Leicester are like Arsenal - and Lourdes?

[fleabane]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/ ... SApp_Other

[Leicestertinytiger]

Was literally saying this yesterday to a friend who is a big Gunner. The biggest similarity was both teams letting talent go and simply not replacing them with like for like quality. At first, the teams carry on with other players taking more responsibility. However, over a prolonged period of many seasons, the playing side suffers and both find themselves lacking against the top teams now in their respective leagues.

Let’s look at 2014. Flood, Mafi, Bowden and Waldrom left, none of them were replaced with similar standing players. Then in 2015, Parling, Salvi, Gibson and Matera left. Since then the squad has been in decline. We still have a very good XV, but lacking depth.

[Traveller]

No two clubs are perfectly comparable, but I’m not sure if these two clubs are comparable other than the fact that they are no longer competing for the big trophies.

The Arsenal success of the 90’s and early 000s was built on the foundations of traditional football under Graham (briefly Rioch), then being transformed because the directors had the courage to appoint a visionary in Wenger, allied to the boardroom influence / genius of David Dein.

Dein left, was never effectively replaced and the demise started. In his absence Wenger filled the vacuum, but other clubs adopted his ideas and beyond. However even under Wenger in the final five years they were still competing at the top end, if not for the top trophy. There was no implosion, just a decline.

Meanwhile the macro economic environment was transformed with the influx of sovereign funds, which rendered Arsenal's self-reliance model redundant. Allied to the increase in TV funding, which has rounded up the premiership.

Tigers demise has come because of the boards inability to look in any cupboard other than ones labelled ‘the past’. Just about every coach, assistant coach, board member, consultant has to be an ex-Tigers. Then of course the absolute lack of accountability at executive level. It isn't even regarded as an excuse, it is a badge of honour "That is not my area of responsibility."

A Head Coach can be fired at the very start, midway, at the end of a season. The coaching team morphs from not needing Attack and Defence coaches, to needing them, then firing them midseason (and even re-appointing them). No matter what happens, the board remains the same and the executives receive their monthly pay cheque.

[Robespierre]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/ ... SApp_Other

A very interesting article.
Lourdes rugby club is a prime example of how the mighty can fall. They won 8 of the 11 finals they played in (last title in 1968), and they currently play in Fédérale 2, the equivalent of the 4th division, and are bottom of their pool having lost each of their 8 matches this season and will inevitably drop to Fédérale 3.
Their most well known players were Jean Prat and Michel Crauste - true legends of French rugby.
Among other famous clubs who've been French champions who over the years have dropped down a level or two are Dax (Fédérale 1), Perpignan, Biarritz, Beziers and Mont de Marsan (ProD2).
In England, former big clubs like Moseley, Fylde, Waterloo, Rosslyn Park, Richmond and Blackheath will most probably never regain the dizzy heights of top class rugby. I'm not suggesting that Tigers will follow them but they're on the slippery slope and immediate action is essential to maintain their presence in the top flight.

[fortysix]

Lose the next three games with our Stars in situ, and you can kiss goodbye to Premiership--------- unless of course whoever wins the Championship isnt suitable/ doesnt exercise their right..

[mol2]

Do we need to go down to accept that we are not in the modern era in terms of coaching?

We have all the gear (players) but no idea.