Our once proud club : Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:03 pm  

Mark my words when I say that this round 20 clash from Craven Park is the biggest and most important of the season as defeat to the Robbins on Sunday will guarantee no playoff footy for the Bradford Bulls for the first time since the playoffs were introduced back in 1998.

The thought is a truly sickening one, especially when you look at the experienced and big name players up at Odsal.

Defeat on Sunday will also spell the end of Steve McNamara's tenure at the club.

Three and a half years which have seen us go from Grand Final champions, World Club champions etc to third from bottom with falling crowds that show no sign of leveling out.

The past two years have been truly dark and depressing for myself and the thousand or so who go week in week out.

The time for change is now, Christ I don't hold any coaching qualifications but I would put down good money that I could get more out of the current shower of **** then what Steve McNamara or Basil Richards have managed these past 24 months.

Im in the notion that there is too much of a comfort zone currently in place at Odsal where all the bad performances are just swept under the carpet and the same poor performing players picked each week.

I would if given the chance keep but only a handful of players for next season going on what I have had witness and endure during this horrific year.

Menzies, Halley, Nero, Morrison and Lynch are the players who are immune to my criticisms as they have given 110% when out on the field.

The rest I wonder if they know the meaning to the words passion, honesty and pride.

There is just no fight in the team and that is what is most upsetting.

I hope that during the next seven days the players take a good hard long look at themselves and think about the supporters who travel week in, week out and pay good money to only be treated to a gutless and heartless display.

Mick

: Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:10 pm  

I think that's pretty accurate and fair.

: Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:11 pm  

I would probably add Scruton to your list of 110% players too.

Aside from that though, that's quite possibly the best post I've ever seen you put on here Mick. Keep going like that and I may just have to start liking you.

Well said sir.

: Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:18 pm  

I'd add Kopczak to that...come on leaps and bounds this season

: Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:23 pm  

DILLIGAF wrote:

I would probably add Scruton to your list of 110% players too.

Aside from that though, that's quite possibly the best post I've ever seen you put on here Mick. Keep going like that and I may just have to start liking you.

Well said sir.

Im not always the ref basher you see on here and total rl mate.

Im just so fed up with what is going on at Odsal that Im now thinking do I really want to go to this game/that game.

It is sad but after what I saw Sunday who can blame me for thinking like that.

Anyhow I'll be going to all the games until the end of the season but if there is no serious improvement starting with the Hull KR game then who knows where I'll be next year.

[Durham Giant]

: Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:33 pm  

[quote="Mick Gledhill"]Im not always the ref basher you see on here and total rl mate.

Im just so fed up with what is going on at Odsal that Im now thinking do I really want to go to this game/that game.

It is sad but after what I saw Sunday who can blame me for thinking like that.

Anyhow I'll be going to all the games until the end of the season but if there is no serious improvement starting with the Hull KR game then who knows where I'll be next year.[/quote]

i would invite you to the Giants but as someone who has watched them for 30 years when most of the times were bad i am not sure i would be wanting to encourage supporters who do not stick with their side through thick and thin. You have had two bad years and that is making you give up.

: Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:35 pm  

Durham Giant wrote:

Mick Gledhill wrote:

Im not always the ref basher you see on here and total rl mate.

Im just so fed up with what is going on at Odsal that Im now thinking do I really want to go to this game/that game.

It is sad but after what I saw Sunday who can blame me for thinking like that.

Anyhow I'll be going to all the games until the end of the season but if there is no serious improvement starting with the Hull KR game then who knows where I'll be next year.[/quote]

i would invite you to the Giants but as someone who has watched them for 30 years when most of the times were bad i am not sure i would be wanting to encourage supporters who do not stick with their side through thick and thin. You have had two bad years and that is making you give up.

Im not giving up silly

Re: Our once proud club : Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:40 pm  

Mick Gledhill wrote:

Mark my words when I say that this round 20 clash from Craven Park is the biggest and most important of the season as defeat to the Robbins on Sunday will guarantee no playoff footy for the Bradford Bulls for the first time since the playoffs were introduced back in 1998.

No it isn't! Scraping into the playoffs in 8th, or not, is not really material. Do you really think it is? I don't think the season will look much better or worse either way whether we don't make the 8, of if we do and then get beat in one more game.

Mick Gledhill wrote:

The thought is a truly sickening one, especially when you look at the experienced and big name players up at Odsal.

I'm entirely with you there. I still find it difficult to beieve which players I am actually watching, some of the time.

Mick Gledhill wrote:

Defeat on Sunday will also spell the end of Steve McNamara's tenure at the club.

Probably.

Mick Gledhill wrote:

The past two years have been truly dark and depressing for myself and the thousand or so who go week in week out.

No they haven't. Plenty of dark depression, true, but also a lot of the opposite. If there's one thing it is contriving to lose so many games we should have won but we've had plenty of good and optimistic times too. The present isn't one of them.

Mick Gledhill wrote:

The time for change is now, Christ I don't hold any coaching qualifications but I would put down good money that I could get more out of the current shower of **** then what Steve McNamara or Basil Richards have managed these past 24 months.

Then you're a deluded lunatic, though I don't think you actually believe that. You telling, say, Steve menzies, how to go on? Don't make me laugh.

Mick Gledhill wrote:

Im in the notion that there is too much of a comfort zone currently in place at Odsal where all the bad performances are just swept under the carpet and the same poor performing players picked each week.

Who knows what's going on behind the closed doors. Certainly you can be forgiven for thinking that.

Mick Gledhill wrote:

I would if given the chance keep but only a handful of players for next season going on what I have had witness and endure during this horrific year.

But that's only if you believe and accept that a lot of these poor performing players, despite being "experienced and big name players", can't play and shouldn't play. I'll freely admit to being completely baffled by much of what I've seen.

Mick Gledhill wrote:

Menzies, Halley, Nero, Morrison and Lynch are the players who are immune to my criticisms as they have given 110% when out on the field.

To a point I agree, but they've been playing when we've been gash too, for example Menzies v. Cas.

Mick Gledhill wrote:

The rest I wonder if they know the meaning to the words passion, honesty and pride.

There is just no fight in the team and that is what is most upsetting.

But there is, eg Saints away and the other games which I'm sure you watched so know which ones. That's not the issue. The issue is why some of the time we play as if there isn't. But it's fookin' baffling.

Mick Gledhill wrote:

I hope that during the next seven days the players take a good hard long look at themselves and think about the supporters who travel week in, week out and pay good money to only be treated to a gutless and heartless display.

Mick

If that was something they needed to do then surely they've had ample opportunities to do it already.

A good and passionate post. Mick. I reckon everyone can see where you're coming from. I certainly can.

[Durham Giant]

: Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:42 pm  

Mick Gledhill wrote:

Durham Giant wrote:

Im not giving up silly

The who knows where i will be next year bit obviously gave me a different impression.

From a personal point of view i do not like to see bardford struggling as the first rugby i watched was there at the time of Mumby et al but having a lean couple of years has led a certain humility from Bradford fans which has been sadly lacking for a long time particularly in respect of comments made towards, Fax, keighley and Huddersfield.

Re: Our once proud club : Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:44 pm  

Mick Gledhill wrote:

Defeat on Sunday will also spell the end of Steve McNamara's tenure at the club.

McNamara has tenure? He could prove very difficult to remove if this is the case