I said it in another thread, but this attitude from Smith has really irked me. If he would have aid “well I gave it my all, but at the end of the day it was time to part ways”, then it would have been done properly.
But this ‘oh well I was bored years ago, rugby league is on the slide’ attitude he is coming across with absolutely stinks… Not only did Smith not walk away when he realised his interest was on the wane, HE SIGNED A NEW CONTRACT. Many people on here have been saying for years that this side is on the slide and that a change in coach has been needed.. Turns out that section of people were right.
Yes the game has gone backwards in the last 5 years, but its people like Smith that are in the best position to change this. Smith is buying the players, coaching them and putting them out there on the pitch. He is in charge of the SL side with arguably the biggest spending power, the best facilities and with a decent fanbase. He should be setting the standard and leading the way. But what happened? His recruitment was lazy, his tactics non existent and his demeanour sulky and petulant.
The last 3 or 4 years has served up some of the worst rugby we have ever seen.. SO bad that a lot of people have stopped going to watch it (me being one of them)… We have gone from a skillfull swashbuckling side to a team built on scooting from dummy half, devoid of any character and big game mentality… riddled with internal ‘clear the air meetings’ and overpaid, underperforming star signings.
Anyway….. Thanks for the memories Smith…. Well the ones from 2009-2012.. The last 3 to 4 years not so much.