Re: 2017 and Tony Smith : Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:32 pm  

Aboveusonlypie wrote:

Completely disagree. In 2013 you had key injuries that affected the team's chance of winning. Nothing to do with Smith, just bad luck. Would Wigan have won if Monaghan and Ratchford had stayed on the field and you hadn't the need to completely reorganise the backs?

I'm afraid that the difference between winning and losing at the top level is often very fine margins, and luck plays a big part.

Tony Smith left out a fit Brett Hodgson for that 2013 grand final. That defeat had a LOT to do with smith regardless of the injuries. It's 3 and a half years later and I am still unable to fathom what on earth he was thinking

Re: 2017 and Tony Smith : Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:37 pm  

My opinion on smith is that I would be cutting him some slack now if he had delivered at least one grand final in the years 2010-2013 when we had such a superb side. He should have done, but unfortunately he didn't and that is why fans are beginning to turn on him. Some people are saying "could we be like leeds last season?". Well if we had won 7 grand finals in 12 years I would quite happily take a season like leeds had last year.

Re: 2017 and Tony Smith : Mon Mar 06, 2017 9:24 pm  

I may be getting a bit long in the tooth but I really can't get hyped up about all this.
We've got a stronger team than last year.

Losing to Cats away is not the end of the earth. It's difficult to go over there and win. Didn't play well enough to win.
We were brilliant against BB
We came up against a red hot Cas playing at the top of their form. We had the opportunity to win but didn't take it.
We were very poor against Salford and didn't deserve to win. Very few players came out with credit.

That's why I'm looking for and expecting a reaction on Thursday.

In RL - more than arguably any other sport - it's about desire and teamwork. Supporting your mates.
For some reason the desire wasn't there last week.
Let's hope it's a learning opportunity.

On the subject of TS v Wane in front of the camera - I don't honestly care what public image they emit.
TS isn't the best but neither is Wane by a long chalk.
I do care about how they relate to the players and if they get the best out of them.
''Managers'' show their feelings in different ways.
There are only so many times you can give out the 'hairdryer' treatment without it losing it's effectiveness.

Re: 2017 and Tony Smith : Mon Mar 06, 2017 11:14 pm  

i think tony smith has his work cut out this year we seem to have a better team but the poor start whilst not the end of the world it will be a hard fight back up the table if we don't turn it around.

Irrespective of our opinions on individual players we have had a team out there that should have been capable of winning our opening games.

I don't profess to be an expert however something just does not seem right as it didn't a few seasons ago, getting beat is part of sport but we seem to have accepted it before the final whistle is blown which does not bode well for the upcoming games

Re: 2017 and Tony Smith : Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:01 am  

The problem is, nothing "seems right" when you are on a bad run, but hit a purple patch and win the next few games, and everything looks rosey again. That's why I love the roller coaster of RL. I'm pretty sure this will all be forgotten soon enough.

Re: 2017 and Tony Smith : Tue Mar 07, 2017 9:21 pm  

Man Mountain wrote:

The problem is, nothing "seems right" when you are on a bad run, but hit a purple patch and win the next few games, and everything looks rosey again. That's why I love the roller coaster of RL. I'm pretty sure this will all be forgotten soon enough.

I bet it won't be forgotten about, the debate will rumble on.

I can see this season being one where at the start of April we are 1-6 and at the bottom of the league and seen as a club in crisis, the board stick with Smith and then we start to pick up some wins.

We steadily pull ourselves in to the top 8, but after the split are too far adrift to make a credible play for the top 4 and play out the final weeks of the season in apathy.

There will be a lot of anger on this forum and people saying they have had enough, want to give up with Wire until we get a new coach etc etc.

That's scenario A.

Scenario B is that when we are 1-6 the club parts company with Tony Smith, thanks him with fulsome tributes for what he has done, and appoints Richard Agar for the rest of the season. The club then struggles along and either just sneaks in to the 8, or just slips in to the bottom 4 but enjoys some good wins over the lower league sides and secures our SL future fairly easily, and at that point Agar is confirmed as our head coach on a two year contract till 2019.

In that case, there won't be all the debate about coaches on here, as the future will be decided. There may be a lack of general optimism though!

[Uncle Rico]

Re: 2017 and Tony Smith : Wed Mar 08, 2017 10:47 am  

sally cinnamon wrote:

I bet it won't be forgotten about, the debate will rumble on.

I can see this season being one where at the start of April we are 1-6 and at the bottom of the league and seen as a club in crisis, the board stick with Smith and then we start to pick up some wins.

We steadily pull ourselves in to the top 8, but after the split are too far adrift to make a credible play for the top 4 and play out the final weeks of the season in apathy.

There will be a lot of anger on this forum and people saying they have had enough, want to give up with Wire until we get a new coach etc etc.

That's scenario A.

Scenario B is that when we are 1-6 the club parts company with Tony Smith, thanks him with fulsome tributes for what he has done, and appoints Richard Agar for the rest of the season. The club then struggles along and either just sneaks in to the 8, or just slips in to the bottom 4 but enjoys some good wins over the lower league sides and secures our SL future fairly easily, and at that point Agar is confirmed as our head coach on a two year contract till 2019.

In that case, there won't be all the debate about coaches on here, as the future will be decided. There may be a lack of general optimism though!

Or scenario C, we pick up a couple, or three wins, get some players back, build a bit of momentum and be close enough to make a creditable assault on a top four place during the top 8 play offs?

Re: 2017 and Tony Smith : Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:00 am  

I agree with uncle Rico . If we win Thursday , which is a big if but we won't face an easier Wigan side, then we can hopefully build momentum. We have three keys players missing in hill ratchford and Currie. It's only three games in, players due to back soon . We hopefully do a Wigan last year and be there or there abouts and peak near the end of the season when it matters. BUT we have to pick two points up first on Thursday

Re: 2017 and Tony Smith : Wed Mar 08, 2017 3:21 pm  

Scenario B. Is Agar as involved as he was only I've not spotted him on the cameras.

Re: 2017 and Tony Smith : Wed Mar 08, 2017 4:29 pm  

I think the people at the top had their fingers burnt from putting a no2 in charge in the past. I would be amazed if it happens again.

Although if Smith resigned tomorrow to go and coach Saints, im not sure who the club would turn to. Probably an interim until the end of the season.

The whole culture would need changing though.. a clean start for everyone.