The season is certainly looking a good deal brighter than it did a month ago, immediately prior to easter. The standard of rugby being played and the entertainment value being served is probably the best we've had since the back end of the 2007 season. Now I know that's not saying much when taking into consideration some of the absolute dross we've had to endure at times during the past 3 seasons, but surely most of us on here have enjoyed watching the games since Good Friday.
Having taken the brickbats when things weren't going well, Agar is entitled to a degree of praise when there is an upturn in fortune. He has had a stroke of luck with recent additions to the playing roster. Unforseen circumstances have resulted in Phelps,Obst and Gleeson arriving at the club bringing cohesion and structure to the side which we haven't seen for 3 or 4 years. Yes, he was fortuitous in the manner in which the team fell into place, but that is what happens sometimes, and whether by accident or design we can't deny that on the evidence of the past month Richard has made full use of the players he now has at his disposal.
The problem at the moment of course, is that none of us know whether we have genuinely turn a decisive corner and are capable of mounting a serious challenge at the very top of the game or whether we are just simply having a good month, similar to the one that Quins had in Feb/Mar.
From a personal point of view, I still have too many reservations and doubts about his ability to lead us to the summit. I'm sure that in the short term we are more than capable of beating anyone, as on Easter Monday. But I'm still not convinced that long term he is the right man for us. I still see him as a mid table coach when we really should be looking for the man who can take us to the stars.
I've been watching Hull Fc for far too many years and seen far too many false dawns and been let down and frustrated by them far too many times to ever get too carried away by a couple of decent results. I've enjoyed this last month, the results have been good, the games have been entertaining and the rugby on show from our team has at times been exciting to watch. But it's going to take a good deal more to convince this old cynic that this squad and this coach is capable of putting our club where it should be, at the top of the tree.
We need an inspirational figure to take us on a great leap forward and, recent results notwithstanding, I still do not believe that R.A. is that man. But I will give him credit for the past month and whatever any of us on here think, Richard Agar will now almost certainly be our head coach into 2012 and will in all probability see out his current contract at the very least.
