Re: New Signing to be announced tomorrow : Thu May 12, 2011 2:06 pm  

debaser wrote:

Eddie gets lambasted for the way he says things or for what he says?

What he says seems more and more to be proved right does it not?

Not. Look, without wanting to re-start WWIII, the general thrust of "Mac is crap, get him out, he's the problem" was one side of the camp. My own oft-maligned angle was, to sum up very briefly, is that McNamara is a good young coach; that while nobody is immune from criticism, and "should he go or should he stay" in the case of a coach of any team becomes academic if performances decline below a certain level as the coach WILL be sacked, the MAJORITY of the blame lay with the players. I said that because to my eyes, many of them, much of the time, were not putting it all in.

We now have Potter. Not much argument about his being a decent appointment. But, we have had too many shabby performances already. Although there are many other factors, and I don't want to join the simplistic camp, still to my eyes, many of the players, much of the time, were not putting it all in. Only the other day, we had another player hinting as much again (Whitehead, saying they "need to talk more" and "stop jumping out of the line leaving gaps").

Now, I do not believe that either McNamara or Potter did or do coach them that way. And we have again this year read several times that the game plan was fine, but when they ran on to the pitch, the players didn't follow it.

Does the coach bear responsibility for not ensuring his players follow orders, game plans, etc? I suppose you couldn't argue otherwise. Certainly ultimate responsibility is his.

But it's funny, isn't it, that Potter is experiencing the same self-destructive habits.

Anyway, the continuing events on the field leave me convinced all the more that what we have is a player problem in the main. Is there a coach to solve it? Who knows. I would certainly be for Potter being given a proper chance - measured in seasons, not weeks or days - but parting company with McNamara has not proved to be the magic elixir that some claimed it would be. And so I would respectfully suggest that there has not been a lot of "proving right".

There is another angle, as well, and that is the signing and release of players. I don't know nor does anyone I suspect just how much or little input a coach has into signing any given player, and we know we don't have the Warrington Wizardry to magic up megabucks, but still I am not exactly doing cartwheels with signings like Sibbit and Jeffries.

Perhaps we should conclude that the signings made by previous and current coaches are not shall we say necessarily always what the coaches' first choice might have been, although once signed, again, any player should be given a fair chance. For example, being judged on a season not a handful of games.

I have no interest at all in other people thinking I am right, wrong or whatever. I say my piece and it is what it is. But if the question is, was it the coach, or more the players, then to me the evidence against the substantial part of the blame being with the players continues to mount.

Some might suggest that in fact there's nothing that wrong with the players that "a good coach" couldn't cure. But to me that argument fails because to make it, you have to argue that not only was McNamara first a bad coach, but now that Potter is, too. And this to me is where the 'dud coach' claims start to collapse, because Potter has clearly shown with his short track record that he is no dud.

Re: New Signing to be announced tomorrow : Thu May 12, 2011 2:38 pm  

At the end of the day, god himslef would have trouble trying to get the best out of the current squad in all honesty. I don't rate Potter as highly as some people on here but that is opinion, which i am entitled too, although i do respect his pedigree. However, Mick Potter is as good of a coach as Bradford can draw in the club's current predicament so we cannot complain. As far as briggs is concerned i think he has a tuch of Rikki Sherriffe about him. tries hard but just doesnt have the talent to make it at Super League level. He is small and maybe his attiutude is questionable, he's lack of gameplay when he was available for selection shows Potter's lack of faith and i can see him being sent away at the end of the year.

If you don't like something that somebody says then post back saying why you think the opposite, all posts are equal and this is a discussion not a superiority contest.

Re: New Signing to be announced tomorrow : Thu May 12, 2011 2:41 pm  

IMO the majority of the fault is never with the players. It might take time for a coach to get rid of the dross or bad eggs but a good coach will always come good. Some good coaches do lose the knack though. Players don't just not put the effort in without it being symptomatic of a greater malaise. Odd players will, granted.

[Bullseye]

Re: New Signing to be announced tomorrow : Thu May 12, 2011 3:27 pm  

tigertot wrote:

Odd players will, granted.

What? Like them that have quirky personalities that hoard old newspapers and live alone with 50 cats?

Re: New Signing to be announced tomorrow : Thu May 12, 2011 3:57 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

What? Like them that have quirky personalities that hoard old newspapers and live alone with 50 cats?

Re: New Signing to be announced tomorrow : Thu May 12, 2011 4:28 pm  

redeverready wrote:

I have to say this board is getting very hard to post on. If your not a "super fan" your thoughts dont count which is very tiresome and one of the main reason I don't post much anymore.

Couldn't agree more. I've been watching Bradford since the Northern days but have never really bothered with online forums. I started looking on this board in the off season and found it quite interesting regarding the transfer rumours. Since the seasons started I've got to admit that I'm very disappointed with how this board seems to operate.

It appears that the usually few members patrol the board, day in, day out, trying to find fault in every post and feel the need to condemn anyone who they don't agree with.

I suppose that this post will either be ignored or draw some kind of super intellectual put down. Well that's fine by me. Mock away. This is your board. I understand that now. For the record I don't rate Briggs. His last 2 performances have been the worst I've ever seen anyone play in a Bulls shirt, and that's going some. I hope he proves us wrong and makes it but on the evidence I've seen so far, I'm not convinced. There, thats my opinion. Do with it what you will.

Re: New Signing to be announced tomorrow : Thu May 12, 2011 4:38 pm  

Basically what we are saying is that their is a New World Order. The new generation are pushing through with our opinions and discussion's. The Old Guard is no more!

Re: New Signing to be announced tomorrow : Thu May 12, 2011 4:56 pm  

I must confess to being a little surprised by the recent outpouring of angst over this forum and its members.

I'm certainly not part of any old guard, having been a total lurker until a year ago, then posting reasonably regularly since then. I have to say that I don't agree with quite a few people's opinions on here, but I don't find the place oppressive or restrictive in any way.

Basically I ignore anyone that annoys me, and concentrate on the many interesting and erudite posters

As long time user of internet forums, believe me when I say that this place is a veritable haven of peace compared to some I've been on

Re: New Signing to be announced tomorrow : Thu May 12, 2011 5:25 pm  

I'm sure you're right Paul. However, unless someone is deliberately trolling, I expect someone to be able to add comment to a discussion without being lambasted or have their grammar ripped apart. It gets a little tiresome to read.

Re: New Signing to be announced tomorrow : Thu May 12, 2011 5:30 pm  

Sensei-Bull wrote:

Couldn't agree more. I've been watching Bradford since the Northern days but have never really bothered with online forums. I started looking on this board in the off season and found it quite interesting regarding the transfer rumours. Since the seasons started I've got to admit that I'm very disappointed with how this board seems to operate.

It appears that the usually few members patrol the board, day in, day out, trying to find fault in every post and feel the need to condemn anyone who they don't agree with.

I suppose that this post will either be ignored or draw some kind of super intellectual put down. Well that's fine by me. Mock away. This is your board. I understand that now. For the record I don't rate Briggs. His last 2 performances have been the worst I've ever seen anyone play in a Bulls shirt, and that's going some. I hope he proves us wrong and makes it but on the evidence I've seen so far, I'm not convinced. There, thats my opinion. Do with it what you will.

No mockery required. There is a world of difference between your fair and measured criticism of Briggs and the mean-spirited and bizarrely final stuff Eddie and Bullschamps have doled out to Briggs and Herbert.

There is an objective difference, I'm surprised so many can't see it.