Mao Asada is changing coaches and renaming Tatiana Tarasova to an advisory position. It's sad that this partnership did not work out, but there were too many things going against it, including Mao's attachment to Japan, Tarasova's inability to leave Russia, misaligned music and costuming choices... it goes on and on. She will begin her search after the World Championships, and start by focusing on Japanese coaches first.
If hearsay about Mao's insistence on the "heavy" music and the reliance on the 3A is true, then I hope that this new coach can reason with her without a language barrier and with the Olympics in perspective. Even if it is true, though, I feel that Tarasova, whose personality is quite strong, would use her authority and conviction as a coach to steer Mao in the right direction. That she didn't do that is questionable and unlikely to me, and I would be interested in learning more about the dynamics of their relationship. Either way, this coaching change will hopefully fill Mao with the love for skating she used to have, and bring back her lightness and pure talent while polishing her jumping technique. The coach who first taught Shizuka Arakawa may be a good choice, or--if Yukari Nakano retires--Nobuo Sato.
Interesting, interesting...
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