Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

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POSTIGER
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by POSTIGER »

A disastrous season. We were only saved from ultimate humiliation by Newcastle somehow being even worse.

I'm worried about next season unless we bring in an experienced and proven coaching team. L.I. are investing heavily, Bristol will as well you'd imagine. If we're not careful then we'll be up against again.
I saw Marika Vunibaka play
TigerCam
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by TigerCam »

RP. So Cohen admits mistakes but insists he has the confidence of the board? " I'm an employee of the club and I work for the board. They can terminate my contract at any time but I have absolutely no intention of resigning whatsoever - I'm sure much to the disappointment of 24,000 fans." ....."If you have a really bad season everybody has to look at what they could have done better"

Firstly, IMO this is NOT a 'standalone poor season'. If that is his take on the problems of the Tigers (just one poor season) then I suggest that he should not disappoint the 24, 000 and just go?

He warns that it could take 3 years to sort out the mess created by having 3 different coaches since RC was fired in Jan 2017. IMO he is therefore not the person to sort out the 'mess' as it is of his + others making. I have as much hope of that as I do with PM May sorting out Brexit? Apparently, Cohen learnt some months ago that the Tigers did not have the right balance in the squad? Really! IMO it has actually been years and his and the other BoD members must have been operationally blind in that period?
Whoever said "one person cannot change the world' never ate undercooked bat
TigerS2
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by TigerS2 »

JP14 wrote: Sun May 12, 2019 8:42 am
TigerS2 wrote: Sun May 12, 2019 12:34 am
Tigerbeat wrote: Thu May 09, 2019 9:39 pm

There will be Euro pool games but in the Challenge Cup....
The Challenge Cup is a trophy a club like tigers should be ashamed to have in their cabinet. Saracens could be four times Heineken Cup champions next season. Leicester can’t even qualify, so sad.
Clubs have got to start from somewhere, your lack of reality is downright shocking!
I know exactly where we are now. It is shocking to see what they have become. They should start by winning games consistently. It is hard to believe they will never have the ability to compete again. I hope they prove me wrong.
cheltexile
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by cheltexile »

Cohen strongly intimated on Andy Goode's Rugby Pod interview that it was the 'rugby subcomittee' of the BoD that shoulders the burden for the carousel of coaches in the last few seasons, and that Kay & Underwood were the main culprits - he also suggested they intend to bring more directors of non-rugby background onto the comittee because it clearly wasn't working as is. Christ knows how that will help!

Sounds like absolute chaos at the top, unless all that it sorted is basically irrelevant what happens further down the chain. That said, he did say we have a new catering provider from next season as the current lot are well below par, so I guess thats something :smt017
kk20gb30
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by kk20gb30 »

Reading Simon Cohen's interview the explanations provided seem littered with contradictions - more ducking and diving than'Del Boy'; seems everyone needs someone else to blame other than themselves (individually and/or collectively).The problem however is that in the cold light of day the escalating decline of the club (in playing terms) is an inescapable fact.As supporters we are not responsible for that, and the fans want desperately something to cheer. Incidentally , when making mention of fans I do not refer to the keyboard warriors who hurl abuse from the safety of anonymity - they are not representative of Leicester Tigers and in all honesty I believe Mr.Cohen knows this and to an extent is using these abhorrent actions of the few to deflect away his and the BOD's own failings.
In business terms ,and our board is comprised largely of businessmen, this year may best be classed as not fit for purpose.The board have overseen this ,the fans have had to watch this ; twenty four thousand fans do not want you out Mr.Cohen ,they want you and your fellow Board members to execute your remit properly.
Seemingly heading rapidly toward senility .....Not long or far to go now , in fact, getting worse daily.....
strawclearer
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by strawclearer »

Simon Cohen's concern is that the role and scope of the rugby committee is no longer fit for purpose.

He's right.

Simon Cohen has great respect for the skills. competencies and awareness of the Board members and would like them to play a bigger role in producing success on the field as well as off it.

He's right there, too.
Happy days clearing straw from the pitch before the Baa-Baas games! KBO
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BFG
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by BFG »

strawclearer wrote: Sun May 12, 2019 2:21 pm Simon Cohen's concern is that the role and scope of the rugby committee is no longer fit for purpose.

He's right.

