Momentum vow as Sloss takes hotseat

Shinty: New Oban boss inherits great leap forward

Stephen Sloss has been appointed Oban Camanachd’s new manager and stresses his mission is to maintain momentum.

The 39-year-old wildlife ranger, who played when Oban last won the Camanachd Cup in 1997, takes over from Ian Hay who has stepped down after four years in charge of the Premiership club.

Sloss said: “I was keen to take the job because the club has taken a big leap forward under Ian Hay and it’s important that we don’t slip backwards.

“We need to have a successful team in Oban and I think we’re not far away from that.

“I’ve been involved in youth coaching for some years and I firmly believe that Oban has some of the best young players in the country as was shown by Lochside Rovers winning the Sutherland Cup this year.

“Some of them are just too young for the first team but if we can develop them properly, their time will come.”

Sloss is the father of Daniel Sloss, the teenager who played for Oban first team this season, and Stephen played alongside him with the second team.

“I need a good group helping with the first team and I have some former players in mind”, he revealed. “It’s a big commitment to make but I hope to name people soon.

“If we can work to get 10% more out of the present team that would make a big difference.

“Winning the Celtic Society Cup this year was the club’s first senior trophy for a number of years, but we’ve got a really good group of players.

“As well as the younger lads, I’ll need to rely on the experience of players like Lorne Dickie, Daniel Cameron, new internationalist Andrew MacCuish, and Aidan MacIntyre who have much more to contribute.”

Gareth Evans has stepped down as second team manager but Sloss is keen for him to retain an involvement.

Oban have moved now to fill the post rather than waiting for the club’s annual meeting and the new boss said: “The players deserved clarity now on who’s taking over rather than waiting too long. I’d hoped that Ian Hay would stay another year but once he made his decision then my mind was up to go for the job.”

Meanwhile, Findlay Macdonald, who has made such rapid goalscoring progress with Lochaber this year, is one of six new caps in the Scottish Under-21 squad to face their Irish counterparts in Dublin on Saturday week.

Johnnie Macaskill, who moved from Kinlochshiel to Glasgow Mid Argyll because of his studies, is also included by manager Allan MacRae who hands a debut to 17 year old Daniel Sloss, who has enjoyed his first full season with Oban Camanachd.

Also brought in are winger Ross Macmillan, of Oban Celtic, and forwards Roddy Young, of Kingussie, and Newtonmore’s Iain Robinson.

Caberfeidh’s Blair Morrison, who will make his fifth appearance at this level, has been named the Scottish captain after a highly impressive Premiership campaign.

Inveraray’s 20-year-old goalkeeper Scott MacLachlan gets his third cap and is the only keeper named. Elgin Academy pupil Adele Williamson has been selected to represent Great Britain in the Taekwondo Cadet European Championships at Marine D’Or in Spain next month.

The 14-year-old year three pupil has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the sport after only switched from kickboxing to Taekwondo last year.

She said: “I am really chuffed to have been picked to represent Great Britain at the European Championships over in Spain from November 29 to December 2.

“This is the biggest event I will have taken part in since I made the switch from kick-boxing to Taekwondo just less than a year ago.

“I expect the competition to be pretty tough over in Spain, it will be hard but also great experience for me and I’m really excited about it already.

“This is my first callup for Great Britain in Taekwondo but I have represented Great Britain twice before at kick-boxing.

“I go down to Manchester every month for training with the Great Britain squad and I also work with my coach up here, Diane Stuart, and she’s equally delighted that I’ve been selected for next month’s European Championships in Spain.”

Williamson faces another stiff test this weekend. She added: “I am going down to Sheffield to compete in the British National Championships. Hopefully, I can do well.” NEVER MISS IMPORTANT NEWS / NEVER MISS A COMPETITION / NO NEED TO GO OUT IN BAD WEATHER / EASY PAYMENT METHODS

Photograph by Jason Hedges HIGH POINT: Adele Williamson is chuffed after being picked to represent Great Britain.