NONAME wrote: ↑Sat Apr 28, 2018 10:52 am
The mistake was made when AM joined the club. It was clear to anyone who watches Southern Hemisphere Rugby the RC/AM combination would not work. Maybe there was an agenda to move RC out, which happened but AM was doomed to failure. He didn't understand Northern Hemisphere Rugby. Its a game based around a strong pack winning ball, competing at the breakdown. To do this you need very physical players who are normally well built. (There are exceptions). Afraid many of Tigers signings did not fill that role. Goodbye AM.
Hello MOC...inherited a squad low on confidence and in some cases not physically up to the job. No forwards coach as the deal struck with Bristol was once promotion was achieved the deal could be finalised. Forwards coach arrives...Instant improvement and winning run begins. All doing well until we have a weeks break. Play Northampton, should have been an easy win but too busy trying to score 4 tries rather than kicking the penalties and securing the win. Notably we had enough chances to to score 4 tries in open play but failed to finish off some great moves.
Top 4..a must win game against Newcastle. First try, everyone in the stand saw it coming, where were the guards? Tigers come back and as expected the game became very tight, For me their was 3 turning points in the game after Tigers seemed to be on top, MT and TAF leave the field and finally a Yellow card. (Although my player of the season Matt Tait came on and did a good job as always) I would suggest that none of these events were down to MOC.
Finally, how close are we to becoming a great team again, well how did we really do? were we thrashed in every game we lost? were we easily beaten? The answer is NO and how do I know that, just look at the table and see how many losing bonus points we got. An additional try in 2 or 3 of those games and we wouldn't be having this conversation. Thats how close we are.
I understand your point, but I can't say I agree with it. There are a number of faults that lay, not only at MOC's door, but at Glynns door.
Why do we only have one quality fly half? Where is the contest for the shirt?
Why do certain players get selected regardless of form or match fitness? (Thompstone, Ben Youngs, Dan Cole, Mike Fitzgerald, Graham Kitchener)
Why has the Tigers game plan all too often been to kick the ball away without a significant chase game?
Why yesterday, when we were 10 points up, did the game plan revert to said kicking the ball away?
Why has our home form been so dire? 5 losses in 11 in the league, 2 in 3 in Europe?
Why do the players lack any leaders, any direction, in games where we find ourselves on the back foot?
Where is the inspirational voice in the dressing room when things are at their worst?
Why are the basic skills falling off?
Why is there an utter reluctance to fully utilise players like Holmes, Evans, Wells, who have constantly shown they are worth a punt?
For me Matt O'Connor needs to go, he isn't the coach we need, and despite the senior players wanting him, he is failing to influence them successfully. We are going backwards and the board need to realise it, realise they made a mistake in appointing him in the first place and go back to the drawing board.