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Phoenix with several irons in fires

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Things might appear all quiet on the player signing front, but Manchester Phoenix are working hard already on the squad to compete in the bmibaby Elite League come September.

Head Coach Tony Hand is now back from his duties with the Great Britain team in their World Championship campaign in Austria, and already he's hard at work catching up on the backlog of resumees already received from players looking to play in the league next season.

"It was interesting while I was away with GB," said the veteran Scot, "I had the chance to look at a number of players and evaluate whether they could fit into the pattern I see us playing next year. And then there's the list of new players who have already been in touch about next season."

Hand won't be rushed into signings though as he explained, "At this time of the year, a lot of the players in contact are those whose teams are already eliminated from playoffs etc and I'll hold off a while yet until some of the guys still playing become available. Of course, I have interest in trying to re-sign a couple of guys, so I've plenty of irons in fires right now."

Speaking on Wednesday Hand admitted, "It's not all about guys in North America though. I have spoken to a couple of players from a little closer to home in the past few days and whilst talks are on-going, I do expect to be in a position to make a couple of contract offers very soon."