LEICESTER TIGERS 2017/18 SQUAD/TRANSFERS/CONTRACT THREAD PART 3!

[Hot_Charlie]

Te’o is a good player and would be an excellent signing.
But two things concern me about him.
1) His sole focus is on England, I can see him getting disinterested in union once the RWC is over.
2) Is pretty injury prone aswell and as with the above point seems to only care about getting fit for England rather than Club.

I agree. He was, to all intents and purposes, an RFU signing who just happened to go to Worcester. At least he's a moderately successful convert, unlike other England projects in the past.

[Stephen18]

In the DT today it says Teo may be going to Bath next season.

He should be an absolute priority for Tigers IMO. We need quality centres desperately, especially those that run straight and provide front foot ball.

Rumours have been floating around for a long while about him going bath, sound almost like a done deal. Great player but as mentioned will be in the england squad for at least 1 season, has hardly played for worcester this year due to injury and plays the same position as toomua.
I agree we need aleast one more quality centre maybe 2, as Gareth owen is also quite injury prone but has been great when he plays, so another whos not quite international but a great premiership player would be nice, a shame we couldnt get ryan mills seems a similar player to Anthony allen.

[fortysix]

Would not be surprised if Manu did not disappear, off to sunnier climbs, so in reality we would require a pair of really good centres.
After all Wasps have shedloads of back up players and we have circa 20 top quality players , a couple of teams of journeymen, a Coach who cant coach and a Board still living in the Dark ages.

But we do have a ground, money in the bank and a loyal fan base-----soon to be sorely tested..

[johnthegriff]

Must be very difficult for our management and coaches to get signings right in the fans eyes, they are criticised for signing a 28 year old forward with suggestions he is too old, yet there are suggestions that we should sign a 32 year old forward (Haskell) a 31 year old back (Teo) and a 27 year old Castres reserve with dodgy knees (Mafi).
Also we get posters eulogising over our very dubious neighbours who moved sixty miles away from their loyal fans and accuses our board of living in the dark ages with absolutely no justification.

[WhitecapTiger]

After all Wasps have shedloads of back up players and we have circa 20 top quality players , a couple of teams of journeymen, a Coach who cant coach and a Board still living in the Dark ages.

.....and some very fickle fans.......

[Stephen18]

Would not be surprised if Manu did not disappear, off to sunnier climbs, so in reality we would require a pair of really good centres.
After all Wasps have shedloads of back up players

He may choose to at some point but someone would need to make an offer 1st, which i cant see happening at the minute.
As for wasps back ups i think they actually have one of the smallest squads in the premiership, so when they get a number of injuries like that had at the start of the season, they struggle cause they dont have the back ups, and after sunday when they lost cips, willis, lovobalavu, watson, rieder. Hughes and haskell with england and eastmond banned. They coild struggle agains if some of those are out for any lenght of time.

[TTRITH]

IMO - Manu will be off to France. Relatively young (he's What, 26?) he's quietly got 3 or 4 games in his tank, and seems to be getting through them okay. I think a Sports Psychologist (something the club do seem to be in the dark ages about) maybe able to help his avoidance of tackles, but I can see Manu going off to France having a good two or three years then coming back across.

My concern would be replacing him. It took us an age to replace AA (we've still not replaced him in terms of defence organiser on the pitch).

[Tigerbeat]

I think a Sports Psychologist (something the club do seem to be in the dark ages about) maybe able to help his avoidance of tackles, but I can see Manu going off to France.

The Club, I am told, do use Sports Psychologists with the players. Manu will only go off to France if he does not see any future in the England squad.....possibly after next years world cup?

[BFG]

Must be very difficult for our management and coaches to get signings right in the fans eyes, they are criticised for signing a 28 year old forward with suggestions he is too old, yet there are suggestions that we should sign a 32 year old forward (Haskell) a 31 year old back (Teo) and a 27 year old Castres reserve with dodgy knees (Mafi).
Also we get posters eulogising over our very dubious neighbours who moved sixty miles away from their loyal fans and accuses our board of living in the dark ages with absolutely no justification.

You conveniently pick out the bits that suit you John!
What is difficult to understand is why a club would sign a 31 year old open side when they have young Evans knocking about, a young player who excelled at the U20 World Championship, has been looked at as potential by the senior international set up and can hardly get a game here!
It's not that players like Thompson or Denton or Mafi aren't very good because they clearly are, it's just that despite opinion on how good or not they might become, how on this earth are the likes of Evans or Fred T or Wells ever going to make the grade if they don't get enough game time!
If they are here and they are surely rated then play them!
Haskell it was suggested might be good for some leadership experience!

[strawclearer]

Jim Mallinder is set to succeed Danny Wilson as head coach of Cardiff Blues so one assumes that means Geordan remains with us. Time to work on those skills, Geordan!

[ellis9]

Must be very difficult for our management and coaches to get signings right in the fans eyes, they are criticised for signing a 28 year old forward with suggestions he is too old, yet there are suggestions that we should sign a 32 year old forward (Haskell) a 31 year old back (Teo) and a 27 year old Castres reserve with dodgy knees (Mafi).
Also we get posters eulogising over our very dubious neighbours who moved sixty miles away from their loyal fans and accuses our board of living in the dark ages with absolutely no justification.

This

[TTRITH]

I think a Sports Psychologist (something the club do seem to be in the dark ages about) maybe able to help his avoidance of tackles, but I can see Manu going off to France.

The Club, I am told, do use Sports Psychologists with the players. Manu will only go off to France if he does not see any future in the England squad.....possibly after next years world cup?

I suppose depends what EJs plans are. Obviously a fully fit, in form Manu will be a shoe in for 13, but will he get back there in this environment? To be honest, if I was Manu I'd be looking to move. Nothing against the club, or how they use him, but perhaps a change of scenery will benefit him mentally and physically.

[sapajo]

Jim Mallinder is set to succeed Danny Wilson as head coach of Cardiff Blues so one assumes that means Geordan remains with us. Time to work on those skills, Geordan!

Filled me with horror when MOC stated at the Supporters Forum that Geordan was now going to be responsible for skills throughout the club. Based upon our demonstrative, obvious and clear lack of skills in the first XV then why would now expand this self harm? Beats me

[johnthegriff]

Players learn to pass and catch and even tackle at school level, failure to do it at Premiership level is down to the individual not a clubs coaching or coaches. We have not been good in recent seasons nor have we been as bad as some would have us believe. Even the All Blacks some times knock on or miss a tackle they just do it less often than most, the game is about very small margins.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

I wonder with GM if he just struggles to get across to players what was so natural & easy for him? Was it Glen Hoddle as a coach, who used to get angry when players couldn't do what he did with ease.
The best players don't always make the best coaches, that list in all sports is huge.