Re: Where do we go from here? : Tue Apr 05, 2016 11:47 am  

I also agree. Team sport is a unique kind of employment in that the interaction between the team and the coach is the one single factor that can completely, and totally illogically, transform the performance of a sports team.

It's also a rather fragile thing, and hard to say what goes wrong, but when itdoes, everything can change in an instant. Take Mourinho at Chelsea - he is still in demand as one of the best if not THE best, yet Chelsea's sudden fall from grace was a spectacular as it was unexpected.

We see this throughout the decades, in so many teams, and the reason is that given a high level of fitness (tick) and given players with a reasonable degree of ability (tick) one coach can make them magnificent, another can get them relegated.

Do any of you oldies believe that Nottingham Forest could ever have got anywhere near being Champions of Europe, without Brian Clough (and Taylor)?

Much nearer home, we had our very own Peter Fox, who could sign beat-ups, has-beens and ageing cripples, and turn the mix into a title-winning team.

That's why Lowes has to go. He does have a good mix of talent - however barking the signings policy may be - and very clearly the sum of the parts is much, much worse under his direction, we can't change all the players so we need a coach who can wave the (literal) magic wand.

I personally think that 80% of the issue - if not more - is in the players' heads. The team believed in Cloughie, and he made them feel they could do anything. Ditto Foxy. Whatever our lads say, their performances show that they have no self-belief and probably all have a low self-esteem and an inferiority complex. That's certainly what it looks like.

Re: Where do we go from here? : Tue Apr 05, 2016 11:53 am  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

Much nearer home, we had our very own Peter Fox, who could sign beat-ups, has-beens and ageing cripples, and turn the mix into a title-winning team.

Bring back Foxy, you might get a game.

Re: Where do we go from here? : Tue Apr 05, 2016 11:54 am  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

Take Mourinho at Chelsea - he is still in demand as one of the best if not THE best, yet Chelsea's sudden fall from grace was a spectacular as it was unexpected.

Re: Where do we go from here? : Tue Apr 05, 2016 11:58 am  

I remember my playing days and was fortunate to have 1 coach through my junior days right up to U18's

He knew how to get the best of of each and every one of us and by the U18's we went through the season with only 1 defeat.

We'd have run through walls out of respect and admiration for him

The guy that took over was the opposite; he played us out of position, we didn't believe in him etc etc.

Guess what happened to the very same team.....

Re: Where do we go from here? : Tue Apr 05, 2016 11:59 am  

You can apply it to your own working life....

Managers you've been inspired by and ones that have demotivated you.

I know I've tried to take all the good bits and learn from the awful ones what not to do to mold myself today

Re: Where do we go from here? : Tue Apr 05, 2016 12:09 pm  

Wigan Bull wrote:

You can apply it to your own working life....

Managers you've been inspired by and ones that have demotivated you.

Absolutely. People can pretend all they like, but if you get on with your boss and respect him/her, you'll go that extra mile and work harder for him/her. If you don't like them, you won't give two turds.

Re: Where do we go from here? : Tue Apr 05, 2016 12:09 pm  

Wigan Bull wrote:

I remember my playing days and was fortunate to have 1 coach through my junior days right up to U18's

He knew how to get the best of of each and every one of us and by the U18's we went through the season with only 1 defeat.

We'd have run through walls out of respect and admiration for him

The guy that took over was the opposite; he played us out of position, we didn't believe in him etc etc.

Guess what happened to the very same team.....

What's he doing now? Can you have a word with him to contact Green please.

Re: Where do we go from here? : Tue Apr 05, 2016 12:16 pm  

Mrs. Slocombe wrote:

What's he doing now? Can you have a word with him to contact Green please.

I'd fancy him doing a job!!

[Bullseye]

Re: Where do we go from here? : Tue Apr 05, 2016 12:28 pm  

Definitely rings a bell with me. I’ve had the pleasure of the company of all the Bulls/Northern coaches since Fox. They all come over as decent men but for me it’s no coincidence that the successful ones (Fox, Smith, Elliott, Noble) were great communicators and had that extra something than made you feel inspired. Fox was the best for that. If I’d been a player I’d have run through brick walls for him.

The last fella we had in charge that came anywhere near was Mick Potter. Unfortunately McNamara, Cummins and Lowes don’t have that same aura.

Re: Where do we go from here? : Tue Apr 05, 2016 12:35 pm  

I heard an interview with Chris Chester last week who said he'd tried to create an environment at Wakefield where the players looked forward to turning up to training. I think the word he used was "fun" which sounds a bit primary school but it's clear that the new techniques are working wonders. It's amazing how a change in coach can energise and completely alter attitudes and application which leads directly to results on the field.

In his book "The Magic of Teamwork," (which inspired thinking in the early days of the Bulls) Vice President of Orlando Magic Pat Williams says the six qualities that effective leaders must possess are Vision, Communication Skills, People Skills, Character, Competence and Boldness. How many of those apply to Lowes?