Strong claws - Rob Andrew - Unbelievable!!

[fentiger]

Just as most of us thought he has stronger finger nails than most politicians....

http://www.rfu.com/News/2011/November/N ... esser.aspx

[Isambard]

Santa needs strong claws for all those chimneys and back passages.

[fentiger]

Entirely agree jgriffin, the major clubs must now take a stand. They owe this to the players AND the fans.
Without positive action there is a danger the game in this country will descend even deeper in the publics' eyes.

[Crumblies]

Is it now time for the clubs and the pro game to rise up against this perpetuating of the old farts and the awful RA?

Yes! England fans too!

[Isambard]

I don'y see the Peters rocking any boats at the RFU nor standing up against the old fart syndrome. To an extent they are part of it.

[fentiger]

I can't see either Peter Tom or Wheelbrace wanting to be associated with what has been going on in the RFU.
In light of how the RFU have allowed the big clubs to be hamstrung by the less well supported ones I would think the rumours of European Leagues etc are another step closer.

If Jeff Blackett gets the push who will they be able to appoint to prove they are prepared to put themselves under any kind of scrutiny?

[Smudge]

I read recently that most of the witnesses Jeff Blackett quoted in his report have refused to come forward. Very strange! He was supposed to be the white knight. His report is now worthless and should therefore be discounted.This after Martyn Thomas's QC absolved him of any misconduct.
Surely all those on the anti-Thomas bandwagon should at least pause and draw breath? You may just have pilloried the wrong bloke.
Unless you are board members of the RFU etc with access to the inner circle you can't possibly know the whole story.
Likewise with Rob Andrew. I have no idea what he does from day to day but the witch hunt against him sits very uncomfortably with me.
Surely if he was as culpable as so many claim why hasn't he been proven to be?
He may indeed be the villain of the piece but only those truly "in the know" can actually prove it. I therefore ask the question, why haven't they?
Certainly all is not as it may seem to "Joe Public".Conspiracy theories abound by the dozen.
All kinds of speculation, blazers, farts, self preservation etc etc. But unless you can prove your opinions as unrefutable facts (to evidential standard) they are not worth a candle.
Cue "Aliens Theme".

[Isambard]

I read the exact opposite from the fact that half of the witnesses did not want to talk again.
Thomas was mostly concerned with himself. Remember the letter he sent to Tigers shareholders? That was a blooming cheek and none of his business. It illustrates the man. If I had given evidence to the Judge, after what has happened recently I would not want to risk being leaked out of context. It is also True that Thomas threatened writs against the judge and other people if they dared say anything critical of him.

[sam16111986]

Likewise with Rob Andrew. I have no idea what he does from day to day but the witch hunt against him sits very uncomfortably with me.
Surely if he was as culpable as so many claim why hasn't he been proven to be?

Rob Andrew is an interesting one. On one hand every time he goes near the first team it's a disaster and he comes away looking a fool. On the flip side his job remit includes the age grade teams and the Saxons, who are getting better results and providing more quality players for the first team. He is also responsible for liasing with the PRL clubs and he was part of the committee that finally thrashed out a deal between the RFU and PRL which was the cause of near civil war for years before hand.

I think his banishment from the first team but continual employ elsewhere is a good thing.

I read recently that most of the witnesses Jeff Blackett quoted in his report have refused to come forward. Very strange!

Thomas threatened to take Blackett to court if he published his report, would you fancy coming out to voice your opinion knowing that you might be in line for similar treatment?

Remember the letter he sent to Tigers shareholders?

Details for the unenlightened?

[Kinoulton]

I would guess the RFU is like many corporate enterprises I've been in.

If, like MJ, you are in charge of managing people and acheiving results, then you get it right or get on your bike.

If you have a cosy job "upstairs" where you're called Director of Traffic or something, then you cosy up with the other freeloaders, protect yourselves, and let those at the coalface / shopfloor / field of play, take all the criticism.

[Smudge]

Griffb wrote

You obviously haven't had years of Rob Andrew's behaviour (why does Vickery and many old Wasps hate him, why did everyone call him Squeaky...do the research) or indeed years of the RFU (why did Carling abuse them all those years ago?). So your ignorance of nearly three decades of history proves your opinion is not worth a candle.

What a pathetic retort.

[Crumblies]

Griffb wrote

You obviously haven't had years of Rob Andrew's behaviour (why does Vickery and many old Wasps hate him, why did everyone call him Squeaky...do the research) or indeed years of the RFU (why did Carling abuse them all those years ago?). So your ignorance of nearly three decades of history proves your opinion is not worth a candle.

What a pathetic retort.

What's pathetic about it? At least he quotes examples which are evidentially true i.e. Andrew has not earned his nickname for nothing - fact; years ago Carling referred to the RFU as 57 old f**ts, and other notable figures (ie. not just newspaper hacks have been alluding to its continued existence for best part of 3 decades - fact

In you earlier post you quote no facts at all you simple make heresay about why people who gave evidence the Judge Blackett in private are reluctant to go public. Well considering the 57 Old f**ts have been covering their own self interested backsides all this time without consideration for anyone elses career or interests, would you?

You then openly admit you don't know what Andrew is supposed to do or what he is responsible for. Isn't that in itself an indictment. Someone who has supposedly been the 'elite perfoemance director' but we don't know what it is he is supposed to be doing in the role. In his time 3 Head Coaches have come and gone in quick succession and denounced as failures but he as their immediate line manager is responsible for nothing. Now he is being moved sideways so that he cannot be held accountable for a fourth.