Tears from Cockerill

[L Smith]

But he never mentioned Smudge

Without the benefit of seeing Smudge's no doubt glittering CV, maybe he feels he shouldn't comment

[jgriffin]

But he never mentioned Smudge

Without the benefit of seeing Smudge's no doubt glittering CV, maybe he feels he shouldn't comment

Nonsense, Smudge is clearly Neil Back.

[Roly]

However, its just a pity that for large parts of the season, the team looked like it met up in the car park before the match. That sort of ineptitude doesn't happen naturally you know, it has to be trained in...

Hey ho Roly. Your record has got stuck. We all know your views on this topic - you express them so frequently - and repeating them endlessly has become sooo boring. I know that you are entitled to your opinion, but so am I. And yes, I don't have to read your posts, which to be honest, I shall make every effort to stop doing from now.

Yes the performances have ranged from the abysmal (e.g. Bath away, Irish home) to the good (Bath home, Toulon home, Exeter home and away). Note that I didn't say very good. However we have been winning even if it has often been winning ugly, very ugly. The level of performance earlier in the season is of lesser importance than winning games. Newcastle have been getting lots of plaudits for their performances (maybe you would be happier supporting them if performance is so important to you), but not winning many AP games are they?

I am neither a happy clapper, nor a doom monger. Just somewhere in the middle with an optimistic view of life (even with my wife dying a year ago at the age of 51). Yes RC is ultimately responsible for lots of things, but not EVERYTHING.

I have been worried that although we were winning, we would be found out against the big names at the end of the season. Saturday showed that at this point in the season we can perform to a high standard, as well as win against strong opposition. I am hopeful that we can beat Saints next week but it will almost certainly need a similar performance unless Saints don't turn up. Unlikely. Will we perform? I don't know. Can we perform? Definitely. The last few games, our performances have rather mirrored the quality of the opposition - poor against Welsh, good against Exeter and Wasps, which gives me optimism that we can raise our game against the team, hopefully teams, that we are about to meet.

Thanks for choosing to completely ignore the preceding sentence where I praised the team for their performance against Wasps.

I wasn't aware I was the only one criticising team performances either? Perhaps you should try to ignore their opinions too?

[h's dad]

However, its just a pity that for large parts of the season, the team looked like it met up in the car park before the match. That sort of ineptitude doesn't happen naturally you know, it has to be trained in...

Hey ho Roly. Your record has got stuck. We all know your views on this topic - you express them so frequently - and repeating them endlessly has become sooo boring. I know that you are entitled to your opinion, but so am I. And yes, I don't have to read your posts, which to be honest, I shall make every effort to stop doing from now.

Yes the performances have ranged from the abysmal (e.g. Bath away, Irish home) to the good (Bath home, Toulon home, Exeter home and away). Note that I didn't say very good. However we have been winning even if it has often been winning ugly, very ugly. The level of performance earlier in the season is of lesser importance than winning games. Newcastle have been getting lots of plaudits for their performances (maybe you would be happier supporting them if performance is so important to you), but not winning many AP games are they?

I am neither a happy clapper, nor a doom monger. Just somewhere in the middle with an optimistic view of life (even with my wife dying a year ago at the age of 51). Yes RC is ultimately responsible for lots of things, but not EVERYTHING.

I have been worried that although we were winning, we would be found out against the big names at the end of the season. Saturday showed that at this point in the season we can perform to a high standard, as well as win against strong opposition. I am hopeful that we can beat Saints next week but it will almost certainly need a similar performance unless Saints don't turn up. Unlikely. Will we perform? I don't know. Can we perform? Definitely. The last few games, our performances have rather mirrored the quality of the opposition - poor against Welsh, good against Exeter and Wasps, which gives me optimism that we can raise our game against the team, hopefully teams, that we are about to meet.

Thanks for choosing to completely ignore the preceding sentence where I praised the team for their performance against Wasps.

I wasn't aware I was the only one criticising team performances either? Perhaps you should try to ignore their opinions too?

Your scintilla of praise did read as if you'd rather be at the dentist. Were wild horses involved?

[DCATsOLDMAN]

Your scintilla of praise did read as if you'd rather be at the dentist. Were wild horses involved?

'Grudging' is the word that comes to mind!

[Roly]

Your scintilla of praise did read as if you'd rather be at the dentist. Were wild horses involved?

'Grudging' is the word that comes to mind!

Read into it what you will, I gave credit where credit was due. However, to say I was pleasantly surprised - nay shocked, would be an understatement. Those of us pessimistic by nature had feared the worst based on the bulk of the season's performances.

However, I wasn't about to embark on a literary journey of fawning obsequiousness just because they won (and won well). I was just quietly pleased, and said so.

[ourla]

"scintilla" and "fawning obsequiousness"

Loving it boys, loving it. Good to see we can maintain a high standard of linguistic depth.

[Iain]

Your scintilla of praise did read as if you'd rather be at the dentist. Were wild horses involved?

'Grudging' is the word that comes to mind!

Read into it what you will, I gave credit where credit was due. However, to say I was pleasantly surprised - nay shocked, would be an understatement. Those of us pessimistic by nature had feared the worst based on the bulk of the season's performances.

However, I wasn't about to embark on a literary journey of fawning obsequiousness just because they won (and won well). I was just quietly pleased, and said so.

