Re: Shopping list for 2024 : Tue Oct 03, 2023 10:30 am
The Dentist Wilf wrote:
Under Radford You were either in with the in crowd or you weren't. If you were then you could get away with a lot and a few did if you weren't and went against the sloppy ways of some then you were like an outsider. The only time discipline was spot on with Radders in charge was for a period of around 2 years from the Widnes game in 2016, when some of the senior players led by Minnicello, Pritchard and Ellis ruled the group under the pretext that they had come here to win something and they were a real leadership group in every sense of the word. Then look what happened In those two seasons.
Now from what the players say at least, they are all in the 'in crowd' with the coach, unless your own actions deem that you are not (re Griffin). He's a bit cranky at times but absolutely fair and commands a lot of respect. But anyone who thinks things were hunky dory under Radford, is woefully wrong. That's why he hasn't lasted anywhere else. the old boys club just doesn't work. He did some great stuff and we had some good times but the whole philosophy of the group was wrong. The culture that has been endemic in some of the squad for years started way back in Peter Gentle's time, he tried to straighten it out but coming from a different culture it was alien to him. The 'boys' got rid of him and got who they wanted in charge and the rest is history. Some won't agree or like it with that I know, but what I say isn't based on hear say but what I have personally seen and experienced over that time.
I'm afraid now financial restraints are against us and although the club state that they are up to now I can't see how we are operating up to cap, but if we can't come out of this inertia under Tony Smith I doubt we ever will.
Now from what the players say at least, they are all in the 'in crowd' with the coach, unless your own actions deem that you are not (re Griffin). He's a bit cranky at times but absolutely fair and commands a lot of respect. But anyone who thinks things were hunky dory under Radford, is woefully wrong. That's why he hasn't lasted anywhere else. the old boys club just doesn't work. He did some great stuff and we had some good times but the whole philosophy of the group was wrong. The culture that has been endemic in some of the squad for years started way back in Peter Gentle's time, he tried to straighten it out but coming from a different culture it was alien to him. The 'boys' got rid of him and got who they wanted in charge and the rest is history. Some won't agree or like it with that I know, but what I say isn't based on hear say but what I have personally seen and experienced over that time.
I'm afraid now financial restraints are against us and although the club state that they are up to now I can't see how we are operating up to cap, but if we can't come out of this inertia under Tony Smith I doubt we ever will.
Totally agree, I've said before that the cup wins and the performances in 2016 & 2017 were more to do with the players and the leadership within that group during that time rather than the Coach. I know many fans credit Radford for it but for me personally I think his part in it was fairly minor when you drill down through everything and analyse it all.
You only have to look at how far we have fallen backwards since to see the damage that has been done under Radford with poor recruitment/retention and some of the deals for certain players being stupid both in terms of length and £'s. If anyone has any doubt you only have to look a little further west along the M62 to see the very similar mess left behind by the same Coach that Cas are now facing.
For me appointing Radford instead of backing Gentle was and has been AP's biggest mistake and has set us back years, its just that two cup wins mask the carnage done to the club.
