Iv'e been a big fan of Pearson and backed him all the way, but this has me really concerned and he is really starting to show he lacks rugby knowledge and hasn't been in the game long, if he thinks the problem is effort he is so far off, if he can't see the team selection, tactics and use of Subs is our biggest problem and he continues to back Radford then we are in big trouble and he is going to lose a lot of money.

Even if he is blaming the players then surely it is part Radfords fault for signing them or picking them?

You would hope Motu Tony would have a word and see it from a rugby perspective, but I reckon he is mates with Radford.

Long dark future ahead.

No one has said its controversial or inflammatory what has got my goat is the fact he acknowledges everything we all already know, still backs a failing coach yet has the cheek to call on the fans to once again board this sinking ship paying money for a product no one is happy with and to get behind a coach most fans no longer want at the club.

It doesn't have to be controversial to provoke concern. What the piece does is seemingly confirm many fans worst fears about how Pearson views the current situation. This isn't controversial, but it IS depressing.

"They are working incredibly hard to put things right at training."

Oh well - that's ok then. Not like we've been hearing that line for the past 5 years is it?

To be fair, he doesn't actually say it's the players and not the coach. He says that the team need to show desire (which hints at the players, but in reality doesn't absolve the coaches of their part in bringing this out of players), and that the coaches are working hard to get things right (a passive admittance that they are currently not, whether he realised that or not).

There are some things I find worrying/distasteful, though. I don't like the slight dig at the fans. Frankly, with what you've delivered this season, you should just be thanking your lucky stars how many are still turning up and have put money in the coffers, not questioning how they are performing in the crowd. Several thousand are still paying/have paid to get in, just be grateful and concentrate on the 20 or so who are paid to be there doing their jobs before you start looking at others.

Middle tier of gates, gates no that big, well under 10,000. Feels like more thinly veiled scaremongering for fans to turn up, even with the acceptance of it being a reflection of performances.
As others have said, 'no excuses' right after providing some.
Coaches working hard is the minimum, it won't pacify fans until we're seeing fruits on the field. Pointless mentioning it, means nothing.
No point crying out in disappointment - what on earth is that about? It's a reaction to how things are, it's not necessarily about whether or not there's a point to it. Equally there's no point cheering and praising after a win, as the result is already taken care of, but I can't imagine him appealing to us to keep quiet in those circumstances. You have to bear the criticism as much as the praise, you can't be selective.

It's the fact that he seems to be saying that a hard working coach is ok regardless of whether they have the first clue about how to motivate and coach a SL team. A busy fool and all that. The inclusion of a reference to this along the lines of "if what we're doing isn't working then we'll change it" would have at least showed that he understood that hard work alone wouldn't make FC a better club and would have perhaps made the piece more acceptable as what he did say , as others have said , was stating the "bleeding obvious" in the most part , ie , we're not good enough. It seems to mirror Radfords coaching excuse which is " I keep telling the players to win but they don't and I don't know what more I can do".

Another point of note is the 'worst weekend in rugby league' opening. So worse than the Hudds debacle, the CC final embarrassment, and the 5 game losing run that was apparently the tipping point to sack the last coach. So he admits that we are performing worse than at all those times, but insists on sticking with things as they are and asks us to stay on board. It just doesn't make sense.

Jake the Peg wrote:According to pearson Some worrying things in there - financial implications from being in the "middle tier" crowd wise? Working hard as a coach seems to be enough despite you being completely incompetent. Doubt I'll be renewing my pass next year even if we do manage to stay up So he wants us all to cheer and make noise and back the team, to help us win. 1, people are fed up of cheering rubbish, you just cany get exited about us at the moment, but there are the odd one or 2 who will blindly clap. 2, do the team really play better if we cheer? these are highly paid professionals, who AP and LR wanted here cos they are good and young, and "goers" as LR called them. 3, Being at home has had no "advantage" since about 2006, might as well play at a neutral venue now.

Jake the Peg wrote:According to pearson Some worrying things in there - financial implications from being in the "middle tier" crowd wise? Working hard as a coach seems to be enough despite you being completely incompetent. Doubt I'll be renewing my pass next year even if we do manage to stay up So he wants us all to cheer and make noise and back the team, to help us win. 1, people are fed up of cheering rubbish, you just cany get exited about us at the moment, but there are the odd one or 2 who will blindly clap. 2, do the team really play better if we cheer? these are highly paid professionals, who AP and LR wanted here cos they are good and young, and "goers" as LR called them. 3, Being at home has had no "advantage" since about 2006, might as well play at a neutral venue now.

As an outsider (but I do go to the Hull FC games with Mr Wharfedale) Barham Red does seem to have a point. Granted it's the players on the pitch who do the work, but it's the Coach's job to make sure they do at least have a game plan. Also, to actually COACH, i.e. teach, train bring out the best in his team.
I don't think Radford is up to the job, or that his approach, such as it is, is suitable for a club with aspirations of a top 4/8 place.
He now has 'his' team. Injuries apart, he doesn't seem keen to keep players in their best position.
Perhaps Adam Pearson, let's not forget he is the man bankrolling the club, should go to a few other rugby league games not involving Hull FC and see how entertaining and exciting games can be and then ask the question of Radford...'Why can't you teach (coach) Hull to at least try and play like that?'

This all comes down to one decision for me, either I stop supporting the club I love or continue to go and support it despite the obvious issues that need addressing. If enough people decide to do the first option in protest of the current failings in coaching and player performance then longer term this actually makes getting to the place we all want the club to be more difficult (Cutting off your nose to spite your face). It may even contribute to the eventual demise of the club. That is something I can simply not do as I would rather have a failing club that could potentially be great one day than no club at all.

We have to accept that only one man's decision counts in reality, and although the large majority disagree with his stance on the coach, he has earned the right by way of investment to make those decisions. No one accept Adam knows what factors are in the mix when finalising those decisions and I suspect the financial burden of the club is now having a major influence on them. Our owner has invested a lot of money, always been open and honest with us, has accepted past mistakes and has always had the clubs best interest at heart. As a fan base we can expect little more when you think of all the factors working against him at present. I think he and therefore the team deserves our backing all things considered.