Looking Forward To Next Season?

Forum to discuss everything that is Tigers related

Moderators: Tigerbeat, Rizzo, Tigers Press Office, Tigers Webmaster

bc
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 886
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2005 11:48 am

Looking Forward To Next Season?

Post by bc »

Having received my season ticket and the post card for the Toulon game, it made me realise that I had not missed rugby one bit and, more worringly, I am not looking forward to the next season. Perhaps it's the great weather or the fact that I have not got over the debacle at Twickenham, or the lack of inspired signings and no resolution to the fly-half problem we clearly have but I cannot raise a great deal of enthusiasm for next season and I do not have a great deal of confidence of any success. In fact, I think we could struggle!

Does any one else feel the same? As I said earlier perhaps the great non rugby weather is clouding my thinking and things could all change when it is grey, wet and cold! Somehow I don't think so.
g
Super User
Super User
Posts: 5340
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2004 6:14 pm
Location: Chesterfield

Post by g »

I do feel the same as you. I think with all the good progress that the likes of Sale, Irish, Glaws, Saints etc have made and the lack of signings in the backs I really think we will finish about 6th this season.



But then everyone will call me pessimistic. I call it realistic. And we also haven't got the mental strength to finish off the important games when it matters. Then we will have all the upheavel of trying to find a coach who is actually strong enough to take on the Tigers Boardmembers I think this will AGAIN have a negative effect on the team as well.

So another frustrating season for all Tigers fans is on the cards. I really don't want to say " I told you so" again as I did last season. And before anyone has a go I am not gloating but Tigers really have to be exceptional this season to win anything and I do want them to prove me wrong once and for all.


Maybe with me staying away from WR it could be a lucky omen for them and they win everything in sight. I really hope so.
bc
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 886
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2005 11:48 am

Post by bc »

g, sorry to hear you will not be at WR this coming season but I think that we are both of the same opinion - there will not be great excitment there.
simon redshaw
Super User
Super User
Posts: 4454
Joined: Sat May 07, 2005 8:50 am
Location: Tonbridge

Post by simon redshaw »

I have the same concerns as yourselves about the lack of signings in the backs and lack of inspiration in many of our signings.

Pat Howard and the Board seem to have great faith in our progress next season. I don't share their good faith. In fact I think Tigers have been quite complacent in not making the sort of back and fly-half signings that we need in particular. We seem to be relying heavily on younger players coming through next season like newly promoted Matt Smith and on the likes of Seru and Daryl not being injured. I think that stategy is a little risky to say the least. It would be nice to see Ollie having a more confident season and more from other established backs.
Iain
Super User
Super User
Posts: 8161
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2004 6:39 pm
Location: Market Harborough

Post by Iain »

I am looking forward to it. Very much so. I can't believe this forum's negativity sometimes.
Rizzo
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 12063
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:54 pm
Location: Somewhere down the crazy river

Post by Rizzo »

I agree with you, Iain. And I stick to what it says in my siggy - I believe!
Don't waste your time away thinking about yesterday's blues
Demelza - another Mother
g
Super User
Super User
Posts: 5340
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2004 6:14 pm
Location: Chesterfield

Post by g »

Yeah well Iain. Do you ever take those rose tinted specs off?


We'll see who was right at the end of the season eh.


4 seasons of winning nothing and with teams who are miles ahead of us in terms of the way they play and who they have signed. And still Tigers persist with the hasbeen journeymen. But then as we know you are just as stubborn as me in that we will not agree. Why should things change after 4 seasons of winning nowt and 4 seasons of the same old past it backs?


Over to you my rose tinted specs mate.
simon redshaw
Super User
Super User
Posts: 4454
Joined: Sat May 07, 2005 8:50 am
Location: Tonbridge

Post by simon redshaw »

Sorry to be so pessimistic Iain, and Jan!

I am though worried sick about our chances in winning the Premiership or getting anywhere when you see the sort of quality signings others have and some of the players we have missed out on. For instance, Sale aren't the bookies favourites to both win the regular season and the play-off final for nothing. And the same odds state that we won't even reach the Final and that Wasps will! :wink: And as G says look at the progress of some of our notable rivals!

