Does Cockers get the boot if we get smashed again this week

[Smudge]

The board were right to bring in someone with a CV like Bob Dwyer at the time they did, who shook the place
from it's roots to it's roof.
A world cup winning coach. He was very abrasive and ruffled a lot of feathers.
His reign was fairly short but he set things up for Wells and Deano and we soared as a club.Enjoying our most successful period.
Then Deano ran out of steam and we floundered, He was thought to need assistance in the job but staunchly refused any such diminution of his position.
Loffreda came as a high quality international coach but was booted out with little ceremony after a short tenure. We all know why.
Heyneke came but left for personal reasons after only a short spell.
I know there was some disquiet among the members at the time and I was one of them.
Cockers reared his head and was given the job as acting coach and it was thought by some and hoped by others that he would develop in the way that Deano did.
Although it may seem like I have always had it in for him, I was convinced at an early stage that he was out of his depth as both coach and man manager. Despite occasional flashes of improvement, we have continued to decline . Much to my distress. Believe me, it gives me no pleasure to be proved right. (And I think I have been now)
As many have said, it is not up to us, the members and supporters to advise the board who to appoint next. If they have any sense, they will have more than a few names in mind if push comes to shove.
Clearly, it needs a Bob Dwyer type shake up again, from top to bottom.
To leave it until the end of the season would be a disaster.Delaying the inevitable.
With a reputation for taking decisive action, it is amazing that changes weren't made by the board several years ago.
My simple recipe for the short term? Sack RC, Give Mauger his head in charge of all. Bring Johnno in as Forwards coach. See where we are at the end of the season. We can then consolidate or get a world class proven coach in.

[MrPartridge]

For me he IS Tigers

Wow. Some think the man is as big as the club!

[jgriffin]

WADR Smudge, there are 'facts' to contest and your 'recommendation to the Board' is, perhaps only to me, risible.

[mol2]

I am with Smudge.
The buck stops with the director of rugby.

We have dismissed the lower tier of the coaching staff. Yes, that is an open acknowledgement that the defence has been woeful but, we should also remember it's not been good for a few seasons so it's not an unreasonable thought to consider if, to use a boating analogy, we are tinkering with the trim when the problem is the rudder has fallen off.

[h's dad]

I am with Smudge.
The buck stops with the director of rugby.

We have dismissed the lower tier of the coaching staff. Yes, that is an open acknowledgement that the defence has been woeful but, we should also remember it's not been good for a few seasons so it's not an unreasonable thought to consider if, to use a boating analogy, we are tinkering with the trim when the problem is the rudder has fallen off.

The season before last Tigers conceded fewer tries than anybody else in the Premiership, a couple of seasons before that, second fewest. I am not happy with this season but that is hardly a poor defence for the last few seasons.

[trendylfj]

My biggest problem with RC is his honest comments which often lead nowhere. "If we play badly it is my responsibility, and it is my responsibility to put it right." "It is pretty raw now but we're back at home next Sunday and we have to front up and play better".
Statements like this we have heard for some time now and I respect him for his honesty and analysis for the situation which we all agree with to some degree but what happens next. It is great that he recognises that we have a problem and that it is his responsibility to fix it but I also hope that he also accepts that if he doesn't fix it that we need someone who can.

[Southerntiger]

WADR Smudge, there are 'facts' to contest and your 'recommendation to the Board' is, perhaps only to me, risible.

Your posts are risible ones, can't see past Cockers the greatest.

Unless one of us had a video of Steve Hansen saying he wanted Tigers job, you would consistently say there is no other option.

Will another hammering by Sarries or a loss to Racing open your eyes?

[Ian Cant]

I feel sorry for Cockers. He is Tigers through and through. The Board have decided to develop the ground at the expense of the squad and our highest paid player rarely plays. Cockers never shuns interviews so protecting Mauger, Murphy and Blaze, and may say the same things but what he says is a true reflection of how we have played. Since we beat Saints in the Premiership final, when Cockers rightly stormed to the touch line to let the officials know that if they didn't act to protect his players then the players would react, the poor bloke was castigated and has since has behaved incredibly well. Maybe if he is allowed to go back to his snarling best the pack will do the same. We never hear from The Board so never know how they feel or how they will help fix problems on and off the field. If I am annoyed at anything it is The Board. Now though is the time for us ALL to get behind the team, cheer, shout, stamp our feet and inspire them I too get frustrated at our defensive frailties, moan, get grumpy in defeat but then want to support Cockers and the team to play with the Tigerish passion we expect. One last thing, consistency in selection I believe is paramount to finding form. No more resting or rotation. Pick the best team available and let them play a few games together. Come on Tigers.Roar.

