: Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:24 pm  

Ginger wrote:

I've always had that underlying feeling that McNamara is our version of Daryll Powell.

Just like 'Minibus', McNamara has a good history with the club he coaches(/coached) and was given the head-coach role at the club a bit too early.

And just like Minibus, McNamara seems to lack that bit of luck that would allow him to ride out the bad times.


For me, the only thing that should save McNamara this year is a decent cup run... if we don't beat Catalans in the next round of the CC, then Mr Hood should be on the phone to Brian McDermot ASAP

He will be....


...to arrange the Quins game in one of our free cup weekends....

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:36 am  

Ginger wrote:

...
For me, the only thing that should save McNamara this year is a decent cup run... if we don't beat Catalans in the next round of the CC, then Mr Hood should be on the phone to Brian McDermot ASAP

1. Do you really think Harlequins would give us permission to try to tap up their coach?

2. Why pick McDermott? If McNamara's record was as bad as McDermott's record, he'd have been torn limb from limb by the NT long before now. Harlequins have finished 7th, 9th and 9th in the past 3 seasons.

FWIW I am not having a go at McDermott - but I don't see any reason whatsoever to suppose that he's better than McNamara, or "the answer" either.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:15 pm  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

1. Do you really think Harlequins would give us permission to try to tap up their coach?

2. Why pick McDermott? If McNamara's record was as bad as McDermott's record, he'd have been torn limb from limb by the NT long before now. Harlequins have finished 7th, 9th and 9th in the past 3 seasons.

FWIW I am not having a go at McDermott - but I don't see any reason whatsoever to suppose that he's better than McNamara, or "the answer" either.

1.) Why not? Harliquins/Broncos have always seemed to be a bit of a transitional team whose better 'assets' have moved up north when they have shown potential. I don't see McDermott as being any different, and as long the deal is right for the Quins, I suspect they would be willing to part company.

2.) I think McDermott ticks all the boxes.
He's leading Quins successfully through a transitional period whereby they are playing better rugby and relying more on home-grown talent. I think the days of Quins/London playing a spoiling game to compete have gone, and they now play some pretty decent stuff.

The finishing position of Quins over the past few seasons is a bit a red herring.. what McDermott has managed to do is to get a bunch of pretty average players to play well as a single unit and perform above expectations. Over the years, a number of pundits have predicted Quins to struggle, and that simply hasn't happened; this year, there were a number of posts ridiculing his statement that Quins believe they can win the league, and whilst I doubt they will, I believe they have shown so far this season they will be certainally have a significant role to play in the play-offs.

I also believe that the fact that McDermott is a former Bulls player that helped to build the foundations of our early Super League is a massive bonus. It will help build some goodwill from fans towards to the club that is being constantly eroded by McNamara.

Finally, I've always been concerned that McNamara is more of a 'thinker' than a 'do-er' (I think this was partly reflected during his playing days), whereas McDermott seems more of the self-confident and forthright character needed to to be a successful super league coach.

I sincerely hope that I am wrong, and that McNamara can turn things around, but even given the difficult circumstances the club has found itself in he has yet to demonstrate himself a capable headcoach.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:18 pm  

Ginger wrote:

1.) Why not? Harliquins/Broncos have always seemed to be a bit of a transitional team whose better 'assets' have moved up north when they have shown potential. I don't see McDermott as being any different, and as long the deal is right for the Quins, I suspect they would be willing to part company.

I guess my reaction to that (and I suspect that of most Quins fans) starts somewhere near "Breathtaking naivity".

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:25 pm  

Adeybull wrote:

I guess my reaction to that (and I suspect that of most Quins fans) starts somewhere near "Breathtaking naivity".

Perhaps, but as with any business/organisation/team, if the deal is right then it will be made.

I doubt McDermot sees his tenure at Quins as anything other than a chance to prove himself before moving to a bigger and better club.
(I'm not in anyway suggesting that Bradford are currently a bigger and better club)

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:36 pm  

Ginger wrote:

Perhaps, but as with any business/organisation/team, if the deal is right then it will be made.

I doubt McDermot sees his tenure at Quins as anything other than a chance to prove himself before moving to a bigger and better club.
(I'm not in anyway suggesting that Bradford are currently a bigger and better club)

That likely rules us out then, because IMO its inconceivable that Bulls could afford to pay off one coach AND pay a shedload in compensation to acquire his replacement AND do the same on a smaller scale with the others on the coaching staff AND pay what would surely have to be a higher package anyway?

I also suggest that over this franchising period we will see Quins becoming a "bigger and better" club, and add to that - is it that likely he would want to come anyway? I'd say he has a pretty good opportunity where he is?

Maybe significant that Wire did not go for him despite Moran's millions?

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:41 pm  

Adeybull wrote:

Maybe significant that Wire did not go for him despite Moran's millions?

Possibly because McDermott doesn't have any associated history with the club, and isn't the big name that Wire fans would demand.

(Although since when did Warringtons activities become a benchmark for success )

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:42 pm  

Ginger wrote:

(Although since when did Warringtons activities become a benchmark for success )

There IS that...!

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:24 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

I'm sure I've been on record saying that I don't rate Platt but the reaction to him on the terraces is way OTT and totally counter productive.

I think the reaction to Platt is that, to a large extent, he has failed to live up the expectations he created as an attacking player in his first few matches.

I could forgive any number of defensive mistakes if he were to rediscover the attacking threat he showed at Warrington in his first match for us there.

[Pumpetypump]

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:30 pm  

Cibaman wrote:

I think the reaction to Platt is that, to a large extent, he has failed to live up the expectations he created as an attacking player in his first few matches.

I could forgive any number of defensive mistakes if he were to rediscover the attacking threat he showed at Warrington in his first match for us there.

An indendent valuation of £10,000 should have given us an inkling as to how far on he needs to come.