The Most Important Signing : Mon Aug 23, 2021 7:30 pm
There has been lots of discussion regarding the players we would like to keep, those we should not retain and those we would like to recruit. All of these thoughts have of course been complicated by not even knowing which Division we are playing in next season.It is my view that the most important appointment and highest priority, bar none, should be the Coach.
We should strain every sinew and spend heavily to sign the best - a proven talent with wide ranging experience and knowledge of the game. This guy must command respect and be given complete control over all aspects of coaching and team selection. Importantly he must also be given the final say in regard to every single signing we make.
Never mind the fancy titles like Director of Rugby etc - just secure the services of the best Coach out there. This Coach should have the stature that will be a natural draw for players who will want to play for him and enhance their careers.
With total respect to those who have gone before, over many years now, we have not invested in the services of a Coach having anyway near the quality, knowledge, experience and man management skills that I have in mind.
With full respect to Derek, in recent years, we have made too many grave recruitment errors on both the coaching and playing front. This extends to people who have been brought in with crucially important player recruitment responsibilities (Kieron Cunningham and Garreth Carvell spring to mind). This has resulted in swathes of money being wasted.
I believe we should break the bank to sort the Coaching position as Priority 1 and the rest will fall into place.
If Marwan joins forces with Derek then we may expect them to form a formidable pairing but I suggest they must resist the temptation to get too deeply involved in choosing the right players to recruit. They should however be putting all their energy into securing the services of the club’s most important signing - a high quality Coach.