Geordan Murphy leaves the club!

[chewbacca]

A sad end to a great career at the club after a disappointing last couple of years. Will always be remembered for his playing and rightly so, up there with the very best.

[sjm]

Geordan ,Rory and two coaches in a month something is going on we need more than just the club statements, but apart from that Geordan was a great player who i have had the honour to see through his time with us

[RagingBull]

Suspect might be all linked.
Rory going cause he didn’t agree with the Murphy call.
Maybe Stanko was team Murphy and saw Borthwick taking on more control of the squad this off season, decided now was the time.

Taylor and compassionate reasons is the outliner.

[PGD]

"By mutual consent". I should coco: in the last sentence Tom says: "it was a difficult decision." No doubt in my mind: Geordie was sacked & I suspect, as has been opined: Rory going as well wasn't unconnected.

But, at the end: thank you, Geordan, a truly solid servant to the club & a delight to watch play. I will never forget that dropped goal from inside the Tigers' half, it got a bigger cheer than some tries!

Wherever you go, whatever you do next, my very best wishes. You were a favourite of this fan, and many more besides.

[chappie]

Sounds like we need a LTTV special, thanks for everything Geordie, a true gent and what is more the last of the Golden era to leave the club

[TigerMac3]

As a player and ambassador for our club, he was up there with the very best. Superb athlete, club man etc. However, I don't think that there are many on here that would argue that he has done very little over the recent past to justify his move through the ranks;

Promoted to Skills Coach (due to being a 'gun' player) = our skills were :censored:
Promoted to Interim Head Coach (due to being a good bloke) = disaster
Promoted to Head Coach (due to being a good bloke) = disaster x2
Promoted to DoR (due to being a good bloke) = disaster, BUT he did push the re-integration of academy players

Wish him all the very best, but am looking forward to seeing what Borthwick can do with full control. Was never going to end well when there were conflicting reports over who was picking the starting XV

[fentiger]

Thanks for everything he has done for the club, on and off the field. All the best for the future

As a club we certainly don't make the headlines on the pitch like we used to but sure do make 'em off it!

[TigerCam]

I've got a lot of rugby shirts in the wardrobe, but only two have have names and numbers on them. One is an old London Welsh shirt with a Number 8 on the back for Mervyn Davies. The other is the first Tigers shirt that Canterbury did for us and it's got 15 and Murphy on it. Thank you for everything you've done for us Geordan.

"Merv the Swerve". What a player! Loved watching him play even if he was in a red shirt, many a visit to the Arms park. Proper rugby, no lifting in the line out, proper ruck ball - wonderful!!

Geordan was was a bit special to either in a Tigers or Irish shirt. Not entirely surprised by the announcement. Best wishes GM.

[tigerburnie]

I would also like to say thanks to a great club servant, all the best for the future.

[BigDan50]

Murphy had a Stella playing career with Ireland and Tigers but was way out of his depth as a coach and DOR, sad to to see anyone lose their job but the board should have made this decision a couple of years ago.
It’s good to see that we a now recruiting coaches etc outside of the so called Tigers family, we should have done it years ago.

[mol2]

After the restart we had a new head coach but did the game plan change? Perhaps we performed better but the game plan seemed largely unchanged. A few interchanges between Nadolo and Steward aside it was more of the same. Perhaps drilled better & certainly fitter but not evolution let alone revolution.

I suspect it became a choice of back the head coach or remain with the status quo.

[JP14]

After the restart we had a new head coach but did the game plan change? Perhaps we performed better but the game plan seemed largely unchanged. A few interchanges between Nadolo and Steward aside it was more of the same. Perhaps drilled better & certainly fitter but not evolution let alone revolution.

I suspect it became a choice of back the head coach or remain with the status quo.

I suspect the same.

[Ashurstwoodtiger]

I echo most of the sentiments mentioned above. Geordon was (and I still think) a true Tiger in every sense of the word. I wold have liked to have seen him see out his contract to enable us supporters to see if he actually had the makings of a good DOR and hopefully have seen the team move towards where it should be. However for what ever reasons this was not to be and the people who called for him to go on this forum have got their wish.

I hope that what he has achieved in bringing the young blood into the first team squad does not go backwards and Mr Borthwick can continue and progress in the foundations that were being built. Also if Mr Borthwick is now in supreme control of on field matters some real building can now commence. this maybe harder now that we have lost two good coaches recently, but who is to say that replacements have not already been put in the pipeline and will be announced shortly.

Failing all this maybe ring fencing will be a good idea (although I personally do not think so) however if all else fails maybe our next next sponsor should be WWF as part of their "Save the Tiger Campaign"

Geordon thanks for everything you have given to the Club however painful it must have been a times a TRUE LEGEND and TIGER through and through all the best for whatever the future holds for you

[kend]

So what Tigers need for the new season is a period of calm and stability. Oh.

Whatever you feel about Geordie's performance as DoR, to sack him (I agree, despite the 'mutual consent' bit, Tom's reference to 'a difficult decision' implies otherwise) 2 weeks before the start of the season is a startling thing to do. It doesn't feel like an organisation in full control of strategy. Surely they would have acted at the close of last season. Or before that given we were safe from relegation.

The turnover at non-exec level is interesting as well.

Still, at least we have a fully staffed coaching team led by an experienced head coach with a track record of turning teams around despite the turmoil above them......

[Noggs]

I have no direct knowledge of the situation but I suspect the dire financial state of the club has much to do with this. If this came about as a result of discussions about a new contract post this season I can see the club looking to save money by reducing the role of 'Director of Rugby' which in effect is a demotion of sorts. This is also born out by the fact that they are not looking to recruit a direct replacement.

As a player Smurf was one of the best and has brought huge amounts of enjoyment to myself and countless others throughout his playing time. For that alone he goes down in the book of club legends and like others I thank him for his contribution over the years and wish him and his family all the very best for the future.