Re: Gentle's clean sheet : Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:46 am  

Mrs Barista wrote:

Spot on. The thing we don't really know is to what extent our poor record in recent years of bringing academy players through is due to underinvestment, and/or not enough quality in the players themselves, and/or Agar's reluctance to give them any gametime unless absolutely forced by injuries. A combination of all three, certainly.

You're absolving Last from any blame then?

Re: Gentle's clean sheet : Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:58 am  

Garry Brindley Esq. wrote:

You're absolving Last from any blame then?

I don't know much about him but if he's the cheap option that would be "underinvestment", wouldn't it? Seems to be well liked but so was Agar.

Re: Gentle's clean sheet : Sat Oct 15, 2011 9:10 am  

Mrs Barista wrote:

I don't know much about him but if he's the cheap option that would be "underinvestment", wouldn't it? Seems to be well liked but so was Agar.

I don't know much about him either, apart from that he's local (which is mightily important, of course).

Much like Agar, Last is a symptom of "underinvestment" and not a victim of it. Only difference is that we've retained Last, which concerns me greatly as, despite the demotion, he's still in an incredibly important role.

Re: Gentle's clean sheet : Sat Oct 15, 2011 9:24 am  

Garry Brindley Esq. wrote:

I don't know much about him either, apart from that he's local (which is mightily important, of course).

Much like Agar, Last is a symptom of "underinvestment" and not a victim of it. Only difference is that we've retained Last, which concerns me greatly as, despite the demotion, he's still in an incredibly important role.

If you don't know much about him (and by extension how good he is at his job), surely the fact that he is the only member of the coaching staff to be retained by those who presumably do should be a very reassuring sign?

Personally I find it difficult to believe that everyone involved in the club was/is not any good. It doesn't have to be everybody underperforming for the club to do so, which is what plenty on here seem to think. The broom has well and truly been swept, so I'm now willing to give the survivors the benefit of the doubt and a chance under the new regime.

Re: Gentle's clean sheet : Sat Oct 15, 2011 10:07 am  

Garry Brindley Esq. wrote:

I don't know much about him either, apart from that he's local (which is mightily important, of course).

Much like Agar, Last is a symptom of "underinvestment" and not a victim of it. Only difference is that we've retained Last, which concerns me greatly as, despite the demotion, he's still in an incredibly important role.

Wasn't he in charge of the Reserves last year? Thought they finished about 3rd after Warrington and Wigan, but could well be wrong.

[R.B.A]

Re: Gentle's clean sheet : Sat Oct 15, 2011 10:59 am  

Garry Brindley Esq. wrote:

I don't know much about him either, apart from that he's local (which is mightily important, of course).

Much like Agar, Last is a symptom of "underinvestment" and not a victim of it. Only difference is that we've retained Last, which concerns me greatly as, despite the demotion, he's still in an incredibly important role.

Demotion? Somebody better let Andy know it was a demotion because he hosted a family party a fortnight ago to celebrate his promotion!!!!!
Very highly regarded at the KC and rightly so.

Re: Gentle's clean sheet : Sat Oct 15, 2011 11:26 am  

R.B.A wrote:

Demotion? Somebody better let Andy know it was a demotion because he hosted a family party a fortnight ago to celebrate his promotion!!!!!
Very highly regarded at the KC and rightly so.

And he has been for several years. What are his main attributes?

Re: Gentle's clean sheet : Sat Oct 15, 2011 12:08 pm  

Mrs Barista wrote:

Wasn't he in charge of the Reserves last year? Thought they finished about 3rd after Warrington and Wigan, but could well be wrong.

That's the common mistake though, his primary remit isn't to produce a fairly successful reserves side, it's to produce players for the first team. As CS said, there's grounds to have faith simply because he's one of the few coaches to be retained, and if the likes of Crookes and Pearce thrive next season then I'll take it all back.

Re: Gentle's clean sheet : Sat Oct 15, 2011 12:15 pm  

R.B.A wrote:

Demotion? Somebody better let Andy know it was a demotion because he hosted a family party a fortnight ago to celebrate his promotion!!!!!
Very highly regarded at the KC and rightly so.

Yeah they ought to let him know, 'cos the way you tell it it makes him look really thick.

More likely, he was celebrating the relief of maintaining his employment amidst a massive cull.

Re: Gentle's clean sheet : Sat Oct 15, 2011 12:41 pm  

Andy Last does a great job . Highly regarded by McRae .
He is also Black and White to the core .