Dan Mckellar

[milesanderson]

Leicester seem to have had the ability over the years to employ, at times, the least capable of coaches; such an example I believe is Dan Mckellar, someone who has reduced the Tigers to 8th place in the league. This is a side brimming with international talent and yet they have in the last few months become devoid in basic skills and any imagination. DM has no history with Leicester and seems incapable of allowing players to make decisions on their own. Why on earth are we employing an Australian coach when we have so much home grown talent? Saints seem to be able to do it so why not us , likewise Exeter , Quins and Sale . And why are we spending a million on Pollard when we have Shilcock who proved himself over and over again at the start of the season.

[RagingBull]

I’m sorry you lost me at no history at tigers

That’s like the least important thing ever and some fans need to accept

Like wise I don’t get the whole employing an Aus coach has to do with local talent. Saints had a Kiwi that laid the foundations for them….

And to top it off suggesting Shillcock is better than Pollard seeesh

Like I get the whole McKeller might not be suited but there are better arguments that grrrr buy british.

(Also just gonna say Borthwick won the league with prob the most rigid game plan in the league, not saying I like it)

[Ian Cant]

We might have lots of international talent but the hugely talented Henderson has been out all season; JVP, Martin and Chessum also missing through injury.
Pollard has never hit anywhere near the heights of the World Cup but I’m not sure he’s ever been fully fit. Basset, Simmonds, Watson so unlucky with injuries.
Heyes too been out as has Montoya at crucial times.
What did we all think of Borthwick first and last half of a season: well not a lot: I saw some awful thrashings away at Sarries, home v Sale etc etc but we were patient with him.p as he had assembled some great coaches.
Dan has had to work without a backs coach which if Fordy had been around I’m sure he’d have taken over.
Next week v Exeter will be another extremely difficult game but it will be the work done in the Summer that will see a couple of new coaches coming in!
Exeter had a tough time last year but stuck with Baxter and look what he has done.
Dowson and Vesty have admitted it was the work of Boyd that set this season up.
I’m happy to get down to Welford Road next Saturday and cheer the Tigers on.
Oh yes, having travelled up to Sale over many seasons last night was the best I’ve seen us perform since 2018/when surprise surprise George Ford inspired us to an excellent win on a Saturday.
Good luck Dan and all at Tigers. We have no right to be top of the table but we expect to be. I ask any fans who doubt some of the players’ attitude or the coaches to watch again last nights game. Being there some of our tackling was immense from Pollard, Steward, JVP, Kelly, Scott, Martin and Carnduff.
The overthrowing at the line out needs sorting but Montoya, FTT and Vanes are much better throwing in!
Another problem is that with so many players injured training has been difficult because we’ve not had the quality to train with and against.
Keep The Faith.

[johnthegriff]

Unusual comment by the original.poster, I seem to recall that when new coaches have been appointed the normal criticism why are we going for a former player despite the success of Richards, Wells, Howard and Cockerill and of course when you look at other clubs former players are often important to their success.
It is too soon frankly to say whether McKellar is right for us or not, this has not been a normal season, the improvements we all have a right to expect next season will.tell us if Dan is our man or not. He has no history with Tigers but he has a chance to write a new chapter in the Tigers tale let us all.hope that after a stuttering start it becomes an epic.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

That terrible Australian Pat Howard was obviously the exception that proves the rule that British is best...

At present the performances of our teams on the pitch rather mirror the overall performance of the club in general.

[OakhamTiger32]

It’s a funny old season isn’t it.

We have been on the back foot by losing Borthwick, Sinfield and Walters. Add in to the mix the International players who have been unavailable during the RWC or 6N (Montoya, Cole, Heyes, Chessum, Martin, Reffel, Wiese, JvP, Youngs, Pollard, Watson, Steward). Then you look at the fine margins: narrow last minute defeat to Glos, a game we should have won. Then there's the Bristol game.. don't even get me started on that one.. I know you can’t say what if.. but we would be right in the mix for top 4 if we had seen off Glos at MWWR and held on to our 19 point lead against Bristol.. and that is despite losing a chunk of the coaches and having a very disrupted season with players coming and going.

