Rasheed Could be Murray's Next Coach

Speculation is mounting Roger Rasheed could become world  no.4 Andy Murray’s full-time coach after the Australian announced his three year  liaison with Gael Monfils has come to a conclusion.

Rasheedis both good  friends and a business partner of Darren Cahill, his fellow Adelaide native, who  has been working with Murray on a part-time basis for the last three  months.

Cahill’s commitments to being a key member of the ESPN tennis  commentary team and a leading light in the adidas Development Program mean he is  unable to commit more time to working with Murray who clearly is in need of a  full-time coach as he strives to narrow the gap between himself and the leading  three players in the world game; newly crowned Wimbledon champion Novak  Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
 
Rasheed, aged 42 and a former  Australian Rules footballer who spent three
and a half years coaching former  world no.1 Lleyton Hewitt, is a known admirer of Murray and has a good  understanding with the player’s mother Judy.

Announcing the split with  seventh ranked Monfils on Twitter, Rasheed said:
“After three years, Gael and I  think that the time has come for us to separate.
I enjoyed the challenge and I  wish Gael the best.”

And Rasheed added in another Tweet: “Next coaching  challenge? Can’t wait!”

Monfils and Rasheed forged an unlikely  relationship in July 2008 when the 24-year-old Frenchman first broke through as  a top ten player. He has subsequently reached two French Open quarter finals and  got to the last eight once at the US Open but many believe he has still not come  close to fulfilling his potential.
 
"We decided to stop our collaboration  by mutual agreement," said Monfils
after helping France into the semi-finals of  the Davis Cup with a comfortable
victory over Germany. "We had reached the end  of a great story. I owe him
[Rasheed] a lot. I learned a lot with him."It  went very well. We talked, we
had a good discussion. We're still very good  friends."

Monfils will now work with Patrick Chamagne who has already  been working as his fitness instructor.