Great Britain women's basketball is facing a crisis after its general manager and head coach, Jacob Lloyd and Stella Kaltsidou, respectively, quit their roles. Lloyd, who took over as general manager in August, claimed he had no choice but to leave the position due to "communicational and operational" issues that left players unaware of important details such as team selection and travel arrangements.
Lloyd stated that elite women's basketball in Britain was at a "crossroads" and feared for its future. He emphasized that the national team requires professional-level conditions, stating, "We need to make sure that the level of service provided to our athletes meets the level of athlete that they are." Lloyd acknowledged that the organization is currently operating in an "exceptionally difficult period," following the collapse of the British Basketball Federation (BBF) and its subsequent liquidation.
The duo's resignation comes after a challenging time for the sport, which has struggled to recover from the BBF's demise. The situation has left stakeholders feeling frustrated, with Basketball England expressing gratitude towards Lloyd and Kaltsidou for their commitment and service, despite acknowledging that resources are limited.
Lloyd warned of the risk of the sport becoming "a million miles off" where it was in 2019, when the national team finished fourth at EuroBasket. He expressed hope that if the organization gets into the right hands, it can be rescued, but stated that realistically, they are a million miles away from their former standards.
A consultation process is now underway to find a long-term permanent replacement for the BBF. The situation highlights the challenges facing women's basketball in Britain and raises questions about the sport's future development and growth.
Lloyd stated that elite women's basketball in Britain was at a "crossroads" and feared for its future. He emphasized that the national team requires professional-level conditions, stating, "We need to make sure that the level of service provided to our athletes meets the level of athlete that they are." Lloyd acknowledged that the organization is currently operating in an "exceptionally difficult period," following the collapse of the British Basketball Federation (BBF) and its subsequent liquidation.
The duo's resignation comes after a challenging time for the sport, which has struggled to recover from the BBF's demise. The situation has left stakeholders feeling frustrated, with Basketball England expressing gratitude towards Lloyd and Kaltsidou for their commitment and service, despite acknowledging that resources are limited.
Lloyd warned of the risk of the sport becoming "a million miles off" where it was in 2019, when the national team finished fourth at EuroBasket. He expressed hope that if the organization gets into the right hands, it can be rescued, but stated that realistically, they are a million miles away from their former standards.
A consultation process is now underway to find a long-term permanent replacement for the BBF. The situation highlights the challenges facing women's basketball in Britain and raises questions about the sport's future development and growth.
. Can't they see that the bigger problem is the lack of resources? I mean, the BBF collapsed, what did they expect? They were always struggling to find funding or attention for women's basketball in Britain... it's like they're trying to revive a dead bird 
. And now the team is at a "crossroads" because of this? Please, they should have seen this coming 
. I'm not buying Lloyd's "we need professional-level conditions" speech... sounds like just a fancy way of saying "we can't afford it" 
. Can we please get some real leadership and investment in women's basketball here?! 
! First, they quit, then the org is all like "what do we do now?" 
It's like, yeah, communicate with players, duh 
. I mean, I get that it's tough, but BBF just got dissolved and now the future of women's basketball in Brit looks super sketchy 
. Like, Jacob Lloyd was all concerned about the level of service for athletes, but is he talking to himself? 
And what's with this "a million miles off" thing? Is that like, code for they're gonna mess it up even more? 
I hope they find a good GM and coach soon, or else... well, let's just say I'll be on the edge of my seat 
!
this is really sad news... I mean, Jacob Lloyd and Stella Kaltsidou were doing their best with limited resources 
. But at the same time, it's gotta be hard for them to deal with all those 'communication' issues 
... like, I get that it's tough to keep everyone in the loop, but maybe they could've found ways to make it work? 
. They need someone who can bring stability and growth back to the sport 
. It's time for women's basketball in Britain to step up its game 
!
Lloyd's concern about the sport becoming "a million miles off" from its former standards is valid – we can't just keep throwing money at it without addressing the underlying issues. 
It's also worth considering that maybe, just maybe, the collapse of the BBF was a wake-up call for the organization to reform and get its act together? 
It's not going to be easy, but I think Lloyd's resignation is a good sign – maybe it'll prompt some much-needed change? 
this whole thing is so sad, you can feel the desperation coming from Lloyd & Kaltsidou's resignation... it's like they're throwing up their hands saying "we can't fix this" 
. the BBF collapse was like the final nail in the coffin, and now we're left wondering if anyone can turn things around 
. I mean, what's the point of even having a national team if you can't provide them with proper support & infrastructure? 
, GB womens hoops is literally struggling rn 
... Players are the ones who suffer 
, better org structure 
... can't have elite athletes feeling like 2nd class citizens 
. It's all about investing in womens hoops 
... gotta pick up the pace 
️
Sometimes, you gotta admit defeat and move on.
.
.
...I hope whoever gets picked for the top spot can turn things around ASAP 
Can we get some newbies on board and shake things up a bit? 
what if this is the end of elite women's hoops in Britain? 
The good news is that Basketball England is trying to be all positive and appreciative, but let's be real, resources are indeed limited 
are we gonna see a complete collapse or can someone turn things around? 
they say resources r limited but u would think it'd b easy 2 find investors or sponsors when there's so much talent & enthusiasm 4 the game...idk wat i wud do in their shoes tho 
I'm so disappointed 
The collapse of the BBF was a huge blow 
Lloyd and Kaltsidou were trying to do their thing, but apparently that wasn't enough 
so i think british womens hoops r goin through a super tough time atm... 
the whole BBF thing just blew up, and now its like, who's in charge? 
they need 2 find someone w/ professional-level experience & skills to turn tings around 
i hope basketball england finds someone who can lead them back 2 the top 
. i hope they find someone who can get it together ASAP because if not, the future of women's basketball in britain looks super bleak 
they've lost their GM & coach already... it's like they're expecting us to hold our breaths for their recovery 
it's like Lloyd warned, GB womens basketball is MIA 