Maybe, maybe not. I honestly don’t know. As I said, the spine was poor, and now we only have 50% of it, so things aren't going to be pretty. Ultimately I think it's time the club did the brave thing and really backed a coach. McNamara, despite is England stint, was pretty derided when he took over at Catalans. They had some wobbly seasons on the back of significant investment, but despite that Guash stuck with him and it's paying off. Coaches need time, investment and a lot of luck to be successful. Just think we need to give Smith the first two and hope he is blessed with the third. Sacking him (especially given the dearth of available quality coaches) would be a cowardly act of short term fan appeasement on the part of the club. I don't think they'll do it.

The make up of the team is an irrelevance - does the team he puts out perform to its ability or even exceed its ability - that is what Smith is paid for?

I am with you I would give him more time but surely there are limits to how long the club and its supporters can accept performances of this quality. A team with the resources that Leeds have should not be in the position they have found themselves since 2017.

Now I’m no RS apologete, but are we sure this group of players isn’t performing to their ability?

I don’t think they are. But I also think the fact a number of senior players been told they are likely to not be kept beyond this season my have impacted smiths ability to get them to buy in and play to their ability.

I totally agree with your sentiments re 2017. Just think that frustration and anxiety transfer directly on to the shoulders of each incoming coach, and they can’t be held accountable for systematic failure. Will have agree to disagree on your point about the make up of the team being an irrelevance. To my mind it's always relevant. If the other team has better players, and sadly a lot of them do, you'll always be up against it.

Although I, as well as many others, am finding this season with little to no enjoyment I am not going to blast management about what they haven't done for next year until all is revealed. Ask me again in December and if there has been no to little excitement added then I believe we will be in a position to have a moan but here in August complaining about 2024 doesn't sit well with me.
I'm hoping RS & GH have an ace (or three) yet to play.

RS has convinced GH that he is an expert at polishing turds. All I see is his ability to attract and sign turds.

Are you deliberately forgetting about McDonell and Macdonald

And the moving of Walters and O’Conner into positions where they have got better.

Add in Ruane, Warren, Hooley, Roberts, 3 of those late teens early 20’s. See how they go in second season as full time pro’s