TALKING WITH IAN MARSHALL
Por CBTM
The editor of ITTF talks about your job, travels and championships.
CBTM: How long have you been working with table tennis?
IAN MARSHALL: I have actually worked in table tennis since 1995 but before that I was a teacher (1969-1995) and always organised a table tennis club at the school where I taught. The most celebrated was Grove Table Tennis Club; the club won a record number of National Championships and reached the semi-finals of the European Club Cup on several occasions. Desmond Douglas, Alan Cooke, Lisa Lomas, Alison Broe, Tong Feiming, Elena Timing all played at the club.
CBTM: Which was your more exciting tournament?
IAN MARSHALL: Most exciting tournament, there have been so many! Werner Schlager winning the Men's Singles event at the Liebherr World Championships in 2003 was sensational but my choice is at a lower level. My school team won the National Schools Championships in England for the first time in 1979. The faces on the parents were amazing; they couldn't believe that a team from a town of 8,000 people in rural England, that had no football team, could be national champions. Parents were crying, hugging their children, unforgettable!
CBTM: Do you have a favorite player? Can you tell us who is and why?
IAN MARSHALL: Favourite player; no-one in particular. I have to interview the best players at tournaments so I don't want to upset anyone! All the best players are tremendous people. Let's go for Thiago Monteiro, he sent me a text message on 31st December, wishing me Happy New Year!
CBTM: What's your impressions about Brazilian Confederation?
IAN MARSHALL: Brazil, potentially you have good players and you are entering exciting times - Latin American Championships, Liebherr Brazilian Open, Pan American Games, World Veteran Championships - the Brazilian Confederation is very pro active, setting a good example and promoting table tennis well.
CBTM: After all this years, where's the most fabulous city in the world in your opinion?
IAN MARSHALL: Most fabulous city in the world - London is special, as a teenager I always wanted to go there and I did go to London University. London has special memories but Thiago tells me I must go to Rio! No doubt then I'll change my mind! I really like visiting Latin America. Everyone is so incredibly friendly. Also, I like China, Japan and Korea. They have such good manners and they value respect.
CBTM: What's your best work in table tennis?
IAN MARSHALL: I have the best job in the world. I never played table tennis for the regional team let alone the national team. I was the guy everyone wanted to practise against. They beat me and I gave them confidence! Now, I travel the world, I meet the best in the world, I have friends in every part of the world and the players call me by my first name. For me that's just fantastic.
