NEW Steelers forward Nathan Gillies says that he is ready to do whatever it takes to help his new club win a championship “I’m a heart and soul guy, if it needs doing I will give it a go” he said “I had offers to play back home in North America though see this move to England as a great challenge. I won’t let anyone down in the process.

“There is so much politics in the East Coast Hockey League and after 3 or 4 years there I started to fall out of love with the game. I got traded half way through last year to Phoenix and all of a sudden remember what it was about this game that I loved, it just re-energised me and got the juices flowing.

At my age (27) I feel I have the best two or three years ahead of me as a player so I think Sheffield and their fans will see me in full flow. I don’t back down from anyone at anytime and feel my work ethic will be strong. “Speaking with David Matsos I was impressed that he had built a strong dressing room, you win with guys who stick together, it’s nice to know that the guy alongside you is as desperate to win as you are.

Sheffield is a club on the way up, they have just won a championship, I know I’m joining a strong unit, I just want to make it stronger and win another championship with them.

Matsos says he has had strong words with an agent acting for Nathan Gillies. “Whilst I have been trying to sign Nathan for a long time I didn’t realise that an agent I talk to every other day was touting him around and didn’t let me know he was available. It came up later that in fact Glllies was being offered to just one club here in the Elite League, Manchester.

I thought those actions were bang out of order and told him so.

I’m sure Nathan will soon realise that he made the right decision and will be a star in Sheffield”

Dave Simms

So the big news story this week is that Dan Tessier won’t be returning to the Sheffield Steelers.

With Tessier’s recent history of jumping clubs many won’t be surprised that the skilled centre won’t be wearing Steelers’ colours next year However, many were surprised that it was Steelers’ decision not to renew Tessier’s contract and not the player’s decision to play elsewhere.

Over the past week on the Steelers forum much has been said about the reasons why Matsos has let his number one skilled player go.

In The Star Tessier has hit back at suggestions that he disrupts the dressing room. He even criticised Matsos for being too close to the British players on the team, especially captain Jonathan Phillips. I have deliberately stayed off the forum this week and kept my thoughts to myself. However. Here are my views on the Tessier situation:

Firstly, I have never had a cross word with him. He has always been polite and pleasant in my company and obliged requests for interviews and appearances.However, the feeling around Tessier, even the year before last, was that he was a different bird. Now that never bothers me; I like guys who are different, guys who have an edge, guys who play by different rules. However, even the season before last you could see that Tess wore guys down and that he was unpopular in the room. With Tessier deciding to go to Germany last summer he took the difficult decision away from Matsos and certainly the dressing room last season was a happier place without Tess and Scott Ricci.

It wasn’t a surprise, however, when Matsos brought Tessier back at Christmas. Last season’s dressing room was always strong so bringing Tessier back for three months was pretty much a no-brainer. However, again by the end of last season, the vibe, the feelings and the word out of the dub was that Tess was getting guys down again. What a great shame, because nobody at the club would ever doubt Tessier as a player super skilled and one who made a difference, simply outstanding at times. And yes, a player who helped makes our Championship season come alive.

So my message to supporters who obviously love Tessier is this: do you honestly think that Matsos a well-educated, sensible, and methodical man would let go his superstar player, the man who turned last season around without just and good reason behind the scenes? Now the honest answer to that question is surely not. Matsos would surely not cut off his own nose to spite his face especially as his job is on the line should the Steelers not be successful next year. Some fans find it hard to believe that a personality clash can disrupt a team. Well, I have seen it happen on many occasions. Without mentioning names there have been three or four Steelers in the past who have single-handedly killed the dressing room but who, outside, on a one-to-one, are some of the nicest people you could wish to meet. It is just the way that human nature flows.
So don’t criticise Matsos for doing what he believed was right. It’s easy to sit in the stands or the ‘white house’ and make judgment when your job is not on the line for the outcome.

I will miss Tess the player; personally, I’ll miss Tess the person, but I was only around him one day of the week.
I think we are best accepting Matsos’s take on this matter. If Tessier is to return to Sheffield with another club we will welcome him back as a former family member, stand and applaud and thank him for a job well done.

But time moves on folks, and new Steelers are waiting to become heroes.

David Simms