Re: Liam Finn New Coach : Tue Aug 15, 2023 8:03 pm  

Hudd-Shay wrote:

Like Listenup94 says it's probably a sideways move. Whilst i think Liam will be a very good coach i would personally have preferred a split from any ex Halifax links. The one major problem for me is the talk from the club of having a 'good championship squad' next season. Does that mean we aren't aiming to win this season's Grand Final?

The problem is that unfortunately unless a club has a benefactor like Beaumont, prepared to take a gamble on promotion, signing up a superleague quality squad before promotion and increased funding is gteed, clubs have no alternative other than to plan and recruit for the same division.
The only way round that would be to severely limit signings until the end of the season, but in doing that you then almost certainly lose the majority of your better players who need to get contracts sorted early.
A thoroughly crap system totally weighted against any promoted team surviving. As Listen Up says, Featherstone who on paper at least have by far the strongest squad in the championship, would probably have to replace 80% of their squad to stand a chance of surviving in superleague.

Re: Liam Finn New Coach : Tue Aug 15, 2023 8:41 pm  

Listenup94 wrote:

My thoughts exactly, it’s a difficult one , having seen what leigh have done it shows how much money has to be pumped in to make that transition to superleague but you have to have some kind of ambition, this is what intrigues me about the statement durgan made at the end of his interview regarding off field improvements. Tbh I don’t think any of the current championship clubs are ready for superleague yet .

Mad to think that we have just appointed a new coach and you are pretty much saying the club lacks ambition, maybe I am not the only person who needs a bit of a reality check. What would you like the new board to say? We are aiming for SL? Its all well and good saying that but it does not take a rocket scientist to see that this group does not have the money to pump in to the club to get us to SL. Have they even delivered on the orginal promises that they made?

Re: Liam Finn New Coach : Tue Aug 15, 2023 8:45 pm  

Ilkley Fax wrote:

The problem is that unfortunately unless a club has a benefactor like Beaumont, prepared to take a gamble on promotion, signing up a superleague quality squad before promotion and increased funding is gteed, clubs have no alternative other than to plan and recruit for the same division.
The only way round that would be to severely limit signings until the end of the season, but in doing that you then almost certainly lose the majority of your better players who need to get contracts sorted early.
A thoroughly crap system totally weighted against any promoted team surviving. As Listen Up says, Featherstone who on paper at least have by far the strongest squad in the championship, would probably have to replace 80% of their squad to stand a chance of surviving in superleague.

Can also add to that if Fev or whoever does go up this season then it is totally irelevant what sort of a team they put on the field next season with there been no automatic promotion or relegation. Fev have probably gambled maybe close to 1.5m spend on getting to SL and pocketing the pot of gold in central funding that they would recieve for a place in SL and then praying to god they rank better than Cas or Wakey in the gradings in which case it would be money well spent. Can you imagine if they were not to go up though? Its no wonder their chairman is getting nervous.

Re: Liam Finn New Coach : Tue Aug 15, 2023 9:00 pm  

Greg Florimos Boots wrote:

Mad to think that we have just appointed a new coach and you are pretty much saying the club lacks ambition, maybe I am not the only person who needs a bit of a reality check. What would you like the new board to say? We are aiming for SL? Its all well and good saying that but it does not take a rocket scientist to see that this group does not have the money to pump in to the club to get us to SL. Have they even delivered on the orginal promises that they made?

We have appointed a coach who is very similar to the one we had , I really don’t understand how you wanted Grix out because he didn’t achieve what you thought he should which I assume can only be a 2nd place or above finish but then laugh at my suggestion that the interviews didn’t show enough ambition, I’ll be honest I’ve come to the conclusion that you don’t actually know what you want . The statements made by durgan was more focused on off the field whatever that entails.

Re: Liam Finn New Coach : Tue Aug 15, 2023 9:18 pm  

Greg Florimos Boots wrote:

Mad to think that we have just appointed a new coach and you are pretty much saying the club lacks ambition, maybe I am not the only person who needs a bit of a reality check. What would you like the new board to say? We are aiming for SL? Its all well and good saying that but it does not take a rocket scientist to see that this group does not have the money to pump in to the club to get us to SL. Have they even delivered on the orginal promises that they made?