I don't want to be down-hearted but it is very worrying.
Iain
Super User
Super User
Posts: 8161
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2004 6:39 pm
Location: Market Harborough

Post by Iain »

I don't think anyone is miles ahead of us in the slightest.

1. Name all the teams who beat us at home last season.
2. We finished second, hardly cause for alarm.
3. Had we played against Sale as we had against Irish the week before we'd now be champions. Thats just 80 minutes done differently in a season.
4. I can think of a grand total of about zero signings in the Premiership that I'd rather have joined us. I stand by my belief that the most exciting signing made in the Premiership is our signing of Jordan Crane. Very highly rated.
5. The top teams have barely signed anyone of note. The big money signings have been the lower clubs looking for quick fixes.
6. We got out of a group of Death Heineken Cup group.
7. Given the massive changes in the squad before the beginning of last season you'd have expected a big slump. I don't see premiership runners up, semi finalists in the cup and quarter finalists in the heineken cup as a slump.

No we haven't won anything for 4 years. But we've been :censored: close the last two seasons! Of course your vision, as ever is so polarised into "win" and "don't win" I don't expect you to recognise the middle ground! For someone who has publicly stated that you don't care what happens next season as you have stopped being interested, which you said at the time was a big reason for you not coming any more, you aren't half bleating on with your two penn'orth!
simon redshaw
Super User
Super User
Posts: 4454
Joined: Sat May 07, 2005 8:50 am
Location: Tonbridge

Post by simon redshaw »

Iain, to be fair to G, it isn't just her that's very concerned about Tigers chances next season.

You are very correct on points 1-3. Although we did slip up against Bath and Wasps too.

Point 4, I can think of at least one player I would have liked to have signed for us - his name is Chris Bell. A few others share that opinion. Tigers weren't interested, so he went to Sale. I'll agree though that Jordan Crane is a very good signing for us. I would have thought though we needed one class backs signing. Instead we bought the likes of Paul Burke.

Point 5, If you classify someone like Dave Walder or Chris Bell as not being anyone of note then yes. Agree with your point about the lower clubs.

I agree with points 6 and 7. Lets hope the team continues at least like that next season and proves a number of people wrong. Last season was actually not very much different overall from the previous season when we had the likes of Jonno and Backy.

However, as the last two seasons have shown so starkly we have a problem at the moment in not beeing able to get over the final hurdle. The addition of Conditioner, Craig White, should be very handy but I also would countenance a Sports Physchologist is needed as happens in certain other sports.

Personally, I am very sad that the likes of G are not going to be going regularly to WR next season. I can understand their lack of confidence.

To be honest at this stage, I would consider our best chance of silverware is in the so-called Micky Mouse Cup. One thing that last season showed is that the likes of Glaws and Irish are catching up on us, and that Sale have overtaken us and on the final showing now some way ahead of us. We haven't redressed that fully.
Last edited by simon redshaw on Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:19 am, edited 2 times in total.
Pellsey
Super User
Super User
Posts: 2163
Joined: Tue Nov 15, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Luxembourg

Post by Pellsey »

For what it's worth....

I have been a tigers fan for over 20 years and have supported them through thick and thin. Even though logic sometimes says that they may not win anything in a season (which for most premiership teams is expected), I will support and love Tigers. I'm not saying that I don't want them to win, or don't care if they do win, of course I do. I get upset if they lose, but doesn't mean I care about them any less. I would support Tigers even in the Third division. Not that that would happen... I will be a Tigers fan til I die.

The reason I don't get to Welford Road anymore is that the trip from Germany / Luxembourg is a bit much. I have to be contented with Sky.. :(

As for Tigers' chances next season, I really do believe we have a good chance of winning at least one trophy. The only reason we didn't win last season was mental... We didn't play well in the important games. That can be changed easier than buying new players etc.
simon redshaw
Super User
Super User
Posts: 4454
Joined: Sat May 07, 2005 8:50 am
Location: Tonbridge

Post by simon redshaw »

Lets hope you're right Pellsey although we don't all share your confidence!

