Cockerill's message to us

[drc_007]

While injuries have played their part and we've had some horrendous luck on that score, I personally think some serious questions need to be asked of the conditioning strategy at the club.

Other clubs have had injuries but nothing like the scale we've seen at Tigers - it's freakish. Can that ALL be down to bad luck? I'm not so surem

Could just be due to the fact Tigers have spent decades playing at a level and intensity that most other clubs only achieve for a couple of seasons.

[Smudge]

Norfolk & Goode wrote:

Ian Cant wrote:
I am pretty sure nearly all injuries have been a result of playing or playing for England




The main issue with injuries starts pre-season with a ridiculous training structure based around smashing the ball up the pitch. This has culminated in the past 2 seasons of an unprecedented amount of serious injuries the players carry before the season has even started. That has been Cockerill's game plan which has failed against quality sides who put their first teams out, proven perfectly true by Bath who just sat and watched Tigers get more and more exhausted trundling up the pitch until it was turnover time, when they then let the ball do the work to score 7 tries in 8 visits to our 22.

That combined with Cockerill's appalling man management, proven by star players leaving who don't want to, and sacking McCarthy, Burke and other coaches/staff because they contradicted Cockerill's blinkered game plan and poor management skills, all makes for a man that has detiorated the clubs playing infrastructure, along with one or two key members of the board who sell his approach back to the board.

I have total admiration and respect for each and every player giving everything they have to squeeze us into the semis. If Cockerill as DoR carries on and overrides the new Head Coaches philosophies and playing style then that is all we are ever going to achieve.

And don't be conned by those tears after the Wasps game, that was relief from having his neck on the block, and justly so.
_

Spot on.

[Spicer]

Norfolk & Goode wrote:

Ian Cant wrote:
I am pretty sure nearly all injuries have been a result of playing or playing for England




The main issue with injuries starts pre-season with a ridiculous training structure based around smashing the ball up the pitch. This has culminated in the past 2 seasons of an unprecedented amount of serious injuries the players carry before the season has even started. That has been Cockerill's game plan which has failed against quality sides who put their first teams out, proven perfectly true by Bath who just sat and watched Tigers get more and more exhausted trundling up the pitch until it was turnover time, when they then let the ball do the work to score 7 tries in 8 visits to our 22.

That combined with Cockerill's appalling man management, proven by star players leaving who don't want to, and sacking McCarthy, Burke and other coaches/staff because they contradicted Cockerill's blinkered game plan and poor management skills, all makes for a man that has detiorated the clubs playing infrastructure, along with one or two key members of the board who sell his approach back to the board.

I have total admiration and respect for each and every player giving everything they have to squeeze us into the semis. If Cockerill as DoR carries on and overrides the new Head Coaches philosophies and playing style then that is all we are ever going to achieve.

And don't be conned by those tears after the Wasps game, that was relief from having his neck on the block, and justly so.
_

Spot on.

+1

[GS]

Just a point, I do accept that all the injuries had a major effect and that other clubs would have sunk without trace under such pressure. But I don't accept lack of effort and/or lack of ideas. I do have optimism for the next season based on the game we played after Mauger had been over for a week. The players seemed to be running free in the first half to the amazement of everyone around us. I don't share the view that we need a new set of backs, just a new approach - but it would have been nice to have kept some like Tait.

Believe it or not I am an optimist but I do get disappointed with mediocre performances (and worse) from my team.

[The Boy Dave]

The main issue with injuries starts pre-season with a ridiculous training structure based around smashing the ball up the pitch. This has culminated in the past 2 seasons of an unprecedented amount of serious injuries the players carry before the season has even started. That has been Cockerill's game plan which has failed against quality sides who put their first teams out, proven perfectly true by Bath who just sat and watched Tigers get more and more exhausted trundling up the pitch until it was turnover time, when they then let the ball do the work to score 7 tries in 8 visits to our 22.

That combined with Cockerill's appalling man management, proven by star players leaving who don't want to, and sacking McCarthy, Burke and other coaches/staff because they contradicted Cockerill's blinkered game plan and poor management skills, all makes for a man that has detiorated the clubs playing infrastructure, along with one or two key members of the board who sell his approach back to the board.

I have total admiration and respect for each and every player giving everything they have to squeeze us into the semis. If Cockerill as DoR carries on and overrides the new Head Coaches philosophies and playing style then that is all we are ever going to achieve.

And don't be conned by those tears after the Wasps game, that was relief from having his neck on the block, and justly so.

But then what was so poor about the style of play and gameplan that was responsible for taking Wasps apart?
What was so brilliant about an academy graduate in Catchpole yesterday at Bath, he had another chance and when attempted to goose step similar to Rokoduguni etc nothing happened?
I've heard Cockerill get loads of stick for not pushing the likes of Price or Wells recently but have any of them done anything even coming close to what I saw Itoje do for Sarries against Saints yesterday or what Slade has done at Exeter?
When they are really good like Manu or Ford then Cockerill does indeed put faith in them and play them!

[biffer]

My worry is he talks about not having enough firepower to break down Bath. In my opinion it's about not having enough guile.

[The Boy Dave]

My worry is he talks about not having enough firepower to break down Bath. In my opinion it's about not having enough guile.

This is top level rugby, players and teams need as close to it all as they can get!