Yeah yeah that performance that was really good was a pleasant surprise I suppose but LONG ANGRY RANT RESORTING TO CONJECTURE AND HYPERBOLE THAT APPEARS TO HAVE BECOME MY CALLING CARD TURNING ME INTO A PARODY OF MYSELF!!! SACK COCKERILL!! STAGNATION!!! GOING BACKWARDS!!!! RANT GRRRR DRIBBLE!!!

[Roly]

Calm down, your colostomy bag will burst....

... So, it isn't possible for Tigers to play well, despite the way the team is currently managed, and for me to be pleased with the performance?

My views on the way the club is run, and my perception that the club has declined - or at least stagnated, have not changed. But that does not prevent me from enjoying a good (for once) performance, and stating so.

[Cagey Tiger]

Your scintilla of praise did read as if you'd rather be at the dentist. Were wild horses involved?

'Grudging' is the word that comes to mind!

Read into it what you will, I gave credit where credit was due. However, to say I was pleasantly surprised - nay shocked, would be an understatement. Those of us pessimistic by nature had feared the worst based on the bulk of the season's performances.

However, I wasn't about to embark on a literary journey of fawning obsequiousness just because they won (and won well). I was just quietly pleased, and said so.

I'm a little puzzled Roly. Doesn't being happy undermine the current campaign of yourself and other doom mongers i.e. Cockers out? Shouldn't you have been aghast at the performance rather than pleased if, as is frequently said, Cockers plays a major part in the teams performance. I would have thought you would have wanted Tigers to lose as it would have raised major questions for everyone about Cockers' future? Short term pain for long term gain and all that.

[Smudge]

All a bit unfair to Roly. He is entitled to express an opinion as are we all.

Like him, I did praise the team for the Wasps win and took joy in it.

After more than 50 years involvement with Tigers (I have experienced the highs and lows)
I expect all Tigers teams to play like that.

You may believe that all is now right with with the club, on and off the field
or, with a foot firmly placed in the dark side, yet another false dawn.
Those critical of RC are not Just those he mentions in the article, that is a minute sample of the multitude.

For my part, I stated my doubt of his abilities as a coach, DOR and man-manager on this forum for a long while now.
In fact, far more than three seasons. Hoping, for the sake of the club I love, to be proved wrong.
It will take more than one good game and some star recruits to change that.

[L Smith]

All a bit unfair to Roly. He is entitled to express an opinion as are we all.

Like him, I did praise the team for the Wasps win and took joy in it.

After more than 50 years involvement with Tigers (I have experienced the highs and lows)
I expect all Tigers teams to play like that.

You may believe that all is now right with with the club, on and off the field
or, with a foot firmly placed in the dark side, yet another false dawn.
Those critical of RC are not Just those he mentions in the article, that is a minute sample of the multitude.

For my part, I stated my doubt of his abilities as a coach, DOR and man-manager on this forum for a long while now.
In fact, far more than three seasons. Hoping, for the sake of the club I love, to be proved wrong.
It will take more than one good game and some star recruits to change that.

Smudge: an unanswered question that I asked Roly, previously: what would you do differently to RC and who would you want as a DOR. RC's performance and pedigree is on public display but yours isn't. Please give us an insight so we can make an informed assessment of your credentials.

[GS]

I've never understood the requirement that you must have 'qualifications' to criticize the team's performance. I'm not a concert pianist but I can tell when a piano is out of tune.

The Tigers won against Wasps with a fantastic team performance last week, a week after losing the first half against, arguably, the worst team the Premiership has seen. Even Cockers has admitted that we have been rubbish this season and he is surprised we have reached the position we have. Is he qualified enough to have that opinion? If tears were shed it's probably in relief that he has a job next year with the Tigers having qualified for Europe after the season we've had.

[Smudge]

GS wrote

I've never understood the requirement that you must have 'qualifications' to criticize the team's performance. I'm not a concert pianist but I can tell when a piano is out of tune.

The Tigers won against Wasps with a fantastic team performance last week, a week after losing the first half against, arguably, the worst team the Premiership has seen. Even Cockers has admitted that we have been rubbish this season and he is surprised we have reached the position we have. Is he qualified enough to have that opinion? If tears were shed it's probably in relief that he has a job next year with the Tigers having qualified for Europe after the season we've had.

Exactly.

[Cagey Tiger]

All a bit unfair to Roly. He is entitled to express an opinion as are we all.

You may believe that all is now right with with the club, on and off the field
or, with a foot firmly placed in the dark side, yet another false dawn.
Those critical of RC are not Just those he mentions in the article, that is a minute sample of the multitude.

For my part, I stated my doubt of his abilities as a coach, DOR and man-manager on this forum for a long while now.
In fact, far more than three seasons. Hoping, for the sake of the club I love, to be proved wrong.
It will take more than one good game and some star recruits to change that.

1. I've never said that people are not entitled to their opinions. Quite the opposite, by saying they are myself.

2. 50 years? Same as me

3. I am neither a happy clapper nor a doom monger and no, to me everything is not alright but neither is it a false dawn.

4. In those 3 seasons we have won the Premiership, been knocked out in the semis and may make the semis this year. Europe? Not very good, although we were the only team to beat Toulon in the ECC. Overall only Saints and Sarries with comparable records. By Tiger's standards this is fairly average, but up with the best in the AP. Yes this season has seen many poor performances, but winning ugly has been a regular feature which, as I have said before, is better than putting in a performance and losing a la Falcons.

5. Re "it will take more than one good game..." in your opinion. I do not think that the Wasps match was as a result of people playing out of their skins, more like playing at the level we know that they are capable of. So, IMHO, there is the potential for more good performances this season. We'll just have to wait and see.