Re: Squad announced for Sunday. : Sun Mar 25, 2012 12:01 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

You mean we've recruited some new players this week? I mustn't have read the 19 right then because from where I sit they are the same players we have had all season.

Just because they are the same players does not mean that they will play the same under a new regime - no matter how temporary that may be

Re: Squad announced for Sunday. : Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:11 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

You mean we've recruited some new players this week? I mustn't have read the 19 right then because from where I sit they are the same players we have had all season.

I forecast no miracles tomorrow and I've yet to see Lomax kick one from the touchline. He hasn't had to kick many, granted, but I've yet to see him succeed from the touchline.

I'm keeping my expectations realistic, unlike some.

And if Meli is on the wing, against Leeds that can only mean one thing.

Look you can change tactic if you like but your comment was about this coaching set up taking us backwards. not the players . I'm not a Royce man and I'm not a cunningham man I'm a Saints man. I'mnot bitter because I did not think Royce was the messiah neither was potter or any saints coach. If in six to eight games time this set up proves a nightmare then i'll be more than happy to call for the transition to a new coach to move quicker. But in the end Royces time was up. Even Royce could recognised that.

Re: Squad announced for Sunday. : Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:20 am  

bewareshadows wrote:

Look you can change tactic if you like but your comment was about this coaching set up taking us backwards.

I didn't say they were taking us backwards. Well, not unless they play Meli on the wing. THAT would be taking us backwards.

I've no idea what this coaching set up can do. With just one season of experience at this level between them, and then only as an assistant, it is impossible to judge what they can do. If the rumours are correct that some senior players are helping them out then that doesn't exactly instil confidence but then again I didn't have much in the way of confidence in them anyway. How can I? They have just one season as assistant coach between them. Everybody would have a total fit if we recruited that level of experience to Saints the normal way.

Re: Squad announced for Sunday. : Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:59 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

I didn't say they were taking us backwards. Well, not unless they play Meli on the wing. THAT would be taking us backwards.

I've no idea what this coaching set up can do. With just one season of experience at this level between them, and then only as an assistant, it is impossible to judge what they can do. If the rumours are correct that some senior players are helping them out then that doesn't exactly instil confidence but then again I didn't have much in the way of confidence in them anyway. How can I? They have just one season as assistant coach between them. Everybody would have a total fit if we recruited that level of experience to Saints the normal way.

If senior players are helping then at least we will have a gameplan the players believe in. If they believe in it, they will execute it better. We might actually see some good rugby today. And before you start, that doesn't mean I think that we will win. I will settle for a good performance, which I think is more important at this stage, to enable players to regain confidence in their abilities.

Actually come to think of it I do think we will win.

Re: Squad announced for Sunday. : Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:06 am  

Top Saint wrote:

If senior players are helping then at least we will have a gameplan the players believe in.

That doesn't mean it's the right one though or that we have the players to execute it.

Re: Squad announced for Sunday. : Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:05 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

If the rumours are correct that some senior players are helping them out then that doesn't exactly instil confidence

But, if you think about, any coach should get some support from his senior players. Longy mentioned how the senior players worked on a change of strategy with Daniel Anderson. How often do you see an injured senior player sitting by a coach on sky and them chatting away?
Its may be to a bigger degree for us at this point, but the hopeful side of me says we have got a lot of experience in the squad and if their all called upon in this hour of need, it could galvanise the player group and focus them on whatever new tricks they're trying to perfect.
Fingers crossed.

Re: Squad announced for Sunday. : Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:14 am  

Offside Monkey wrote:

But, if you think about, any coach should get some support from his senior players. Longy mentioned how the senior players worked on a change of strategy with Daniel Anderson.

Coaches discussing things with senior players is par for the course. Coaches freely admit to it. All ours have. But that's not what we are talking about here. Longy's suggestion was made when Anderson first came over, when he didn't know the players. It would be perfectly natural for players to suggest ideas. And Anderson recognised coaching potential in Longy.

This is about senior players discussing game plans and such like. The players are too close to the coaching team. Coaches should sort out game plans and the like; they should be separate from the players and able to make objective decisions about whether any ideas are correct going forward. I am concerned that the coaching team is just too close to the players for there to be objective decisions made. If Meli ends up on the wing, for example, that will simply confirm my concerns as in no way should Meli be ever seen on the wing again. However, that might just be messageboard gossip.

Re: Squad announced for Sunday. : Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:37 am  

It's the same principle, just to a bigger degree. We have an inexperienced caretaker set up, so it's good they have experienced pros like Laffranchi to support them.
What they will need to guard against, which is perhaps what you're touching on, is that they have the conviction and judgement to pick the right bits of advice to use.

Re: Squad announced for Sunday. : Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:40 am  

Edit
That last bit doesn't read very well, but I can't seem to edit posts on an iPhone. I'm sure you get my point.

Re: Squad announced for Sunday. : Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:41 am  

Offside Monkey wrote:

What they will need to guard against, which is perhaps what you're touching on, is that they have the conviction and judgement to pick the right bits of advice to use.

Exactly. I'd add objectivity and experience to that too.