Simon Cohen has great respect for the skills. competencies and awareness of the Board members and would like them to play a bigger role in producing success on the field as well as off it.

He's right there, too.
He is right!
White is a great example of incompetency from academy to seniors.
As a playmaker he is as primed for development as a future Farrell-esque type 10 as I ever did see, and they have the kid playing at 9, no doubt because names are favoured at 9 and 10 and he doesn't quite have the pace off the mark to seriously challenge BY and is kept out of the way of seriously challenging the 10 who he is much better than physically, it's just stupid on a harmful level.
OTY is another example, McGuigan and Thacker should've been competing for that spot and driving eachothers performance levels with McGuigan driving Thacker to improve his set piece and Thacker driving McGuigan to improve his mobility, but neither were getting the opportunity.
Leicester is a politically motivated club from top to bottom and has been for quite a while now.
newport tiger
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by newport tiger »

DingDong wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 5:17 pm John, i've always admired your level headed responses to some dire posts on this forum, but to say you are happy with Murphy remaining as Head Coach is not one of them. You gave MOC 6 weeks to show an improvement whereas Murphy has had 8 months, and we are about to finish the worst season in the clubs professional and amateur history.

Murphy has added nothing as a coach, whether assistant or head, the team has been spiralling the whole season because he has not been able to ignite any synergy or continuity whatsoever. Like you i'm excited about the new signings, and with one or two more maybe we will have the squad formula to enable any 'experienced' coach to get us back on track. Murphy is not that man, and this season supports this opinion. Make Ford Head Coach and move Murphy to the DoR role so there's some stability, this is no time to put sentimentality over being fit for purpose.

No referee has cost us a game and no player has either, it was a combined lack of experience of Murphy and his poor game plan that has failed time and time again. Players morale deteriorated as a consequence, the lack of belief in a severely disjointed squad was clear to see all of this season.
I really don't get why so many people are in favour of making Murphy DoR, what have you seen in him that makes you think he should be promoted?
ABClub
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by ABClub »

If a head coach is brought in with on field responsibilities then Geordie could take care of the off field stuff.

Most important part of that is recruitment, which is looking much better for next season with Geordie in charge of it.

Next most important part, in my opinion, is linking the academy and development squad to the senior side. Tigers need to rebuild that foundation of younger academy players filling the squad as opposed to overpaying for squad players who don't have potential to develop. Geordie's time coaching the academy was successful and he is clearly happy to bring the development squad players through.

Whoever takes over as DOR/director of rugby operations/whatever it's called next needs to rebuild that pathway for young players coming through.

I'm not saying it's what I'm in favour of it but I do see some logic. I'd also point out that not all good coaches view DOR jobs as a promotion. Many are not interested in the off field side of things which dominate a DORs day to day activities. If Geordie taking on those roles could facilitate an experienced head coach taking charge of the senior squad then I could see it working.

There aren't an abundance of top level DORs floating around. I'd love Hansen as DOR, Wayne Smith as backs coach, Paul Gustard as defence coach and Dan McFarland as forwards coach but Tigers need to recruit an attainable coaching staff not a pipe dream.
chewbacca
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by chewbacca »

It feels as if rugby performance has not been the main priority for a number of years. Is it complacency, is it incompetance I dont know. The cause however matters not. Those responsible for the management and performance of the club have failed and should not continue to be rewarded for their failure.
I'm not cynical just experienced
Brutus
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by Brutus »

tigerssteve wrote: Thu May 09, 2019 3:40 pm
Brutus wrote: Thu May 09, 2019 1:07 pm
Big Dai wrote: Thu May 09, 2019 1:04 pm
Agreed in spades........but are you Bateman in disguise?
No, just a fan
I love Batman too, but every position on the pitch? Your tongue must be firmly in your cheek!
Not just on the pitch, he should be skills coach also.
Brutus
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by Brutus »

JP14 wrote: Sun May 12, 2019 8:42 am
TigerS2 wrote: Sun May 12, 2019 12:34 am
Tigerbeat wrote: Thu May 09, 2019 9:39 pm