For me the Saints game said it all. First half, we looked fantastic and nullified the form and top team in the league (on their home turf). Then Ill discipline hurt us. Too many cards of late and the red was where it all unraveled. Kata didn’t go flying in to make that hit, you know I fancied us to get the result there with only 20 to play. Fine margins. Yes the scoreline flattered Saints but we played some great rugby away to the best/top/form team in the league.

So for me it’s been a strange old season. Yes we sit 8th but it’s a packed table and we were a few minutes away against Glos from moving up to 2nd/3rd. Hold on against Bristol and who knows.. top 4 contenders for sure..

DMK arrived without a preseason, without a significant chunk of his coaching set up (defence, attack, fitness) and without a large amount of his senior players (2. Montoya 3. Cole 4. Martin 5. Chessum 7. Reffell 8. Wiese 9. JvP 10. Pollard 14. Watson 15. Steward to name but 10 of our starting XV missing) and were it not for a few close results or last minute losses we would be right in the mix for top 4... and that is despite all of the aforementioned hurdles he has faced.. and this is his first season! Give the chap a break...

For me it is simple. We need a fitness coach. We need an attack coach. We need a few players to strengthen the squad and we need to work on our discipline and keep 15 on the field.. But we need consistency. Give DMK a full preseason with the majority of the squad, with the coaches in place and then we can start to judge..

We have had such a huge turnover in coaches and players (Genge and Ford for example are hard to replace) over the last few years we need stability. I honestly think we will turn the corner but only time will tell.. any new coach deserves time with a full squad, preseason training and a full compliment of coaching staff to assist.. none of which DMK has had..

[Tiglon]

All fair points, let's sack off double world cup winning Pollard for Shillcock, and only employ English coaches because xenophobia is definitely the best strategy.

Or, just stop taking drugs and join the rest of us in the real world?

[kk20gb30]

For every Matt O'Connor , there is a Pat Howard or a Bob Dwyer....For me its about ability not nationality.....

For me, jury out on Dan McK 'till this time next season.

[Rugbygramps]

For every Matt O'Connor , there is a Pat Howard or a Bob Dwyer....For me its about ability not nationality.....

For me, jury out on Dan McK 'till this time next season.

Totally agree with this and if we haven’t moved on significantly by that time then calls for him to move on would be correct imo

[sapajo]

For every Matt O'Connor , there is a Pat Howard or a Bob Dwyer....For me its about ability not nationality.....

For me, jury out on Dan McK 'till this time next season.

Totally agree with this and if we haven’t moved on significantly by that time then calls for him to move on would be correct imo

So all this talk of next season and D McK what will be the height of the bar for next season that he needs to clear to keep his job?

[Leicestertinytiger]

I agree about next season. What is the target?

If we get 6th then arguably much better than this season. But is 6th spot really going to be acceptable or is the target more likely going to be top 4.

Top 4 would be a massive uphill battle given the quality of other teams this season.

[johnthegriff]

The target is winning all competitions, acceptable is winning just one. Realistically we need to see clear sign of improvement, top four is the minimum target, top six maybe acceptable.if there are clear signs that we are.on the way up. For me that is a more attractive rugby, although winning in my book comes first but I want to be excited, I also want to see young players coming into the team and developing into great players. Wherever we finish next season I want to be able to believe that the following season will be even better, I did not feel that after the Borthwick Premiership win.

[mol2]

The most concerning thing has been our form at the tail end of the season. Internationals back but looked like 15 players and not a team.

Undoubtedly hampered by some poor recruitment - loose head and wing being obvious gaps, made worse by injuries.

Conditioning hasn’t been up to Premiership level, let alone the level we reached with Aled Walters in place.

My other concern is the attack coach situation. When it became clear the incumbent was going to be a long term absentee, and it soon became clear there wasn’t the skills within the rest of the coaching set up to cover his absence, why wasn’t the head coach demanding we bring in an alternative, even if on a short team basis. Players are running at defenders and not at space with no support the enable an effective offload.

[sapajo]

Wherever we finish next season I want to be able to believe that the following season will be even better, I did not feel that after the Borthwick Premiership win.

I feel that way now and that does not excite me

[Wellscity]

DMK is here for next season. Give him the right tools to get the best from the team he will have / want
This is what has been lacking this season. Always a hill to climb following his employment.
If same chaos continues - lack of attacking structure. Discipline and lack of fitness then and only then should the club re think his employment status.
For me 5th place is doable given how other teams are performing.