Borthwick

[ay2oh]

Bitter or what

[TigerBoy1880]

Bitter or what

He’s right though isn’t he?!

[sam16111986]

If he is to come in due course, I would like to see him every now and then at Oval Park and WR, making an initial assessment at first hand of the squad, back room staff and club. Coming in completely cold will mean that his opportunities to make significant changes this season will be limited.

Ackerman watched videos of training and set some specific training sessions so that the club would aligned to his ideas before he arrived. He did that from SA. Borthwick may well already have had an input. Depends when his contract was agreed.

As an England coach part of his job is to go round the clubs and spend time with prospective and current England players. I'm sure he'll arrange a few visits to Oval Park and Welford Road.

[Mark62]

Bitter or what

He’s right though isn’t he?!

Typical Cockers stating the obvious

[chewbacca]

Bitter or what

He’s right though isn’t he?!

Typical Cockers stating the obvious

Yes shame it wasn't obvious to those in charge.

[sapajo]

I am fussed!! It could be the difference between the GP and the Championship,Murphy is a busted flush dont know how anyone still can't see it!

None as blind as those that refuse to see

[kk20gb30]

When you look deep enough there are flaws to most coaches. which is kind of the point about coaches starting somewhere.
[/quote]

..right man, right place and at the right time..
the stars have to align for you.
We live in hope.

[markharbtiger]

Personally speaking, whilst there might be very good reasons for taking time, I wish that the club would hurry up and make an announcement on this matter, even if the timing of anything happening is much later in the season. The continuing uncertainty around such a key post is not helpful for supporters, and I doubt is much help to the players and other coaching staff. It would matter less if the team had made a much better start to the season.

[jgriffin]

Bitter or what

He’s right though isn’t he?!

Typical Cockers stating the obvious

Sacked for being in 5th.

[Mark62]

He’s right though isn’t he?!

Typical Cockers stating the obvious

Sacked for being in 5th.

Come on we all know that there was far more to it than that. Anyway why does it always go back to him being sacked, I commented on that what he said is what is clear and obvious to everyone

[johnthegriff]

Many people blame Geordan Murphy for last season's poor performance and in my opinion are judging too harshly on our start to this season which basically has been handicapped by the enforced absence of our first choice backs.
Lets examine just what Geordan inherited from M.O'C. Firstly the players were not fit enough and not Premiership ready by Matt's own admission.
Loose head, Genge, great player but inexperienced and time out for injury and internationals.
Bateman, unavailable for much of the season
Hooker. Youngs
Polatau Nau, away with Australia for much of season
Kerr, surprise inclusion in Scottish squad
Stevens out injured for most of season
Tighthead. Cole, excellent season,
Heyes good prospect but young.
Cortes, injured
Lock. Fitzgerald, not really good enough
Spencer, suspension and injury
Kitchener, past his best, and at his best was our back up lock
Wells, decent young lock, gives 100% but not international standard.
Blindside, Williams. Didn't live up to expectation.
Eight, Kalamafoni. Good player worked hard
Openside, Brendan O'Connor, often injured
Evans, often injured
Thompson, covered across the back row, good signing.
Nine. Ben Youngs, away for internationals not available after January
Harrison, decent cover,
White good prospect but young.
10 George Ford, great player but away for internationals
Joe Ford, good kicker but only Champonship standard player.
12, Toomua, away with Australia for many matches and not mentally with us when available.
Eastmond, unavailable too often with suspension and injury
Owen, injured not good enough
13, Tuilagi, great season after many injury hit years, also away with England.
!2/13 Matt Smith, past his best, now retired
Wings, May, great when not with England
Thompstone, injured for most of season
Holmes good replacement, but then involved with Wales and injured back end of season
Fullback. Veainu, injured all season
Matt Tait, injured all season
Worth, young and injured.

Young players like Hardwick and Olowofela made valuable contributions but in my opinion with that situation any coach would have struggled. We have started this season with a poor performance at Worcester but we would have won with better decision making on the pitch and more accurate goalkicking. Lost to Saracens with a weaker team than them on paper (and we know why), a very good performance against Gloucester, and a poor performance against Irish.
With a few England guys returning for the Pau match we did well and with a young team against Cardiff we exceeded expectations. Saturday versus Saints is pretty much our first actual first team game and now is when we start to judge where we are in relation to the rest of the Premiership.
I am sure there are players that will not be retained when their contracts end and new guys will be brought in probably also promotions from Academy and Development. I believe we are now on the right track, it will not be overnight but like others I want to see us climbing the table and I think we have the players and the coaches to do it. Time will tell whether or not I am right, if I am not then at least everyone will have been given a fair chance and many people on this board will be able to say that they told me so, if I am correct I will not be so rude.

[Mark62]

Excellent post Johnthegriff didn’t want to paste it all agree with all you say

[fleabane]

Johnthegriff, you make some relevant points, but make as many excuses.

Remember the days when we had 21 players away on international duty, plus injuries, and still made finals?

Poor recruitment of journeyman players, clueless coaching, poor fitness levels and an unpreparedness by the board and playing committee to be decisive and make changes are the problems!

[MCC1964]

Johnthegriff, you make some relevant points, but make as many excuses.

Remember the days when we had 21 players away on international duty, plus injuries, and still made finals?

Poor recruitment of journeyman players, clueless coaching, poor fitness levels and an unpreparedness by the board and playing committee to be decisive and make changes are the problems!

Define journeyman please

[johnthegriff]

I described what Geordan inherited, previous recruitment and Board decisions were not in his control, I assume he had some say in departures and recruitment for this season within the limitations of contracts, and I therefore expect to see improvements and indication of his playing style during the course of this season with further progress being made as contracts end. Should that improvement be as I expect then I see little point in further upheaval, stability will be more beneficial. If the improvement is not apparent then obviously surgery will be necessary.