Re: Price Out : Mon Nov 16, 2020 12:28 am  

sally cinnamon wrote:

I think if fans are hoping Price will be replaced this off season they are going to be disappointed. I don't think they are going to fire him. If they were we would have heard more rumours about it by now, and rumours about the replacement.

Price's contract runs till the end of 2021 season, so I think if 10 games in to next season we are something like won 4 lost 6 we might get the statement of "departed by mutual consent" with Henderson or Anderson given the job on a caretaker basis for the rest of the season to see how they get on and whether they are worth giving a contract for 2022 and beyond.

The dilemma will be if we get to mid season and are there or thereabouts in the playoffs but don't look like we are significantly better than before. The club will need to get some clarity about who will be the coach for 2022 before they start trying to make signings for 2022, but if they announce that Price's contract won't be renewed it could be disruptive at that point and send a strange signal. They could have egg on their face if we then went on to win the Grand Final.

But we could be in the situation where we are 2nd/3rd in the league mid season, extend Price for a couple more years, and then get knocked straight out of the playoffs again and finish trophyless and feel like groundhog day.

I wonder how many of our fans read that last sentence and thought, that is exactly what is going to happen.

That’s unfortunately how I see it going down, I’ve mentioned this in a previous post...Price will still be here for 2021.

A bad start to next season 10/12 games in questions will be asked and a mutual release or something along those lines, then we will see an interim head coach appointed. There’s also the fact that we did a similar thing with Smith & let his contract run when questions were being asked the year before. There’s also a couple other factors as there isn’t many high quality coaches available, my ideal choice would be Wane but he’s tied in with England and Watson looks nailed on for Huddersfield... Not forgetting the pandemic as well which is a bit of external issue but no doubt will have some implications when hard decisions are being made.

Re: Price Out : Mon Nov 16, 2020 12:36 am  

sally cinnamon wrote:

I think if fans are hoping Price will be replaced this off season they are going to be disappointed. I don't think they are going to fire him. If they were we would have heard more rumours about it by now, and rumours about the replacement.

Price's contract runs till the end of 2021 season, so I think if 10 games in to next season we are something like won 4 lost 6 we might get the statement of "departed by mutual consent" with Henderson or Anderson given the job on a caretaker basis for the rest of the season to see how they get on and whether they are worth giving a contract for 2022 and beyond.

The dilemma will be if we get to mid season and are there or thereabouts in the playoffs but don't look like we are significantly better than before. The club will need to get some clarity about who will be the coach for 2022 before they start trying to make signings for 2022, but if they announce that Price's contract won't be renewed it could be disruptive at that point and send a strange signal. They could have egg on their face if we then went on to win the Grand Final.

But we could be in the situation where we are 2nd/3rd in the league mid season, extend Price for a couple more years, and then get knocked straight out of the playoffs again and finish trophyless and feel like groundhog day.

I wonder how many of our fans read that last sentence and thought, that is exactly what is going to happen.

This bothers me, I really hope it doesn’t come down to this but I fear it’s the most likely scenario. He needs to be gone now but it hasn’t happened and has you say it’s probably not going to.

Not withstanding current conditions and what people have said about season tickets, I for one would not be buying one if he is still here or Fitzpatrick for that matter, all we are going to get is same old same old. I know what kind of footy team we got here cliche cliche cliche. Some time I wonder if this is just a hobby for Mr Moran et al but the I remember he was just a fan on the terraces like the rest of us.

Re: Price Out : Mon Nov 16, 2020 8:18 am  

I agree with Sally. We do need to get real. We will be under severe financial pressure at the moment. Look at contracts and when they run out before trying to ramp up the pressure on the club. If I had pumped thousands of pounds into the club I would be fed up of the bleating on here. You can't always get what you want by stamping your feet & crying like a very spoilt child. By the way I am not a deluded fan of Price but I can see the tension that our "fans" on here will be causing.

Re: Price Out : Mon Nov 16, 2020 8:29 am  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

It would certainly be a massive gamble if they don't sack Price. It would basically be an admittance by the club that they don't really care and that they are happy to accept mediocrity - with that sort of mentality, why should the fans care and why should they buy season tickets or support the team?

I don't think it means that the club is 'happy to accept mediocrity' at all. Sacking Price will cost a big chunk of change that the club simply does not have right now. Are the directors expected to fund this themselves on top of the reported money they have already contributed this year? Even when their businesses are feeling the Covid 19 pinch? Plus as others have said, sacking Price does not solve the problem, as who would they bring in? In fact, the reason we ended up with Price was because no-one we were more interested in was available. Rinse and repeat? In my view, the smartest thing to do ( given that Watson is headed to Huddersfield ) would be to be talking to Shaun Wane about what he does after the 2021 RLWC is over.

Re: Price Out : Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:00 am  

Asgardian13 wrote:

I don't think it means that the club is 'happy to accept mediocrity' at all. Sacking Price will cost a big chunk of change that the club simply does not have right now. Are the directors expected to fund this themselves on top of the reported money they have already contributed this year? Even when their businesses are feeling the Covid 19 pinch? Plus as others have said, sacking Price does not solve the problem, as who would they bring in? In fact, the reason we ended up with Price was because no-one we were more interested in was available. Rinse and repeat? In my view, the smartest thing to do ( given that Watson is headed to Huddersfield ) would be to be talking to Shaun Wane about what he does after the 2021 RLWC is over.

