COACH Andy Banks has sought to play down expectations Tom Daley's newly-acquired repertoire of dives will secure instant dividends for the World and European diving champion.

Plymouth Diving's Daley, Great Britain and club coach Banks and Leeds-based former city ace Sarah Barrow are in the Great Britain squad headed to Hungary for next week's European Championships.

The Budapest event, which gets underway on August 4, will be Olympian Daley's first opportunity to test his much-publicised improved tariff of dives.

The 16-year-old Plymothian has been receiving treatment on a troublesome back injury which forced him to miss June's British Championships which doubled as qualifiers for the Europeans.

While a fit Daley's selection for Budapest was never in doubt, another of his proteges, City of Leeds AC's Barrow pipped GB synchro partner Tonia Couch to first place at Sheffield's Ponds Forge to win a place in the national line-up.

And although all eyes are certain to be on defending champion Daley at the Europeans, Banks will be taking a more pragmatic approach over his prized asset.

For, in addition to his European commitments, the globe-trotting Daley faces a busy schedule during August, which includes the Youth Olympics in Singapore and the World Junior Championships in the United States, followed by the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, at the beginning of October.

All this before next year's preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Small wonder then that Banks is looking at the bigger picture and seeking to lessen the pressure on Daley.

Banks said: "It's going to a very busy period for Tom and we're in Rome until August 7, where will train in the Olympic pool.

"Rome, obviously, has very good memories for Tom as it's just over a year ago that he won his world title.

"After the European seniors at Budapest, were off to Singapore for the Youth Olympics — that's a new event this year so we will see how that works.

"And then, finally out to Tucson for the junior worlds and we won't be back in the UK until September 8.

"This next set of events will put him head to head with a number of the top dvers at different times, rather than all together and is an ideal opportunity for him to put his new dives under pressure, particularly his forward 4.5 somersault which is very new.

"But the set is not necessarily about the end result, it is more to have an extended period of solid training and competition to further develop the new list ready for Commonwealths.

"And, of course, the majors next year which are important in the lead up to 2012.

"Getting the dives learnt at this stage was a priority but, of course, with dives of this difficulty a period of consolidation is essential and the next few weeks will be an important part of this process."