pmarrow wrote:We seem to have a gap between the Youth and first team. For me that is represented by the 4 or 5 years of poor first team coaching and lack of opportunities given. If you look at the better sides in the League some of there youngsters are in there third or fourth pre season with the first team. This is a gap Cummins and Smith needs to plug, which looks like something they are doing. If you take into consideration the scoreline last time we sent a youth team to Bradford pre season to this season, seems some progress at least.

We seem to have 17 first teamers, a coule of fringe players and the rest is very raw and inexpierenced youth players. That gap needs plugging which im sure if given the time, patience and guidance can happen.

The club just need to stop being spin doctors, come out and say what the long term plan is we are where we are at and what our aim is. Instead of coming out with big statements and just creating unrest amongst supporters when we lose 5 or 6 in a row.

To solve this problem, Pearson has to back Smith till at least the end of 2025 IMO. Not think of pass sales and just the future.

Marcus's Bicycle wrote:Agree with all of this. Too much hype resulting in unrealistic expectations. Admit that we are a work in progress building for the future and must be patient. No more capitulations at home!

pmarrow wrote:A start would be having more professional and better first team players.

ComeOnYouUll wrote:I just want to see up compete in every game and not get to the end of August and be desparate for the season to end.

A bit of luck too with injuries and fewer stupid bans and we can hopefully edge further up the table. Sixth looks highly unlikely but 7th/8th would be a reasonable finish given the task Smith took on and the limitations of the current squad.

As we've seen in recent years the Challenge Cup is a great chance for clubs other than Wigan and Saints to get to a final so fingers crossed things go our way in that competition.

bonaire wrote:It also puts some much needed cash into the club if we can win the C/C

Chris71 wrote:
Patience is key but its a commodity that is understandably in limited supply...

Mild Rover wrote:There are broadly two types of patience. The one based solely on stoicism and the one where there’s also some hope, where you’re keeping an eye out for green shoots.

If (and that’s always a huge caveat) things go as some on here are predicting, I think Smith might not see out the season. Coming in around 8th, if part of that relative success were based on improved late season form, I’d be slightly surprised if he’s still around to oversee it. Unless there’s mitigation around bad luck with injuries or something like that.