Goodall's Games goodbye brings about job hunt

By Ryan Bangs, Sportsbeat

SIMON Goodall's maiden Paralympic Games may have not long ended but he admits his pursuit of success in London has immediately turned into a search for work.

HARD WORK CONTINUES: GB London 2012 goalball ace Simon Goodall is now hunting for employment after waving goodbye to the Games 

The 43-year-old has spent the past two years with the British men's goalball team as they attempted to secure a host nation place to compete at London 2012.

They had to prove to the British Paralympic Association that they would put in a ‘credible performance' and they certainly did that, despite failing to win a game.

Goodall and co lost four of their five group games to exit there and then but a draw against Sweden ensured they left the Copper Box with more than most British teams at London 2012.

At the Olympics the men's and women's handball teams lost all of their games in the Copper Box - but instead of reveling in what happened Goodall is hard at work hunting for a job.

"For me the next thing I will be doing is going to find a job. For the last two years I have been focusing on goalball," said Goodall.

"I have been trying to find a job but it is not easy in this climate. Obviously now the Games are over I can make a bigger push."

At 43 Goodall was by far the oldest member of the British men's goalball team at London 2012 - nearly three times the age of the youngest player 15-year-old David Knott.

And with that in mind - David's older brother on the team Adam is only 17 - Goodall is adamant the future is bright even if he might not be part of it.

"We are a young team. Well, some of us are young; some of us are quite old. I have been playing for a hell of a long time, but these guys are absolutely amazing," he added.

"They are the future of Britain and they are going to take goalball to heights that it has never been to before. I was just there to enjoy the ride with them and to help in any way I could."

Lloyds TSB, proud supporter of ParalympicsGB and proud partner of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Get closer to the Games at lloydstsb.com/london2012