: Sun Nov 09, 2008 5:40 am
Even though I disagree with many on these forums, debate is healthy I say and should continue.
I agree, just because seem negative doesn't mean they can't have an opinion. What I would like to see a lot more of, is peoples solutions. Very easy to criticise. I have been there and done that for the club sometimes with money but mostly without! I've seen so many players who came to the club with no reputation and be some of the best signings ever (Steele, Dennis, Purdo, Sykesy, Tony Martin etc), also big names come and do very little for one reason or another (Spud Carrol, John Timu, etc). In 96 the squad wasn't a team of allstars but under TC's encouragement they became a good team. It's more about the team spirit than the size of your scrapbook. Hell when we went to Oz for 3 months at the end of 96, Andy Wilson wrote a long piece after being out at the camp, about the guys being on a " BIG" holiday! You ask any of the team if it felt like a holiday!! Team spirit had them finishing 2nd. So from what the staff tell me about BM I'll be watching with interest if they have the team spirit and emulate the 96/97 squad.
A winning team is always far better to watch than a losing team, but until the league adopts NRL style salary cap, the winning teams will always bring in more money, more money = better quality players. Chicken and egg. You can't compete with the likes of Saints, Leeds, Wigan etc until, the playing field is levelled up. The only way to do this in our positon is with players playing at their best every week. (i.e playing for each other).
Having been a supporter since 86, I'm still not sure if it will work! Living in Perth I've seen how big a sport can become, even if it is planted there (AFL from Victoria). It has always been a AFL place but not at the elite level until Eagles & Dockers came here. Now, a player or even ex-player of these two clubs only has to sneeze in the off season and it is still headlines news! Unions Western Force and Soccers Perth Glory would kill to get the coverage that AFL gets. Just like we would kill to get the coverage of an Arsenal or Chelsea. Ain't gonna happen even though I believe it is a better sport. The problem I see is that there is very little community support. Londons fans are some of the best in the game, but when you go to the teams up north, their supporters can be so one-eyed, but you have to remember that the majority live in the community. London is so spread out and has so many other distractions, that you have to be a devout fan to be at every game. Hell most of our supporters live further from the ground than most fans furthest Northern neighbours. That shows what great fans they are, but is it enough? Barry Maranta always believed that he just had to bring the game to London and everyone would fall in love with it! Having said that, the man plowed so much of his money and time into it (along with David Hughes) that he deserved for it to work!! But it didn't, even with his friend Mister Murdoch doing his best to help. Hence I'm not sure if it will. Having worked with a number of guys still at the club (Steve Magee, Dom Fenton & Phil Jones). I can honestly say that no one could try harder. The effort these guys put into the joint is unbelievable. I'd swap anyone of these for my staff anyday, so passion and effort isn't enough. Answers. I'd be a very rich man if I had them! However I will never stop supporting the club or hoping and wishing for the best. And if I get any ideas, I have no hesitation passing them onto Mr Hogg.
That's my version of realistic but hopefully not negative. I still stay up and listen live when it's an afternoon game and still pray that it will be a huge success.................. Go you Quins Rugby Lads (or was that lessons)
