren't exactly nice....

I think even the a**hole British media get the idea now - DC is a waste of time for Andy Murray at this moment and quite possibly detrimental to his chances of getting the Slam that we all crave.

[allyh84]

Nonsense.  Have you not heard of Billy Connolly? 

Yes, whether he is funny or not is a different question...

[Aileen]

^seemingly,he made a comment about150,000 years ago(copy right...Roger Federer) "any one but England" while wearing a paraquay shirt.....did any one else hear that.

Yes.  It was during the 2006 World Cup.  Don't recall the shirt but his quote, which, incidentally, resulted from a bit of banter between Andy and Tim Henman about the event, when a reporter asked Andy, who's a huge footie fan, which team, in Scotland's absence, he supported.  Andy made the remark in jest (as many Scots do - it's just our peculiar sense of humour).  It was taken out of context and widely circulated and has remained a thorn under many English skins ever since, to the extent that the reporter in question recently said he wished that, for Murray's sake, he'd never reported it.

I think this is really good for the other guys.  Playing in the DC will help to develop their :

1. Mental toughness
2. Physical Fitness over 5 sets
3. Team bonding and getting additional coaching from John Lloyd (previous AO Finalist).

This should really help their Singles career like it did to Verdasco when he won the DC for Spain in 2008.

This is exactly what Andy wants.  Him over-shadowing the rest of the team, and effectively carrying it single-handedly, would be doing them no favours.  They now have a realistic chance to succeed in their own right.  Flemski have already done well with 2 Tour titles, and Jamie Baker, who has finally recovered  from a life-threatning virus, won 3 consecutive Challengers last autumn so needs a boost to get on the Tour.  Hutchins is a reasonably good doubes player with DC experience, while Ward and Evans need more all-round experience and motivation.

Davis Cup is more interesting now Andy is out, before I didn't care.

I agree.  The Beeb really do have a duty to show this.  I think it could be quite exciting and should spur the lads on if they know the tie's being shown in Britain.

[Mark]

Yup, we reported about Andy quitting a while ago: http://www.murraysworld.com/news/article/15170/

This article is just showing the new squad selection which is interesting to see with Murray's absence.

[Quackers]

Lets see how far Britain sink without Murray now

[Elly]

Andy's been punished through a stupid interpretation of a football comment.  Us Scots don't hate the English and some of us marry girls and live down here but we are not graet fans of your politics.  Andy's comment about anyone but England is no different to a Man City fan supporting anyone but Utd, or a Spurs fan supporting anyone but Arsenal.  I don't support England, but over the years I have supported any number of English tennis players and golfers.  Get over it and enoy the quality and excitement that a very mature and hard working young man has brought to the world's courts, and keep on flying the flag, be it the saltire or the dreaded union!

I think for most intelligent people, the anyone but England' comment is a tongue in cheek remark that got pounced on by the not so intelligent.  There's a huge fun and bantering that goes on between the Scots and the English, and for the most part it's just fun.  I think you'd have to have hate in your heart to take this seriously....  Always supported Henman, always root for a British football team in Europe (unless they're up against a Scottish one, that is.....   

[Elly]

I actually still don't get it...

We have a lot of Scots on here, how many actually want England to do well? I'd say very very few, and you know, there's nothing wrong with that!

How many actually hate England and English people? I'd say very very few...

I happen to support all the home nations even in sports in which they play separately, but I fully understand a lot of people don't.

Like you, Yamor, I support all the Home Nations at any sport.  Of course, if there's a Scotsman/Team against any other person on the board, then I'll support him or her.  As a Scottish person, I'd never want England 'not to do well', I'd like to think I don't hate anyone.  As for if I just talk a good game, I suppose you never know...    As a Scottish person, and in the absence of Murray, I'll still watch the Davis Cup, with interest.  I hope all the boys do well.