There will be Euro pool games but in the Challenge Cup....
The Challenge Cup is a trophy a club like tigers should be ashamed to have in their cabinet. Saracens could be four times Heineken Cup champions next season. Leicester can’t even qualify, so sad.
Clubs have got to start from somewhere, your lack of reality is downright shocking!
+1
Tigers should be aiming to throw everything into the Challenge Cup so the team can start to experience being competitive again - if successful in the competition it will be particularly invaluable for the younger players who have only every experienced mediocrity in the senior jersey. Success is far from guaranteed though and I'm looking forward to seeing how the lads fare in the competition.
PaulinBroughton
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by PaulinBroughton »

I haven't posted for a long time but browsing through today thought Id chuck my thoughts in.
Having had a long allegiance with the club not just as a supporter but also an employee the one thing we always had was stability . From the coaching and playing side right through the back room staff. Some players came and went as is to be expected but quite a few were in it for the long haul. This has changed, be it through money, players can earn more elsewhere, lack of foresight, investment in the Academy and impatience, the need to try and buy success.
We need to get back to the core value of what we are about. Just look at the Premiership as a whole, most have stability on the coaching and playing side. Accept we may win nothing for a year or two but get back to being competitive and stable.
Is Geordan, the right man for the job ? I have to be careful here as hes a good friend but I think yes either as head coach or DOR. He needs someone experienced with him. As Stuart Lancaster is tied up with Irleland I'd go for Mike Ford. Some say he did nothing for Bath but like Lancaster with England he was shafted with the Sam Burgess fiasco.

In a nutshell, an experienced coach/DoR, good recruitment, investment in the Academy and Stability.
Almost forgot patience from the fans and the board.
BFG
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by BFG »

PaulinBroughton wrote: Mon May 13, 2019 1:15 pm I haven't posted for a long time but browsing through today thought Id chuck my thoughts in.
Having had a long allegiance with the club not just as a supporter but also an employee the one thing we always had was stability . From the coaching and playing side right through the back room staff. Some players came and went as is to be expected but quite a few were in it for the long haul. This has changed, be it through money, players can earn more elsewhere, lack of foresight, investment in the Academy and impatience, the need to try and buy success.
We need to get back to the core value of what we are about. Just look at the Premiership as a whole, most have stability on the coaching and playing side. Accept we may win nothing for a year or two but get back to being competitive and stable.
Is Geordan, the right man for the job ? I have to be careful here as hes a good friend but I think yes either as head coach or DOR. He needs someone experienced with him. As Stuart Lancaster is tied up with Irleland I'd go for Mike Ford. Some say he did nothing for Bath but like Lancaster with England he was shafted with the Sam Burgess fiasco.

In a nutshell, an experienced coach/DoR, good recruitment, investment in the Academy and Stability.
Almost forgot patience from the fans and the board.
I agree with you but I just can't see the pecking order being overcome to enable proper development until internal friendships with consistently underperforming players are finally ended.
I'd like to see the coaches given the chance but can't help but think that a fresh start with outside coaches with no favouritism is the best way forward.
Wells this season is another great example, Spencer apart the second row has been so poor and yet Wells could hardly get a proper look in all season, and then when he is called upon in fits and starts he simply doesn't possess the required match form to prosper.
I've heard Reffell's name for ages now but hardly seen a glimpse of him or others despite the very poor season.
johnthegriff
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Re: Thoughts & conclusions on the season.

Post by johnthegriff »

Sometimes injury has an effect on a players selection and international call up even at under 20 level means that player is unavailable, Wells is a great squad player but not as good over 80 minutes as Kitchener, Williams, Fitzgerald or Spencer in my opinion of course, I agree lock is s position that is not as strong as it was with Slater & Parling a few years ago. Reffell is a young flanker and I believe he will force his way into the starting fifteen in time.
The Academy for some reason, I don't think it was lack of investment has gone through a few years of not producing Premiership quality players however it appears that the changes made a few years ago are about to show results with Heyes, Reffell, Hardwick, White, Simmons and Olowofela leading the way. These guys are all showing promise, they are possibly not yet ready to be first choices in a Premiership team but all have a chance to secure a place in the future. Our Academy success at under eighteen in successive years bodes well for the future over the next three or four years but we have to get transition right.
I agree with BFG personal friendships and loyalties should not be part of the selection process. A coaches job depends on putting out the best team he can, of course there will always be discussion on this messageboard with various opinions on what that best team is.
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