• Chris Wilkinson

Murray ready for new challenge

Miles Maclagan started working with Andy Murray in 2007 © Getty Images

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Andy Murray begins his American hard-court season without a coach after parting company with Miles Maclagan.

Looking back over the season, ever since the Australia Open in January, Murray hasn't looked entirely settled. His attitude on court hasn't been great, and we could see he was not always completely focused on court.

On a number of occasions he seemed to get frustrated and he seemed to be directing the blame at his camp. I don't think it is a great surprise - there were whispers that Murray would sack Maclagan after Wimbledon. And at the end of the day only Murray knows what he needs, and he is the sort of player who makes up his own mind.

Miles has been really good for Murray. He has always been there for him and he is the kind of person who Murray can get on with. His previous coach Brad Gilbert was a little bit too dominant, telling him what to do, but Miles has found a good balance and has done a great job. He has guided him to a career high of world No. 2 and to two Grand Slam finals. But the next step for Murray is to win a Grand Slam, and perhaps he feels he can't do that with Maclagan. It is as if he feels he is not as motivated anymore and he thinks he needs some fresh ideas.

There are two ways of looking at his decision. On the one hand it is a strange time for Murray to be sacking his coach, just before the hard-court season, which is Murray's best surface. It is potentially hugely disruptive and he will be going into the US Open without a coach. But on the other hand if he gets some new ideas in right now and is re-energised by the change he will come into the US Open fresh and raring to go.

It really depends on how Murray approaches it. He will continue working with Alex Corretja who he has been working with for the last couple of years. The relationship between a player and coach is very individual and a player has got to have a set-up that he feels is right for him, not what is right for everyone else.

I was with Maclagan a couple of weeks ago and he was saying that he was off to the States to work with Murray. He was all set to go and seemed relatively happy. But in all honesty he probably was a little concerned because results haven't been great. I'm pleased that Murray will continue working with trainer Jez Green and physio Andy Ireland. They're good guys and they work really hard.

So what next for Murray? What other coaches are out there? Pete Sampras' old coach Paul Annacone has just hooked up with Roger Federer. Larry Stefanki is coaching Andy Roddick and Bob Brett, who has worked with Boris Becker and Goran Ivanisevic, is now with Marin Cilic.

Andy Roddick's coach Larry Stefanki had previously worked with Tim Henman © Getty Images

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Perhaps Murray is going to try it on his own for a while. He will want a coach who has experience of winning Grand Slams with a player, but at the moment there aren't too many of those around. Darren Cahill is one man who could be a potential replacement to Maclagan. As a former coach to Andre Agassi he has got the experience and he is not currently working with anyone directly. He's also working for Murray's sponsor Adidas at the moment so the wheels could already be in motion on setting something up there.

I had times when I travelled without a coach. I had a coach in the UK who I trained with when I was at home and I would speak to him on the phone, but I got to the stage where I felt I needed someone to travel with me. I employed a full-time coach who came with me on the circuit. Every player's relationship with a coach is different, and it really depends on what sort of stage you are at in your career.

Federer doesn't really travel with a coach, although Swiss Davis Cup captain Severin Luthi is a good friend and helps him out from time to time. And for many guys having a full-time coach is as much about the companionship as anything else - it can get pretty lonely on tour.

It can't be easy if you have got one coach coming in to work with a player who already has an existing coach in place. Novak Djokovic brought in Todd Martin in August last year, but it lasted less than a year when Djokovic admitted it was hard to have two coaches and resorted to working with Marian Vajda.

Having said that I don't think it's a bad thing bringing in specialists to help with certain aspects of your game. Djokovic got Mark Woodforde to help him with his volleys. I don't think it is a problem to get outside help or advice, but it's important to establish defined roles.

It's hard to say how Murray will get on in the next couple of months. He is too good a player for it to go horribly wrong, but he needs to be in the right place mentally. He has already got some understanding with Corretja, so that will help. If Murray is psychologically ready for the US Open, he will be fine.

Chris Wilkinson is a former British No. 1

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