Re: Nathan Brown - Saints have a sound base : Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:12 pm  

McClennan wrote:

To say we have a sound base is an understatement. We have a base on which you can win titles.

Really? So why do we keep not winning any titles then?

He's just saying what every coach will say when they come to a new job, or indeed at any other time if they wish to keep their job. He may well think he's got a lousy bunch of players for all we know.

Re: Nathan Brown - Saints have a sound base : Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:33 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Really?

Yes. We finished fourth last year and second a million season in a row before that. Now if that isn't a base to win titles on then what is? If we get a 10% improvement on last year we'll win the competition.

Re: Nathan Brown - Saints have a sound base : Sun Nov 18, 2012 11:42 am  

Saints are in a similar situation to when Eric Hughes was in charge, a solid base to work on, but needing an extra something that Shaun McCrae added, that brought the trophys back to Saints for the first time in years. History has shown that McCrae was no wonder coach, but he was good enough to bring the good times back. We don't have the luxury of some of the players that he had, but the gap that he had to overcome, especially to Wigan, is similar to the gap that brown now faces.

Re: Nathan Brown - Saints have a sound base : Sun Nov 18, 2012 1:14 pm  

SomersetSaint wrote:

Saints are in a similar situation to when Eric Hughes was in charge, a solid base to work on, but needing an extra something that Shaun McCrae added, that brought the trophys back to Saints for the first time in years. History has shown that McCrae was no wonder coach, but he was good enough to bring the good times back. We don't have the luxury of some of the players that he had, but the gap that he had to overcome, especially to Wigan, is similar to the gap that brown now faces.

Shaun McRae also brought in Gibbs, Goulding and Apollo in his first year which was pure quality.

Re: Nathan Brown - Saints have a sound base : Sun Nov 18, 2012 1:24 pm  

St pete wrote:

Shaun McRae also brought in Gibbs, Goulding and Apollo in his first year which was pure quality.

Goulding sign for us in 94 same as gidds and Apollo McRae joined 96 so that doesnt work out

Re: Nathan Brown - Saints have a sound base : Sun Nov 18, 2012 2:47 pm  

I agree with McClennan that we have a sound base that, with a bit of tweaking and augmenting, could go on to produce a title winning side. But Brown isn't in the same situation McCrae was in when he took over. McCrae inherited a side with some genuine superstars in it (Cunningham, Goulding, Martyn, Newlove) - and a supporting cast of very good players (Sullivan, Hunte, Joynt, Perelini, Gibbs, Prescott). At the moment we've got one player who would fit into the first category (Roby) and a handful who would fit in the second (Puletua, Soliola, Manu, Lomax?, Wellens?). That '96 side just needed some direction and discipline. This side needs more than that. We're lacking someone who can dictate a game and more generally we could do with a bit of flair and unpredictability.

On the plus side, we consistently produce a higher standard of young player now than we did then, and we also have more strength in depth.

Re: Nathan Brown - Saints have a sound base : Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:09 pm  

1984saints wrote:

Goulding sign for us in 94 same as gidds and Apollo McRae joined 96 so that doesnt work out

I thought there first season was the first super league season ?

Not sure like.

Re: Nathan Brown - Saints have a sound base : Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:38 pm  

St pete wrote:

I thought there first season was the first super league season ?

Not sure like.

Nah, they all signed for the 94-5 season.

Re: Nathan Brown - Saints have a sound base : Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:53 pm  

McClennan wrote:

Yes. We finished fourth last year and second a million season in a row before that. Now if that isn't a base to win titles on then what is? If we get a 10% improvement on last year we'll win the competition.

We finished third, not fourth, in 2011 and 2012, and this year we were ejected from the CC in the quarters, first time in 12 years, and didn't make it to the GF, first time in 7 years, so I'd say that we now have a less likely 'base' than we have had in a number of years as we achieved less than we had been achieving for years.

Unless, of course, we achieved less this year because we had a terrible coach.

Whichever is the case, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating I guess.

Re: Nathan Brown - Saints have a sound base : Sun Nov 18, 2012 5:05 pm  

St pete wrote:

Shaun McRae also brought in Gibbs, Goulding and Apollo in his first year which was pure quality.

McRae brought in Derek McVey, who was outstanding, particularly in the early games of that season. I remember him pretty well destroying the Goons early in the season, and getting us on a roll. McRae also brought in belief, and started the era where you could never write off the Saints. What we did have then, was a Bobby Goulding who not only fired up the team, but also the fans. Best atmosphere I have ever known was in or around the 96 season.