Re: Farewell Tony Smith interview : Mon Sep 18, 2017 6:04 pm  

[quote="Captain Hook"]Do you seriously think that's what he did? That he was content for the team to play the way they did and has not an iota of professional pride?[/quote]

He played Jack Hughes every game this season. There's your answer

Re: Farewell Tony Smith interview : Mon Sep 18, 2017 6:25 pm  

Captain Hook wrote:

Do you seriously think that's what he did? That he was content for the team to play the way they did and has not an iota of professional pride?

Dunno, but who else was in a prime position to change the way that we played the game? Daryl Powell did it with a lot less money at Cas....

Re: Farewell Tony Smith interview : Mon Sep 18, 2017 6:53 pm  

Let's see what happens to Shaun Wane if he misses out on the playoffs. He has been superb at bringing youth through but it means squat if you don't win the prizes (which is after all why you bring the youth through). I bet he doesn't get 4 years without a pot.

Re: Farewell Tony Smith interview : Mon Sep 18, 2017 6:54 pm  

I think Tony would be better talking about the/his failings at Warrington, which are under his control, rather than the game as a whole which is not.

Re: Farewell Tony Smith interview : Tue Sep 19, 2017 7:09 am  

This interview has shown how low someone will sink to avert blame on their own failings. The game has provided TS with a very good living and now he intimates that it is the fault of the game he is leaving his post. He has without saying it, blamed his players all year as the things he does all week go very well!

He along with his colleagues have/are allowing the game to sink as a spectacle. Castleford the exception with great play, Wigan as ever are different and not everyone's cup of tea, the rest are boring, mundane and/or garbage.

The board are 50% to blame here as they should like many supporters spotted the problems months ago, if they did they are culpable as they did nowt and if they didn't they are culpable because they are clearly in the wrong jobs.

Re: Farewell Tony Smith interview : Tue Sep 19, 2017 8:17 am  

Possibly the agenda by club and coach was to recruit British rather than foreign for the long term good of the game, a laudable aim but clearly there is insufficient quality to be competitive. I suspect the next round of recruitment may well show a different emphasis.

Re: Farewell Tony Smith interview : Tue Sep 19, 2017 8:23 am  

Snaggletooth wrote:

This interview has shown how low someone will sink to avert blame on their own failings. The game has provided TS with a very good living and now he intimates that it is the fault of the game he is leaving his post. He has without saying it, blamed his players all year as the things he does all week go very well!

He along with his colleagues have/are allowing the game to sink as a spectacle. Castleford the exception with great play, Wigan as ever are different and not everyone's cup of tea, the rest are boring, mundane and/or garbage.

The board are 50% to blame here as they should like many supporters spotted the problems months ago, if they did they are culpable as they did nowt and if they didn't they are culpable because they are clearly in the wrong jobs.

I have to agree with all of this. We are as a club are in a total mess.

If Smith was so disillusioned with the game, he should have left months ago when we had a chance to save the season. Clearly it's filtered down into the team.

Board should have seen Smith was disillusioned and made the break with Smith more than two games before end of season.

We've got half the squad leaving at end of season (9?), a part time head coach to replace, all to be done in a short post season, what with the world cup taking place and an inexperienced CEO racing to the bottom with Toronto to sign as many players as possible, to prevent a huge drop in season tickets.

Re: Farewell Tony Smith interview : Tue Sep 19, 2017 8:47 am  

If he thought we were crap last season despite reaching two finals why did we not sign any quality players?

Re: Farewell Tony Smith interview : Tue Sep 19, 2017 8:51 am  

Smith's Brolly wrote:

We've got half the squad leaving at end of season (9?), a part time head coach to replace, all to be done in a short post season, what with the world cup taking place and an inexperienced CEO racing to the bottom with Toronto to sign as many players as possible, to prevent a huge drop in season tickets.

But out of the 9 leaving only 2 will be losses in Hiku and Savellio. The others need to go as they are not good enough.

I think Fitzpatrick might surprise you in recruiting a new coach and new players. We're currently chasing a SOO halfback and we believe we can get him. Lets see what happens.

Re: Farewell Tony Smith interview : Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:04 am  

I said it in another thread, but this attitude from Smith has really irked me. If he would have aid “well I gave it my all, but at the end of the day it was time to part ways”, then it would have been done properly.

But this ‘oh well I was bored years ago, rugby league is on the slide’ attitude he is coming across with absolutely stinks… Not only did Smith not walk away when he realised his interest was on the wane, HE SIGNED A NEW CONTRACT. Many people on here have been saying for years that this side is on the slide and that a change in coach has been needed.. Turns out that section of people were right.

Yes the game has gone backwards in the last 5 years, but its people like Smith that are in the best position to change this. Smith is buying the players, coaching them and putting them out there on the pitch. He is in charge of the SL side with arguably the biggest spending power, the best facilities and with a decent fanbase. He should be setting the standard and leading the way. But what happened? His recruitment was lazy, his tactics non existent and his demeanour sulky and petulant.

The last 3 or 4 years has served up some of the worst rugby we have ever seen.. SO bad that a lot of people have stopped going to watch it (me being one of them)… We have gone from a skillfull swashbuckling side to a team built on scooting from dummy half, devoid of any character and big game mentality… riddled with internal ‘clear the air meetings’ and overpaid, underperforming star signings.

Anyway….. Thanks for the memories Smith…. Well the ones from 2009-2012.. The last 3 to 4 years not so much.