Eelco Uri, 33, a former Dutch international who played in two Olympics, told the GB players last week that he would be unable to take them through to 2012 having been in the role only nine months.

 

"I don't want to go into details, but there have been differences in the way I and the administrative body (British Swimming) think and where we are going," said Uri during an interview published in today's edition of The Independent on Sunday.

 

""We are too far apart and I can't lower my standards.

 

"But this is part of sport.

 

"It happens in football all the time. It has nothing to do with the players or the staff I work with.

 

"I've had an amazing relationship with them and we've been doing well.

 

"But I think we should be going in a different direction."

 

The decision of Uri to quit on the eve of the European Nations Trophy in Manchester is a blow to a sport which has not qualified for the Olympics since 1956.

 

"The team will go into the tournament with a lot of training, and I'd like to see them work hard but enjoy the event and gain experience," said Uri.

 

"This is a great stepping stone to the London Olympics and the more top competition the team play, the better they are going to get and will start to close the gap on the world's top teams."

 

To read the full article visit http://sport.independent.co.uk/olympics/article2640357.ece.