There will have been at least five years since Tigers last won a trophy and it is getting more than too long now. However depressed some of us maybe we are all united in wanting Tigers to end their trophyless spell sooner rather then later. Its just that we differ on how that is going to be achieved. For one thing it would be nice to have achieved something next season but in any case we don't all want to be sitting here in another four years or so and saying exactly the same things as we are saying now.
westwinds31
Super User
Super User
Posts: 5975
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:26 am

Post by westwinds31 »

Blimey....late July and already Tigers have no chance of any silverware and there are even suggestions of a finish outside the Top 4 !!! What are you lot on ??

As sure as eggs are eggs, the sun comes up in the morning and g will say "I told you so" ...although I amazed that we are being written off before we've even made a tackle.

Let me put some points to you .....

- we have improved our front row
- locks are fine...Ben Kay was back to top form at the end of last season
- arguably best back row in the league, especially with Crane added

In the backs, it would have been nice to buy Bell, but would he have made the 1XV with who we've got ?? Don't forget we still have Tuilagi, Varndell, Murphy, Smith, Conrwell, Goode etc etc...all world-class players who would walk into any of the other teams.

To write us off with no games played is a pretty pessimistic attitude in my book..and before I get the rose-tinted spectacles routine, I am realistic....it isn't going to be easy, but I have confidence that if we fire on all cylinders, we can win a trophy this season. The glass is alway half empty with some people.
kevf
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1853
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2005 1:03 pm
Location: stourbridge

Post by kevf »

[quote="simon redshaw"]
Point 4, I can think of at least one player I would have liked to have signed for us - his name is Chris Bell. A few others share that opinion. Tigers weren't interested, so he went to Sale. I'll agree though that Jordan Crane is a very good signing for us. I would have thought though we needed one class backs signing. Instead we bought the likes of Paul Burke.

Point 5, If you classify someone like Dave Walder or Chris Bell as not being anyone of note then yes. Agree with your point about the lower clubs.

quote]

So we know for definite that we were not interested in chris bell? or that we didn't offer him what he wanted or even he didn't want to come to us? just because we didn't sign him doesn't necessarily mean we didn't consider him..

personally I believe and am looking forward to next season.. can't do all the game sso am not a STH but will gte the tickets for all the games i can make or hope to make... My opinion is if i do not have faith in the team i may as well not support them.. yes they didn't get any silverware last season but... it wasn't a awful season overall? we did play poorly on occasion and sometimes it was when it really mattered... which was disappointing... but it is always easy to support a team that wins you don't get dissapointed..... we should win we can win we have the players we lack a certain something at the moment... that guiding hand that pulls the team together as one we nearly saw it at the irish game and we need to get hold of that and keep it... whether we can we will have to see but its not going to stop me going to any games and supporting the guys...
Growing old is mandatory growing up is opiotnal
simon redshaw
Super User
Super User
Posts: 4454
Joined: Sat May 07, 2005 8:50 am
Location: Tonbridge

Post by simon redshaw »

Fair enough West and Kevf.

We will need more from our established backs some of whom didn't produce enough consistency and tries over the course of the season. Leon was one of the best of those last season. If Tom has another great season it will help. West, I will accept your argument for the front row and assume the scrum will be better next season. Still very concerned about how the rest of the team will do.

Kevf, so it could be considered that Chris Bell wasn't interested in signing for us but that we did make an approach. Why wouldn't he be interested in a club like us? Or did he not think he would get a starting place? Or did we not offer him the right terms?

It looks like there are many more positive or as G says rose-tinted people then not regarding next season. But aren't you all more then a little worried about the march of Sale and the progress of clubs like Gloucester and Irish? And maybe how Wasps will fare next season. I know West you said things won't be easy but there is plenty to consider for next season.

Kevf, a guiding hand is needed to pull the team together at the most crucial times. Also, does the club now have a specialist backs coach to help Pat? If not, wouldn't it be prudent for Tigers to take one on.

As I say, it would be nice for us doubters to be proved wrong.
Post Reply