Oral History Interview: Roger Self

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: I'm here at The Hockey Museum stand at the Euros 2015 with Roger Self and, er, Roger, if you introduce yourself and give us your date and place of birth.

Segment Synopsis: Somerville explains the format of the interview to Self who states his date of birth for the record.

Keywords: Date of birth; European Nations Championship/EuroHockey Nations Championship; London--United Kingdom (UK)

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Could you tell, start by telling me when you, how and when you got interested in sport, in hockey in the first place?

Segment Synopsis: Self recalls how he started playing hockey at school and went on to join Redditch Hockey Club. He recounts how he progressed to county level with Worchestershire before joining a festival touring team.

Keywords: Cricket; Elizabeth College; Folkestone Festival; Grass; Guernsey--United Kingdom (UK); Phantoms Hockey Club; Redditch Hockey Club; Redgra; School; St Lukes School; Teaching; Weston-super-Mare Festival; Worcestershire

Subjects: Life Outside of Hockey--Career; Playing surfaces; Teams--Boys--School; Teams--Men--Club; Teams--Men--County; Teams--Men--Touring; Tournaments--Festival

Partial Transcript: SELF: The chap who runned, run the Phantoms asked me if I would--because he knew my background--umm, asked me if I would become the coach to Wales.

Segment Synopsis: Self recalls how he came to be Manager of Wales, his competition successes in that role and goes on to reveal his route to managing Great Britain via repeated club success with Southgate.

Keywords: Alistair McGinn; Bernie Cotton/Bernard Cotton; David Whittaker; England; European Club Championship/EuroHockey Club Championship; Great Britain; Ian McGinn; Ireland; Mike Corby/Michael Corby; Olympics/Olympic Games; Scotland; Southgate Hockey Club; Tony Bannister; Triple Crown; Wales

Subjects: Awards--Hockey Trophies; Coaching & Management--Club; Coaching & Management--International; Recollection of Others--Player

Partial Transcript: SELF: But I brought in people, you see? I brought in a structure.

Segment Synopsis: Self discusses his coaching ethos as Great Britain coach and his frustration at the decision to boycott of the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games following Russia's invasion of Afghanistan.

Keywords: David Whittaker; England; Lords Cricket Ground; Margaret Thatcher; Moscow--Russia; Olympics/Olympic Games; Princess Anne; Russia; Scotland; Sebastian Coe; Wales

Subjects: Coaching & Management--International; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; Olympic Games--1980 Moscow; Politics; Teams--Men--International; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: SELF: And then four years later we had Los Angeles and th--the people that boycotted Los Ange--both, boycotted the Russians, the Russians then boycotted Los Angeles.

Segment Synopsis: Self recalls being invited to the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games after the Russian boycott, despite failing to qualify. He goes on to discuss the team's preparation, the training regimes he introduced as Manager and recounts anecdotes about certain players he worked with.

Keywords: Australia; Belgium; Bob Cattrall/Robert Cattrall; Bronze Medal; England; Germany; Great Britain; Ireland; Jon Potter/Jonathan Potter; Lilleshall Hall National Sports Centre; Los Angeles--United States of America (USA); Netherlands; Northern Ireland; Olympics/Olympic Games; Russia; Sam Martin/Stephen Martin; Sean Kerly; Southgate Hockey Club; Stephen Batchelor; Tour; United States of America (USA)

Subjects: Coaching & Management--International; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; Olympic Games--1984 Los Angeles; Politics; Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Men--International; Teams--Men--Touring; Tournaments--International; Training & Conditioning--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Tell me about Seoul.

Segment Synopsis: Self recalls his memories of the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games in which Great Britain won the Gold Medal. He recalls anecdotes concerning Great Britain players Paul Barber and Richard Dodds.

Keywords: Australia; Commentator; Expenses; Germany; Gold Medal; Ian Taylor; Olympics/Olympic Games; Paul Barber; Princess Anne; Richard Dodds; Seoul--South Korea; South Korea

Subjects: Administration & Finances--International; Administration & Finances--Personal; Coaching & Management--International; Media; Olympic Games--1988 Seoul; Recollection of Others--Official; Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Men--International; Tournaments--International; Umpiring--International

Partial Transcript: SELF: There was always a, er, distaste because England didn't want to support Great Britain but Great Britain was the place where the money would ultimately come out of Sport England.

Segment Synopsis: Self discusses the difficult financial relationship between the respective hockey administrative bodies of Great Britain and England. He goes on to disclose how, in spite of this, he sought to make Great Britain into a more professional outfit for the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games utilising figures from the world of squash.

Keywords: Great Britain Hockey; Hockey Association; Olympics/Olympic Games; Seoul; South Korea; Sport England; Squash; Support Staff

Subjects: Administration & Finances--International; Administration & Finances--National; Amateurism & Professionalism; Olympic Games--1988 Seoul; Training & Conditioning--International

Partial Transcript: SELF: Seb Coe was very friendly with our boys in Los Angeles and, er, I could tell you stories about that as well because he, he would, he would train on the field by the halls of residence where we were.

Segment Synopsis: Self recounts an anecdote about Sebastian Coe's influence on the training and mind-set of the Great Britain team during the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games.

Keywords: Athletics; Sean Kerly; Sebastian Coe; Stephen Batchelor

Subjects: Olympic Games--1984 Los Angeles; Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Men--International; Training & Conditioning--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: When did you retire from the coaching?

Segment Synopsis: Self recalls his thoughts on retirement and administration, declining a position with the Hockey Association and expanding on his role and the changes he made as Chairman of the Great Britain Board. He also refers to differences of opinion with former players and coaches.

Keywords: Barry Dancer; Bryn Williams; Chairperson; David Collier; England; Great Britain Hockey; International Hockey Federation (FIH); Liz Nicholl; Lords Cricket Ground; Richard Dodds; Scotland; Simon Mason; Wales

Subjects: Administration & Finances--International; Administration & Finances--National; Associations--International; Associations--National; Coaching & Management--International; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; Politics; Recollection of Others--Administrator; Rules

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: But what do you g--get most pleasure from remembering?

Segment Synopsis: Self tells of his joy at still attending reunions with his Olympic hockey teams.

Keywords: Great Britain; Martyn Grimley; Olympics/Olympic Games; Reunion

Subjects: Reunion; Social & Friendships; Teams--Men--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Looking forward to that [Rio 2016 Olympic Games]?

Segment Synopsis: Self looks forward to Rio 2016 and reflects on his previous experiences at Olympic Games.

Keywords: Australia; Brazil; Los Angeles--United States of America (USA); Olympics/Olympic Games; Rio de Janeiro--Brazil; Security; Seoul--South Korea; South Korea; Sydney--Australia; United States of America (USA)

Subjects: Olympic Games--1984 Los Angeles; Olympic Games--1988 Seoul; Olympic Games--2000 Sydney; Tournaments--International