Murphy appointed head coach

[G.K]

Somebody please take those spades away from the BoD. Thanks.

[Grimlish]

Could it be we know who the new Defence Coach will be but that it was a condition of appointment/accepting the role that Tigers had a permanent guy at the top of the tree?

Good luck to Geordan - of the course the best make their own luck!

[Scott1]

Interesting theory,or it could be Mike Ford coming as defence coach and Murphy wanted the Head Coach job nailed down?!

[ellis9]

Interesting theory,or it could be Mike Ford coming as defence coach and Murphy wanted the Head Coach job nailed down?!

Maybe the board simply have faith in Murphy and believe he is the best man for the job.

[Yorkietiger]

Although I consider GM a great player in his day, and undoubtedly a loyal and faithful servant of the club, I fail to see how that qualifies him as a top class head coach. He has no experience and no proven track record. His time as interim head coach has seen us deliver the worst set of results since 1975.

Now, I fully accept the latter is not all down to him, for sure the players equally are responsible. That said, I cannot see how he is going to turn it around, what is needed is a seasoned coach who has seen it before and has a proven record of delivery.

I wish him well but fear we have not yet hit the bottom of this decline.

[ads]

Well done and good luck to GM. I do think he'll be a good coach at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Ugo Monye says we have the best scrum in europe. We were stuffing racing in the scrums on Sunday. With a decent defence coach and some confidence we could turn this season around. I think we have the players, we just need to get them playing!!

[fentiger]

So Geordan inherited the side from MOC that had no proper pre-season, he has had, almost certainly, no input into choosing the squad, a bare minimum of coaches to assist, and still so many are lining up to knock the man!
As others have asked, who else is available? Who else would be willing to pick up the poisoned chalice? He needs and deserves our full support.
Regarding the BOD, so many dodgy decisions, now they must equip him with the tools to do the job!

[TigerCam]

Well! The BoD pass on the poisoned challis!! I do genuinely wish GM the very best. However, my glass that is normally half full is decidedly on the empty side. As has been said, if the Tigers are still in the bottom 3 come the end of the 6Ns then relegation may be more than likely? As has been said by many different commentators, the Tigers are at their lowest in 4 decades given the talent of the squad on paper? It will take a really big effort to turn it around!

[tigerssteve]

Murphy is a great backs coach, nothing more... And the best spiral kick I've ever seen. But why oh why are the Board so blind to the obvious - the club is in disarray and uncles Cohen and Glynn are Teflon ..... Well falling season ticket revenues stick, fans in uproar sticks, worst run since 1975 sticks!! But it's ok we've got a great ex player still fumbling on and a Board of ex players (and a few others) still fumbling along.

I hope the waiters in the new hotel don't drop as many drinks as we've done points or the bar takings will also be in terminal decline!!

Great backs coach? Evidence please! Love the guy but the old adage is you promote people to their level of inefficiency, he's long past his. It's actually cruel, the Board getting themselves a ready made scapegoat.

[tigerssteve]

Ok I'll come off the fence. I hope all goes well for Geordan because
A) l like the bloke.
B) I like the bloke.
And
C) l like the bloke.

What can I do to change the appointment? Rock all. To paraphrase a Scouse mate of mine "One has to perform with the equipment one has." So let's get on with it. Hang on. It's going be a bumpy ride.

I agree with all three of your reasons. Hanging on tight!

[PGD]

Is Geordie the right person to lead the coaching team? I don't know, time will tell. What I know is what I hear: confidence is rock bottom, Geordie himself after the Racing game said pretty much that, IIRC.

How many hands have been on the coaching handle in the past few years? I've honestly lost count. The last thing the players need now is to be thinking "he's interim, when does his hands get chopped off the tiller too?"

I'd argue this is the best thing the BoD could do right now. There's an old military saying: good leadership is the art of making a quick decision. So much the better if it's the right one, but just making the decision is key.

Others here have been critical of his past coaching performance. Head coach is different from skills: that was engine room stuff, now he's on the bridge, managing others & looking at long term strategy, which he can do now.

I hope he'll flourish in this secure (well, more secure) role. Just because he didn't in the skills role before is no indication. The opposite way round to Johnno: outstanding captain on the field, but in a suit...

My feeling is to write off this season. It's going to take more than a handful of games to turn us into a world beating club again, which is another important reason to confirm Geordie in the role: it will take time. Our decline wasn't overnight, nor will our recovery be. I'll be happy to be mid-table, delighted to be in the Champion's Cup, ecstatic to be in the play-offs.

Rebuild in the summer & next autumn: CHALLENGE!

I hope I'm right. All the best Geordie; I'll be back in the Crumbie for the Quins game, getting a sore throat shouting "Tigers!"... again.

[Spicer]

I think they had to do something about the "Interim" status. It seems strange to appoint somebody who has lead us to 8 losses in a row. I don't know who, if anybody, is available but this appointment has me very worried.

Time for Murphy to prove himself.

[sapajo]

I'd argue this is the best thing the BoD could do right now. There's an old military saying: good leadership is the art of making a quick decision. So much the better if it's the right one, but just making the decision is key.

I completely disagree, the BoD making quick knee jerk decisions is precisely what has landed our club in this mess big time.

[PGD]

I'd argue this is the best thing the BoD could do right now. There's an old military saying: good leadership is the art of making a quick decision. So much the better if it's the right one, but just making the decision is key.

I completely disagree, the BoD making quick knee jerk decisions is precisely what has landed our club in this mess big time.

Valid point, accepted. But the difference now is that we lacked a firm condition with only an interim & risked players feeling even more unsettled. This might not be the right decision (I hope it is), but at least it stops some speculation.

[JWM]

Geordan Myrphy’s appointment is good news imho ... with five caveats.

1. A good defence coach.

2. No recriminations on Brett Deacon or Ant Allen, so they they can return to what they’ve been so good at, Academy/development.

3. Geordan has been appointed. However the season goes, there needs to be some stability for the club, the players, and for him. A significant figure is needed as mentor/advisor for Geordan to support him in his development into the DoR I feel confident he can be.

Without stability, it will look as if the BoD were wrong to sack Cockers, and in the support/or not given to him in the second half of his tenure.

4. A significant review of Tigers’ management structure, along the lines suggested by Austin a couple of weeks ago.

If the BoD has to keep sacking DoR/HC then the more fundamental problem is with those who make the appointments.

5. A thorough review of playing staff, needs, and succession policy.