I sense that a lot of us having been holding back on what really bothers us about this until the facts come out better. But here it goes anyway:
I hope this is not the case but consider this scenario: Think of yourself as a coach who takes a kid and does everything right, getting the best possible result, not just for a short while but over the long term, and not just on a local level but on a world level. Then, when your seventeen skater wins the bronze, he tells you that you are fired. He tells you he needs a better coach. But he tells you that he wants you to work with him still as a secondary coach while is he is back in Sendai. Effectively, he has told you, "You are fired."
If this is the scenario that has played out here, it really speaks badly about Yuzuru's character. There are those who will say it is nothing personal and the sport is only about winning. This is the nature of the sport and so what. To those people, I would reply that everything in life is personal and this coach got him results better than anyone else has achieved with any other skater. But more importantly: Nothing is more important in life than the values you live by.
If Yuzuru really cares about Abe and the facts are otherwise, he should clear the air. There may be reasons behind the scenes preventing him from doing so now, but when the opportunity arises he should. Why? Because he owes it to Abe.
Ambition is no excuse to kicking a good person in the teeth. Neither is being the greatest skater in the world. (Some here disagree with me, I know, but I am just trying to explain what really bothers me personally here.)
I really don't know what happened here. What I saw at the world's I thought was an incredibly great person on and off the ice. Unless I am missing something (and there may be something that has not been disclosed), what has happened with Abe afterward really begs the question about his real character. It may not affect what I think about his skating, but it will affect what I think about him as a person. I will hold my judgment and give him the benefit of a doubt until it comes out, but I really wonder what went on here.
Whoa... Wait a second here.. I think you are making a heck of a lot of assumptions. He owes us no explanations, and we have no evidence that he treated his coach disrespectfully. First of all, Hanyu may have very good reasons for the split. Training time might be a big part of this; I was surprised that the Japanese fed didn't put their foot down last summer. Obviously some of it was the earthquake but I get the impression training time is an issue. Yes right now he's finishing high school in Sendai, but he probably doesn't have long left in high school, at most what a year (if less). Now he can train in Canada when school is out, and then train full time in Canada in the Olympic season. Making the switch now can lock in Orser or another top coach who says said coach will be available in a year and get him time to get accummulated if it doesn't work out..
His current coach may not be able to move to a better training environment for one student either personally or professionally and may understand that her student may need more training time in the future. A more stable environment is a perfectly good reason to leave a coach. Also as well another perspective for his skating is a pretty good thing at times too (the coach may understand this).
Also once again Hanyu may not have even made this decision. He's 17. He has to listen to his fed; they pay the bills, don't they. If the fed says either do what we say or we won't pay or pay less; can he afford to ignore this...He does have a loyalty towards his family too. And I'm sure Abe's known for awhile the likelhood of this happening... I think its a bit much to assume though that the Japanese Fed ended in a disrespectful way at all. We don't know the personal stuff going in with these people and aren't entitled to know. Look at what was going on in Asada's life including myself was criticizing her training arrangements. And was Yagudin rude and disrespectful when he left Mishin after Mishin got him to a World title. What about Illia when he had a world silver (and he's on good terms with his old coach I believe)
Sometimes leaving getting a different perspective can really help the skater out. I think Kozuka would benefit from this...Its not necessarily disrespectful to leave. As long as the coach is 1. paid for their work, and given credit respect for their work, and treated respectfully. There's nothing wrong there. Reports are saying that the break up was done harmoniously.
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