Not sure that GH is the current problem. When he brough in RS in 2022 and he got us straight to the GF, we all thought it was a master stroke and RS was the real deal. Unfortunately it hasn't worked out and performances on the pitch through 2023 and 2024 have been very poor. GH and the board have backed the coach and let him build his own team and have given him financial backing to bring in big signings. GH doesn't pick or prepare the team. He isn't responsible for on field performances. On paper, we should have a competitive team. Currently that is not the case and that has to be down to the coaching.
FWIW, no point sacking Smith now, but I don't expect him to be here next year and GH has another recruitment job on his hands.
There is no doubt GH is an outstanding administrator - it helps a lot when you know the club has the financial backing to do what you need to do. Despite supposedly being pot less they managed to sign Iestyn Harris for c£300k. The job GH has done off the field is second to none - the new north stand is a triumph and a rival to any sporting ground in the country.
Unfortunately this is a business that needs to first team to perform for it to properly thrive. Some very poor decisions have been made in the last few years in respect of recruitment both coaching and player recruitment. Who is responsible for that - we don't know. The lack of development of coaches and juniors through the academy has been a concern for many years. When did Leeds last bring a quality half back or hooker through?
Perhaps that was going to be Agar's job until the situation with Furner turned sour?
The notion that GH just sacks coaches without taking on the views of key stakeholders is non-sensical. You think he would not of talked it through with Sinfield at least?
You just need to revisit JJB's comments at the time to see where the bad apple was. Hard enough for a new coach to make an impression with senior players undermining his efforts because of their own selfish attitude.
Joined: Feb 27 2002 Posts: 5442 Location: Aberdeen
rugbyleague88 wrote:. Even so, top end doesn't always bring a success. I thought Wayne Bennett was poor for England...
Any new coach will likely be a gamble.
Best England performance at a world cup since the nineties is poor? No pleasing some people.
“You are playing a game of football this afternoon but more than that you are playing for England, and more even than that, you are playing for right versus wrong. You will win because you have to win. Don’t forget that message from home. England expects every one of you to do his duty.”
Under Bennett we lost the final 6-0. Unbelievable that people refuse to recognise how close we were with what was on paper a vastly inferior team to Australia.
We actually competed under Bennett. We were actually able to go set for set with Australia, in a game with a trophy on the line, in their own back yard. Analyse it, it’s the only time in circa 30 years we’ve managed it. Every other time we’ve met in a game where there was a trophy on the line we’ve been easily beaten.
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