I can see why he thinks that.
His game is all about strength,commitment and 100% effort.
No doubting he gives that,wish they all did.

BUT

When Gibson came on at Warrington,if Mal was going to stay on,he should still have given him the acting half back role.
If he can't see that then he might rightly be the senior pro but he certainly isn't a budding coach!

i've said for a while now that malc needs to go, he has too much influence over players i feel. Having him on the coaching staff was a mistake because as i said before the season started, the coach makes the call when to make interchanges etc, if malc doesn't want to come off when told, is he going to do it? Plus he can make part of the game plan that he stays on the full 1st half, which he shouldn't do. I bet we are the only team in the league that doesn't interchange it's hooker in the 1st half?

Totally agree

This is a really good reason to KEEP Alker on the staff, as long as he is managed properly.

We've had lots of problems in the past of coaches 'losing the dressing room' and having someone like Alker who has influence over the players AND a good working relationship with the coach could be a real asset.

Would have agreed with you a few years ago. Alker is all about determination and commitment, qualities that you want in all your players. Unfortunately, the game is far slicker than when Alker first started playing in super league. He seems short of the skills now required to play hooker and lacks the clarity of vision to see what is good for the team.

Alker would be a great fitness coach, but results during Alker's time at the club speak for themselves. Not that I would blame Salfords performances over the last 10 years or so on Alker, far from it, the guy would physically have moved heaven and earth for our cause, he just lacked the know how to perform this task. The fact remains, he has spent the majority of his career on the losing end, and in terms of installing a winning attitude in the team you have to question whether or not he is the right man to be assistant coach.

Well the tide is finally turning.
I and a few others have been saying for along time that Alker is past it, they then give him a coaching role
Unfortunately he has way to much power at the club even Robbie Paul used to call him boss FFS.
We have a ultra boring percentage plays head coach and a defensive minded assistant.
No wonder we cant score tries.
I am also happy that it was not a huge defeat at Wire, but come on 2 points scored is a absolute disgrace.

It's really not that much of a disgrace at all.

- Wire have got the second best defensive record in the league.

- They've only conceded an average of 12 points per game (and we're far from being an average team!)

- They have kept a clean sheet in the second half of almost half their matches this year.

- They nilled Harlequins (and scored 58 in the process!)

I don't doubt that we have improvements to make in attsck but maybe we should try to keep things in perspective?

Prestwich red, Firstly regards only scoring 2 points on Friday, this was not down to the Warrington great defence but Salford taking the wrong option twice in the first half, we should have gone in leading at half time, not saying we would have won but the score line does not reflect that Salford played well in the first half.

Second point, great post Lincoln devilfan, I think Mal has been a great servant to the club but he is in my opinion not ready to coach Salford at Super league level. I agree give him a roll in training the players but don't give him more power & influence on the team than he already as.
Why! Mal will certainly get the players fit, but how many times have we heard, they have trained the house down this week, well in my opinion training is more than being fit, it is also about coaching new ideas! Mal maybe in later years, will become a good coach but unlike Robbie Paul he has never experienced anywhere else at super league or national league one level & only ever knows the Salford setup which has never been the best coaching setup other than when Harrison & Lowe in the early days together.

I have only used Robbie as an example but I think someone of his experience would have been good for some of the younger players.
This is not have a go at Mal Alker who has been one of the best over the last few years but to become a good coach & to learn more, I think he would be better moving on, I think it would be a great boost for him at this time in his career & good for Salford as I think he his too close to the club & the old ways to be an objective positive influence.

Interesting to read the comments on Alker. The fact he was reinstated to captain last season must surely have undermined McRae's authority. It begs the question if it was McRae's choice to bring Alker on to the coaching staff.

I think it's pretty clear that the team are on "care and maintenance only" pending the arrival of the stadium (or not) - let's face it, IF the stadium doesn't materialise then it must be odds on that we'd lose the franchise - so why spend money on the team now?

I can only hope that the directors do have a plan to go with the arrival of the stadium to be able to put together a team that can compete.