I take your point of the cost of sacking Price but if we wait like you say what is going to be the long term cost. Now here I’m entering the world of speculation but if we have another season like the previous what is going to be the cost of that, some on this forum have already said they will not be renewing/ buying season tickets maybe not even going to games.Have the powers that be weighed that up we won’t know of course because we are not privy to that. I’ve said it many times sport is a results driven business win and fans turn up lose and they don’t I have actually witnessed this when I use to stand in the south stand empty spaces where people I recognised no longer went to games. Fans are fickle it’s that simple it’s no use saying they are not proper fans it doesn’t matter it’s about numbers through the turn style, so if the cost of sacking Price is high what may the cost of losing fans be in the long term.

Re: Price Out : Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:52 am  

The problem is, going into a final year of a contract, the pressure turns towards the club at some point. If we get off to a good start, we may think it is in our interest not to lose him. We sign up for 2 years and walk away empty handed without learning anything.

Alternatively, we go on a mixed run up to Easter, contract ticking away and we start sounding out other people for the year after. Word gets around, as it does in a small circle such as RL and the wheels fall off and crash and burn. A wasted season.

Or, we get an awful start, the crowd lose patience (if on the terraces) and we fall into panic mode. The team suffer, we sack the coach and appoint Joe Bloggs as an interim. The pressure is off, the team come out and win a few, the crowd hail the messiah and he gets a contract for 2 years, however when the novelty wears off it’s clear he’s not a good coach. Leaving us having to pay off 2 years, rather than one. [examples of this: James Lowes, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer]

The question should be, who is better and is he available. Same with Smith. We lost Smith without having THE MAN for the job. If the only man for the job is available now, get him.

Re: Price Out : Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:55 am  

karetaker wrote:

I take your point of the cost of sacking Price but if we wait like you say what is going to be the long term cost. Now here I’m entering the world of speculation but if we have another season like the previous what is going to be the cost of that, some on this forum have already said they will not be renewing/ buying season tickets maybe not even going to games.Have the powers that be weighed that up we won’t know of course because we are not privy to that. I’ve said it many times sport is a results driven business win and fans turn up lose and they don’t I have actually witnessed this when I use to stand in the south stand empty spaces where people I recognised no longer went to games. Fans are fickle it’s that simple it’s no use saying they are not proper fans it doesn’t matter it’s about numbers through the turn style, so if the cost of sacking Price is high what may the cost of losing fans be in the long term.

Unless the verious vaccines can be rolled out much more quickly than anyone anticipates, then grounds will be on reduced capacity until at least the summer months. SL is talking about starting next season in March: it will probably, therefore, have to be a shortened season ending in September as RLWC2021 starts on 23rd October. I've also read (unconfirmed) that Sky wants £200,000 off the 2021 'bill' due to shortfall in matches broadcast in 2020. So the club almost certainly knows that gate receipts will be down whatever happens to Price, and money will be needed for Sky. In any case, I would be signing up for 2021 on the basis of seeing Greg Inglis play for wire, even if Alex Murphy were to be coach.

Re: Price Out : Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:58 am  

sally cinnamon wrote:

I think if fans are hoping Price will be replaced this off season they are going to be disappointed. I don't think they are going to fire him. If they were we would have heard more rumours about it by now, and rumours about the replacement.

Price's contract runs till the end of 2021 season, so I think if 10 games in to next season we are something like won 4 lost 6 we might get the statement of "departed by mutual consent" with Henderson or Anderson given the job on a caretaker basis for the rest of the season to see how they get on and whether they are worth giving a contract for 2022 and beyond.

The dilemma will be if we get to mid season and are there or thereabouts in the playoffs but don't look like we are significantly better than before. The club will need to get some clarity about who will be the coach for 2022 before they start trying to make signings for 2022, but if they announce that Price's contract won't be renewed it could be disruptive at that point and send a strange signal. They could have egg on their face if we then went on to win the Grand Final.

But we could be in the situation where we are 2nd/3rd in the league mid season, extend Price for a couple more years, and then get knocked straight out of the playoffs again and finish trophyless and feel like groundhog day.

I wonder how many of our fans read that last sentence and thought, that is exactly what is going to happen.

I think your right on the ten game shat or bust period for Price.
I don’t think we’ll be hitting him with a new coaching contract though throughout the period of the regulation season. It’ll be, win the GF and we’ll talk.

Re: Price Out : Mon Nov 16, 2020 10:06 am  

The issue is, we seem to have no concept of forward planning or contingency planning and this filters through every aspect of the club.

When TS left the appearance was of a hastily convened trip to Oz to interview a motley bunch of randoms and ended up with Price.
We have been short of at least one prop for several years and ended up with an unfit, unwanted Latu
We have never replaced Briers and the nearest we got was Sandow and we know how that ended

We should be planning and sounding out Price's replacement now, irrespective of whether he goes today or in a year. Recruitment for new players should also be underway - other clubs are already announcing new signings Covid finances notwithstanding.

As for the cost of sacking Price, well I'd have some sympathy if we hadn't wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds on Akuola, Latu, J Clark, Inglis, that RU fella whose name I can't even remember and several others.

Re: Price Out : Mon Nov 16, 2020 10:26 am  

Well ,Old Father Time marches on & too much reliance on Cooper & Hill will mean one day we will have to start a game with props with little or no SL experience. Our youngsters need to be blooded asap .