[jgriffin]

No doubt, despite rational analysis of the nature of the injuries and where they were caused, there are some that know what's going on, it's all down to that awful useless bloke (the one with the rather good record in the AP)and the awful training regime at Tigers and the awful players and the awful stadium, the pathetic pitch and the useless service in the ABC bar. Personally I think most haven't got a clue, especially about training in the modern era, neither can they actually muster up any evidence of star players leaving because of RC (as opposed to any other reason, like £££££).
Despite being a critic of some aspects of Tigers I think we have a good DOR, a good core to the team, a great set-up (without a sugardaddy), a great ground and an optimistic future.
I am happy to be contradicted by one of the posters on here who can demonstrate their presence at Tigers training etc, and detail why it is wrong, in evidence.

[The Boy Dave]

Personally I think most haven't got a clue

That said it all!

[TigerLad]

No doubt, despite rational analysis of the nature of the injuries and where they were caused, there are some that know what's going on, it's all down to that awful useless bloke (the one with the rather good record in the AP)and the awful training regime at Tigers and the awful players and the awful stadium, the pathetic pitch and the useless service in the ABC bar. Personally I think most haven't got a clue, especially about training in the modern era, neither can they actually muster up any evidence of star players leaving because of RC (as opposed to any other reason, like £££££).
Despite being a critic of some aspects of Tigers I think we have a good DOR, a good core to the team, a great set-up (without a sugardaddy), a great ground and an optimistic future.
I am happy to be contradicted by one of the posters on here who can demonstrate their presence at Tigers training etc, and detail why it is wrong, in evidence.

+1. Lovely to see people calling Cockers "Cockerill". The man who has given most of his life to this club, serving admirably as a player and now as a coach. But 2 seasons without a title and the knives come out. Great supporters.

[Cagey Tiger]

No doubt, despite rational analysis of the nature of the injuries and where they were caused, there are some that know what's going on, it's all down to that awful useless bloke (the one with the rather good record in the AP)and the awful training regime at Tigers and the awful players and the awful stadium, the pathetic pitch and the useless service in the ABC bar. Personally I think most haven't got a clue, especially about training in the modern era, neither can they actually muster up any evidence of star players leaving because of RC (as opposed to any other reason, like £££££).
Despite being a critic of some aspects of Tigers I think we have a good DOR, a good core to the team, a great set-up (without a sugardaddy), a great ground and an optimistic future.
I am happy to be contradicted by one of the posters on here who can demonstrate their presence at Tigers training etc, and detail why it is wrong, in evidence.

+1

I have no problem with others being unhappy with various aspects of Tigers season, we all are. While I may not agree with them on all points, we are all entitled to our opinions.

It is those who can see nothing good in anything that is happening that annoy me, along with their tendency to phrase their opinions as facts. And the way that anyone who dares to question their "we are absolutely rubbish" view is classed as a happy clapper and living in cloud cuckoo land.

When we have a nearly fully fit squad but are 11th or 12th after 7,8, 10 matches, then I'll almost certainly join them in saying we are absolutely rubbish, but not now.

Rant over

[Jeremy Anderson]

I am optimistic that Mauger will make a big difference. Our forwards won so much ball against Bath we should just needed to do more with it. I am also hopeful that Mauger would not have signed up with confirming his authority to make changes.
On the injury problem that has been with us for some seasons now, I was very interested to see Tait say in an interview that he has had a good run recently because he has learn from people like Bard Thorn to do plenty of stretching and mobility exercise after the normal gym sessions. Any good physio should know that the best way to prevent injury is to loosen the tight muscles off and stretch properly after excising. Neil Back in his autobiography makes the same point. However it appears out fitness coaches do not otherwise why does Tait have to learn about it from Brad Thorn?
BTW for any sort of stretch to do any good should be held for around 30 seconds. Less than 20 seconds does no good at all but just watch how long the stretches are held during the pre-match warm up. Nuff said.

[jgriffin]

I am optimistic that Mauger will make a big difference. Our forwards won so much ball against Bath we should just needed to do more with it. I am also hopeful that Mauger would not have signed up with confirming his authority to make changes.
On the injury problem that has been with us for some seasons now, I was very interested to see Tait say in an interview that he has had a good run recently because he has learn from people like Bard Thorn to do plenty of stretching and mobility exercise after the normal gym sessions. Any good physio should know that the best way to prevent injury is to loosen the tight muscles off and stretch properly after excising. Neil Back in his autobiography makes the same point. However it appears out fitness coaches do not otherwise why does Tait have to learn about it from Brad Thorn?
BTW for any sort of stretch to do any good should be held for around 30 seconds. Less than 20 seconds does no good at all but just watch how long the stretches are held during the pre-match warm up. Nuff said.

Interesting that a lot of sports science suggests that static stretching before exercise (as opposed to gentle Range Of Movement)is counterproductive and may precipitate injury, certainly if you take it to the endpoint. Afterwards, it's very OK though many use roller work or mobility stuff like the modish Kelly Starrett stuff. Sure that Tigers staff know this, all the serious gym buffs and deep CrossFit types do.

[Hot_Charlie]

My worry is he talks about not having enough firepower to break down Bath. In my opinion it's about not having enough guile.

That may have come with the ability to field a centre pairing who played a total of more than about 90minutes together before the Bath match. Tough in attack, leading to a slightly disjointed effort, probably even tougher to develop a defensive understanding.

[Bill W (2)]

As ever I shall KEEP THE FAITH!!

Best of luck Mr, Mauger, Sir!