I would like the new board not to have signed up to a system which basically ensures we are playing friendly fixtures for the foreseeable future.

Re: Liam Finn New Coach : Tue Aug 15, 2023 9:20 pm  

Listenup94 wrote:

We have appointed a coach who is very similar to the one we had , I really don’t understand how you wanted Grix out because he didn’t achieve what you thought he should which I assume can only be a 2nd place or above finish but then laugh at my suggestion that the interviews didn’t show enough ambition, I’ll be honest I’ve come to the conclusion that you don’t actually know what you want . The statements made by durgan was more focused on off the field whatever that entails.

Sorry my comments were quite tongue in cheek. I actually don't ever remember saying that I thought Grix should be sacked FWIW but you and faxcar seem to be running with that...........

Re: Liam Finn New Coach : Tue Aug 15, 2023 9:23 pm  

Hudd-Shay wrote:

I would like the new board not to have signed up to a system which basically ensures we are playing friendly fixtures for the foreseeable future.

I kind of agree but what are the options? Realistically unless someone has a spare couple of million laying around then we are not getting promoted if we had traditional promotion and relegation and this new IMG ranking system maybe gives us a better shot of getting promoted without having to find some mug willing to lose that sort of money. This new system does not interest me in the slightest though and I will pick and choose games that I go to because I have no interest in having promotion decided by number of social media clicks or anything like that.

Re: Liam Finn New Coach : Tue Aug 15, 2023 11:56 pm  

Greg Florimos Boots wrote:

Sorry my comments were quite tongue in cheek. I actually don't ever remember saying that I thought Grix should be sacked FWIW but you and faxcar seem to be running with that...........

Really, on whether he should be sacked and an example of your bad memory and imagination again.

Before he decided to go after one particular loss it was.
"yesterday I would imagine should be the final straw but I can't see Grix walking so now its up to the board."

What were you wanting the board to do? Sounded like sacking him to me.

After he decided to go it was.
"Think its for the best for everyone how it has happened. Saves the board having to get rid of him."

Yes, clear as day, sacking repeated again and using the term "getting rid of him" sounds like he's just a piece of rubbish to be disposed of and reveals precisely what your thoughts and feelings towards SG have been over the past 3 years and is exactly what I have been "running against" not with.

The facts.
You were wrong about Grix not leaving of his own accord, because he is doing.
You were wrong about saving the board from sacking him because they wanted him to stay and offered him a long term contract extension.
You were wrong when you knew many didn't want him to leave in stating it was the best for everyone when in reality it was what was best for you.

Re: Liam Finn New Coach : Wed Aug 16, 2023 6:11 am  

Anyway all the best for Liam and one positive is as he said in his interview that we already have a strong squad signed up for next season, hoping certain players are included in that and perhaps not some others . There is still some retentions going forward, ie maizen etc and some recruitment to finish.

For me our pack could do with more competition for places, Douglas , lannon and calcott is a great start , Murray hasn’t done anything wrong but if Maher and larroyer depart there’s some wriggle room for some quality additions especially with Maher being rumoured to be our highest paid player . We need some size in the centres and competition in the second row , obviously the Keyes situation has highlighted the fact we need a quality back up but that’s not straight forward as the aston situation the previous season showed . A tough final chapter of the season awaits followed by our recruitment and off the field announcements will tell me where we are at as a club .

Re: Liam Finn New Coach : Wed Aug 16, 2023 6:24 am  

Happy with Liam taking charge. Hope he can bring his assistants with him too.

On the SL thing, we’ll never get back in SL without a backer or our own ground. The club make very little money from merchandise, hospitality, ticket sales and prize money. These combined are not enough to sustain the club in the form of a full time playing squad and a full time staff at the club.

Leigh virtually had a SL squad last year in our league and have managed to add a few players to really lift them. Maybe a few SL clubs took it for granted Leigh would bomb the league again and be straight back down.