: Sat Mar 07, 2009 6:14 am  

Bradford Ultras anyone?

: Sat Mar 07, 2009 1:35 pm  

bobsmyuncle wrote:

Hi Adey, welcome back I've missed your voice of reason.
Your comment above is valid showing a singular lack by the club in engaging with fans in general, but moreso in blindly ignoring the potential of passionate fans that are qualified to give a commercial input to the club's administration/promotion for FREE.
Do they really think that all their target market (fans) are dumbos not to be trusted? Do they not realise the lengths that some fans woud go to in offering their various skillsets in assisting the club?
If you were not successful with your strenuous attempts to engage them with BISA is anything to go by there is little hope they will respond any better now. But we live in some hope that they do.

Thanks for that, although in fairness I can be as unreasonable as the next man where I believe injustice is being perpetrated!

Also in fairness, it wasn't so much that the club would not engage with BISA, as much as most of the fans wouldn't - but nor would the latter put forward a viable alternative for engaging with the club. Its easy to complain, but a little less so to do something to make a difference.

The other problem when you ARE able to engage with the club is that you become aware of facts of life that maybe too many supporters would prefer to pretend do not exist. Its the same problem that faces responsible shop stewards.

But yes, I'm sure there are quite a few dedicated supporters who could provide significant leverage to the efforts of the Club's limited personnel - across a range of disciplines. ME, for example, would be nailed-on to help SD with club PR... It would have to be within an agreed framework, of course, and with appropriate limitations.

I suspect that one or two of the club directors (and I am not referring to the Chairman) would view allowing this as utter heresy - maybe also ones who help give Red the understandable impression that "At times I do get the feeling that the fans are necessary evil if they could get away with out us they would".

I've heard it said that one or two directors have referred to the fans as "fickle" - and whilst there is undeniable truth in that (as we have seen demonstrated on here) I really think the club needs to find some more effective way of engaging with the generality of the supporters - and especially with the more dedicated ones - than is currently the case.

And if that smacks of apostasy from me, well its only because, like most of the people who post on here, I care and I want to see this club back where it belongs.

: Sat Mar 07, 2009 3:58 pm  

Adeybull wrote:

Thing is guys, you'd need probably best part of £100k p.a. to fund such a role. Now if 1,000 of us paid £100 each that would do it - for a year - but would you part with that much cash? And thats if 1,000 folk would do it.

We couldn't even get more than a very few hundred at best to sign up for a supporters association for only £5/year.

My guess is that if you got 100 you'd be doing very well - and thats £1,000 each - for a year.

Ain't gonna happen, is it?

But get another 1,000 bodies through the turnstiles every week - and maybe just maybe a bit less negativity all round might help encourage some folk back or even some new folk - and you are well on the way to being able to fund such a role - or, more to the point, reinstate a number of lower-ranking troops who would appear to have been paid off recently.

5000 fans giving a tenner does not seem too unrealistic. That's half way there. But agreed, I can't see it happening.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:07 pm  

What about Stuart Raper. He's got experience of SL and he got some good performances out of Cas who you could say were in a similar position to how we are now during his reign

[Bullseye]

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:09 pm  

Roofaldo wrote:

What about Stuart Raper. He's got experience of SL and he got some good performances out of Cas who you could say were in a similar position to how we are now during his reign

He didn't exactly break any pots at Wigan did he? His record in Oz was pants too.

TBH I think he's second rate.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:12 pm  

IMO this would be a good move as I don't think there is a wealth of caoching experience at the club now.

This may seem daft but what about bringing in a recently retired player like Robbie Paul or Big Joe. IMO Macca just needs more help, not necessarily an older bloke. Dare I say it but what about making Menzies vice player coach in the short term. If respect is needed he's got it by the bagful.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:18 pm  

Bringing in a Director of Coaching or whatever is just a euphemism, it is no more and no less than giving the existing coach the push, however you want to dress it up.

When Leeds sacked Powell, their risible story was that he was temporarily moving into the loft or somewhere, for some far fetched reason, but he'd be back at the helm the next year. Yeah, right.

Whichever way you do it, it involves you (at least) doubling your head coach bill, or writing a big cheque to the outgoing man.

[Bullseye]

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:23 pm  

IIRC Menzies and Morrison could only coach while they remain registered as players. Once they retire they would have to go back to Oz or apply for a work permit to stay in the UK as a coach which is apparently unlikely to be granted (you need NRL coaching experience to get a coaching job over here if you;re from overseas).

It'd be a very short term option and would mean that we'd still have to recruit a new coach at some stage and he would want to have a say in recruitment. If he came in at the end of the season that would be too late for us.

Besides we need both Menzies and Morrison on the field, the days of the player/coach at the top level are long gone. I expect McNamara is making use of their experience anyway so not sure what difference it would make.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:26 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

He didn't exactly break any pots at Wigan did he? His record in Oz was pants too.

TBH I think he's second rate.

I'm not suggesting he takes over as head coach. I'm just suggesting someone with coaching experience of a team at our current level.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:29 pm  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

Bringing in a Director of Coaching or whatever is just a euphemism, it is no more and no less than giving the existing coach the push, however you want to dress it up.

When Leeds sacked Powell, their risible story was that he was temporarily moving into the loft or somewhere, for some far fetched reason, but he'd be back at the helm the next year. Yeah, right.

Whichever way you do it, it involves you (at least) doubling your head coach bill, or writing a big cheque to the outgoing man.

Well something needs to be done. The current setup is not getting the results no matter how you chose to spin the facts. People are bleeting about not making knee jerk reactions and not sacking the coach but it would appear that offering an alternative solution garners the same responses.

damned if you do damned if you don't is how it seems to me