Why didn't The Board wait til Tigers had full strength team

[Ian Cant]

A poster on here, and The Board probably thought the same, that Mauger had to go because of The Exeter home game! Well Exeter had, apart from Nowell, their first team playing, we had injuries and, as we all know the invaluable Cole out. Cockerill had no luck with injuries and was sacked. Look at Quins, England players return and so does the form. I though we would lose today because of the emotional reactions to the sacking. Glad to be proved wrong. Mauger deserved to be judged over a longer period of time. Pressure now on The Board and Matt O'Connor because there has been a huge improvement in the attitude of the whole squad over the last six weeks. Still gutted at Mauger going but will cheer the lads on for the rest of the season.

[trendylfj]

+1

[drc_007]

there has been a huge improvement in the attitude of the whole squad over the last six weeks..

Except for abject capitulation at home to Exeter on Mar 3rd.....

[TigerCam]

Listen to what Ben Kay has to say? IMO it does make it a little easier to understand?

[WhitecapTiger]

Mauger deserved to be judged over a longer period of time.

Whilst I was expecting AM to be given until the end of the season I think it's a bit misleading to think that he's only been judged since Cockers was sacked.

AM has been part of a coaching setup that delivered unsatisfactory results over a longer period of time. Harsh maybe and it could be argued that Cockers had the greater say but some of the play over a season and a half was painful to watch. He HAS been judged over a longer period of time, maybe not individually but judged nonetheless.

IMO, it wasn't that we were Good or Bad, it was more that we showed we could be excellent but followed up sublime performances with absolute stinkers - not consistent enough.

That said, I wouldn't have been bothered if AM had stayed as HC with a new DoR brought in.

Milk has been spilt, no point worrying, decision has been made. Just have to get on with it.

[wellstiger]

We are living in a disposable world.
Like football we are judged on immediate success. Easier/cheaper to dispose of Managers/coaches than several players.
The board and MOC will now be judged on their success.
What happens if we do not make play offs with MOC ??
Pressure is now on and we can only judge effects in hindsight.
Great balance within the win at Franklins with impact from the bench.
On paper who had the stronger team? BT punditry expected home win.

[MrPartridge]

Good post Wellstiger although interestingly bookies had Saints favourites and we were 6/4.

Irrespective of the decision to move on from Mauger, the timing is fascinating. We are in form and now are assured of Top 4 with 4 wins in April/May. After our 'Winter of Discontent' there seems an actual 'spring in the step' of Tigers helped by our first silverware in 4 years.

I wouldn't want to be MOC right now. Huge pressure from minute 1. Lose to Bath and I suspect there will be an immediate backlash 'why did we sack Mauger just as he was turning it around'? Having said that if our new friends Saracens win today we can lose to Bath with a LBP and still in all likelihood get 4 with 3 BP wins to end the season.

Hopefully 4 wins ahoy and a chance to focus on the longer term picture. One final Q: when did we last have 3 different coaches in a season?

[AlphaWiseOwl]

I think the Board have acted abominably and with unwarranted arrogance. This is not a recent problem either. How they can hold their heads up and collect their salaries is beyond my understanding. Straight out of the Alan Sugar 'bull in a china shop' school of man management. I also think that Aaron Mauger has acted with utter decency and good grace. How on earth he must have felt on that Monday morning can only be imagined. He probably thought he was being called in to be congratulated, even given a bonus, having secured our first silverware in how many years? I also think that the team on Saturday showed that they were made of better stuff than the Board. They fronted up, played themselves into the ground, WON THE GAME, and restored some pride in being a supporter. No wonder Mauger was tearful afterwards and could not bring himself to face the match day media. I am of the opinion that this current mix of Board members are not fit to be in charge of such decent players. The recent transfer debacle with Burns (our most prolific points scorer in recent times) being traded (unwillingly) for Ford is still unfathomable. Williams is heading off to Gloucester, of all places, and it's not even a Welsh club!! I hope for goodness sake the Board have a game plan for next season, especially when Ford and Youngs are away on England duty, because I simply can't see it!!

[tigercaspian]

Yes, some very interesting points in all this I agree.

The point about Mauger leaving, having pushed us back in to the top 4, is only a temporary one as MOC will be judged on next years performance and on after that, rather than this years in which the Board probably now regard a top 4 finish as a bonus rather than anything else. Although I am sure neither of them would, it does though leave Cockerill to say 'club always finished in the top 4 on my watch' and Mauger to say 'I put the club back in the top 4'.

The points about Burns and Williams are more serious though. Burns in particular has put in some wonderful performances over the last 3 months and has improved greatly since joining us. Williams, whilst his tackling has been shown up on a couple of occasions, has played well too, and has a siege-gun boot on him. Whilst I can understand that Williams may have gone for the money, Burns' departure looks much more stage-managed with a strong chance that this may leave us with a playing & points deficit.

[BFG]

Interesting reading through the mixed comments on the forum all round on this one.
Personally I think that it's too easy to let emotion get the better.
Yesterday was a great game and a great win but it's important to remember that Saints had their chances, it wasn't all rosy and given our scrum edge on the day which was quite comprehensive it still leaves question marks around the rest of the performance.
Christian Day should've really scored in the corner just before half time and Myler should've really split the post on another couple of occasions.
Saints blew it as much as we won it IMO, sometimes you need that playing away from home but IMO still a little off the level of Wasps, Exeter and Sarries who just don't blow those kind of opportunities.
Yesterday was fifth versus sixth in a push for fourth and that was about right.

[Noddy555]

The sad fact of all this is that management in Rugby is becoming as dicey as management in soccer with club boards probably driven by some crazy view of satisfying their sponsors they are all now adopting the short term approach to
hiring and firing, This only satisfies one profession i.e. the Lawyers who can make thousands if not millions of pounds on breach of contract cases. A sad reflection of modern life. Doesn't anyone plan for the long term anymore?

[LE18]

Mauger deserved to be judged over a longer period of time.

Whilst I was expecting AM to be given until the end of the season I think it's a bit misleading to think that he's only been judged since Cockers was sacked.

AM has been part of a coaching setup that delivered unsatisfactory results over a longer period of time. Harsh maybe and it could be argued that Cockers had the greater say but some of the play over a season and a half was painful to watch. He HAS been judged over a longer period of time, maybe not individually but judged nonetheless.

IMO, it wasn't that we were Good or Bad, it was more that we showed we could be excellent but followed up sublime performances with absolute stinkers - not consistent enough.

White Cap you are spot on, he was judged over the whole period. After he and Cockers decided they could not work together he got the nod to carry on. But out of the 8 games or so he had, we beat 2 bottom clubs, lost terribly to Exeter, he was not involved in the coaching for the 2 AW games, so the Exeter game was his downfall!