[Tigerpete]

Cockers should have gone a couple of years ago. It's only going to get worse. Just saying 'he is tigers' is completely missing the point. The club has everything going for it but the team has been going backwards for two or three years now with absolutely no sign of it turning around. It's sad, everyone feels sorry, but the club need to act...

[Tigerbeat]

Disagree in part that Tigers have gone backwards. They have always been consistent in finishing top four for the past decade or so, never having being threatened with relegation or even qualifying for the Challenge Cup. The bar was raised and other teams have bridged the gap and in some cases surpassed Tigers.
There are only three pieces of silverware on offer each year and they are very competitive. Great to have a target of winning them but not winning them does not make the season a failure.

[G.K]

What I still don't get is:

- Loffreda comes in half way through the season, we get to two finals, which I accept we lost, and he propmptly gets the order of the boot.

- Accepted that Cockers had some success a few years back but has now had two seasons (probably three this season) where we don't even get to any finals and yet we have to continue and just hope it gets better?

Don't get me wrong - I'd have preferred it otherwise and I don't think it's all his fault but I can't see how he can continue as DoR unless there is a significant turn around and rapidly.

[strawclearer]

An interesting article in the Torygraph. Even the most cynical can't miss Cockerill's pain at the current situation and his determination to put it right...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/ ... rd-cocker/

Separately, Nick Mullins tweeted...

"As you'd expect, Richard Cockerill was at his defiant, "follow-me-into-battle" best with us today. Then led a ferocious defence session."

[ourla]

An interesting article in the Torygraph. Even the most cynical can't miss Cockerill's pain at the current situation and his determination to put it right...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/ ... rd-cocker/

Separately, Nick Mullins tweeted...

"As you'd expect, Richard Cockerill was at his defiant, "follow-me-into-battle" best with us today. Then led a ferocious defence session."

Cockers is a top bloke IMO and I really hope he turns it round. Nothing would give me greater satisfaction. I notice he didn't explain why we've no No. 8 in the squad though.

[Noddy555]

McPartridge for me he is the Tigers referring to Cockers. What utter nonsense.
No one person is the Tigers, The Tigers are a complicated mixture of the fans, the local community and yes the past players do play a part, but one might as well say Martin Johnson is the Tigers or Rory Underwood, the entire Tuilagi family or even my mate good old Peter Wheeler, (I know he won't mind me calling him old because he's almost two years younger than me). The truth is the Tigers are a rich tapestry where everyone who has contributed to it's history and no one individual is more or less important than everyone else.

[kend]

My simple recipe for the short term? Sack RC, Give Mauger his head in charge of all. Bring Johnno in as Forwards coach. See where we are at the end of the season. We can then consolidate or get a word class proven coach in.

I'm sorry, but this makes no sense at all. Mauger is has one season's experience of both head coach and the AP and you propose giving him full responsibility (he's already head coach and therefore making the playing decisions? How much more headroom does he need?). It was a risk appointing a head coach with no experience, it would be crazy to remove the experience around him. Bear in mind that the defence coach was Mauger's man, and that hasn't gone well. Potentially you would be setting a good man up to fail.

The appointment of Johnno has become an 'article of faith' for some - rather like the return of Deano used to be before his difficulty at the stoop. I'm not saying he couldn't be a great coach, but he doesn't have a track record. You would certainly want to know before you divest yourself of a current coach.

I hope the wise heads on the board are taking a rounded view. If Cockers is replaced before his contract term ends, you need to be pretty damn sure you know what the problem is and you have the solution to resolve it. Otherwise Tigers are likely to do a 'Lancaster' and appoint the wrong person in a hurry at the wrong time. Such mistakes are expensive. As would be divesting ourselves of Cockers, Mauger or both.

I'll caveat all that by saying that if the relationship between Cockers and Mauger really has broken down (I note there is no attribution for those stories), then you might act on one or the other.