I expected this squad to do much better this year ,challenging for a top 5 place ,but shows what I know

An Agar/Carr combination will be fine next year; so long as the club don’t have better options. The list of suitable coaches for Leeds isn’t massive IMO, and it depends on availability etc.

We’re not going to win silverware again without a top coaching team. But the squad also needs attention.

It’s not all doom next year by any means. I do think we need another prop and either play McLelland or sign another 7; but a full pre-season of the new signings together, some dead wood gone and the younger lads another season developed - you would think Leeds can only improve.

Newman, Walker, McLelland, Oledski are all still very young with lots of improvement potential. It is possible that Johnson, Holroyd, Trout, Walters, Broadbent, Stephens, Mustapha could all make some positive impact in first grade next year too.

Honestly we’ve been panic-buying for some time now, and we need to wrestle control back and start to plan and build properly for long-term success. It needs to be the right people and we will have to wait another year or two before assembly is complete I think.

Agree completely re recruitment. However all the planning for the next few years needs to start with the head coach and the DOR. We need to as a priority bring in a quality head coach.

Like I said mate I think it depends on who is available. There might be only a small pool of candidates in the world right now who are the right fit for us, and they're probably well looked after where they are. We're no chance of taking an NRL first grade coach off a successful NRL side.

We're still committed to another year contract for a bunch of players who are past their sell-by-dates and a new coach can't change that.

Everyone has their opinion on who might be a better coach than Agar, but in fairness he's done a good job for us this year and most of the players seem to praise him (you could say, well they would wouldn't they when they're looking for selection/extensions).

If we do stay up this year, given the abject mess we were in, we owe Agar a big debt of thanks - whether or not he stays on as first grade boss.

Yeah agreed bud

The problem with that scenario will be if we're in the mire early again as we'll go straight back to knee jerk signings and the whole youth scenario will go out the window.

I really can't see us getting into the top 5 next year - Wire have Widdopp, Wigan have Hastings, Cats have Maloney and Hull and Sts will both be strong.

That depends, I've got a feeling SL will announce a 14 team SL from 2021 onwards with no relegation from SL next year - that really would be good for us as we shouldn't have the need to panic buy

So a solid 6th then?

There are way too many variables to predict where we're going to finish next year with any accuracy IMO.

Yes we have some class talent arriving at the top clubs, but they still have to stay fit and in form.

I don't believe any other club has quite the depth and breadth of youth talent that Leeds have at the moment, and that must remain our foundation.

It's for that reason that our next coach must have a track record developing youth successfully, and be strong both technically and morally. Young lads need skills input but also role models to manage behaviours early on in their careers - that's so important to harness the talent.

I still can't make my mind up on P&R. I hope you're right from a selfish standpoint, because we really could do with a year of rebuilding without fear of dropping out of SL.

I still think overall, the right type of licensing system is probably best, but there's no denying that this year's race to the bottom has been interesting so far.

I just don't see the point in P&R when we're potentially replacing stronger clubs (or core clubs) with others who happen to have enjoyed a good run in the lower league one year. I guess if the Championship were better funded etc. then it wouldn't be so cataclysmic for a club like Leeds to go down - but even in football there is a huge gap between Premier League and the rest.

The truth is that we should focus on the elite competition first. You can still incentivise Championship clubs with an open, meritocratic licensing system: it wasn't quite right last time.

Yeah you have to start with the focus on the elite competition as that is in reality what will help the game grow and generate income which should in turn filter down in whatever form. Getting super league right is paramount

Right then. Place your bets. Who is it going to be? I'm thankful to Agar hes done a solid job but not enough for me to get it. It's the least I expected was to be safe with money that's been spent. But I am thankful to him. And hes been a credit to the club. Quite happy for him to get a job in the set up.

McNamara might be available soon, although I wouldn't touch him with a barge pole.

Can see Catalans going for Wane, esp. with all the ex-Wigan players there, and their physical but currently undisciplined style of play.

God no not Macnamara. Can’t stand the way Cats play.

Realistically it’s a Flanagan or Griffin, or a Demetriou, Ryles, Carr. Powell cocked his snoot and Cas lost their way this year anyway.

Watson has done well but I’m not convinced. Ward again, would like to see more.

Coaches are an often quirky breed.

In terms of a new coach, or players, let’s not replace players for the sake of it if the players who are being brought in are no better than the players we are trying to off load. It’s better to hold back and try and replace from within until either the right player or coach becomes available. This year 4 forwards have either not player or hardly played due to injury and while it’s likely two will be retiring, both Crosby and Ward if they can get fit for next season will be like new signings. With replacing a couple of players who would bring added value and class to the team, promoting a few of the kid etc and getting the injured fit, then we may see a big improvement for next year.
I know most on here ( including me) don’t see. Ferres as a decent player, however someone here at Leeds does, he seems to be always in the starting 13, love him or hate him, someone ate Leeds likes him

Ferres has actually been in good form for a month or so to be fair

But Ferres is off contract at the end of the season, and I thought he'd indicated he had been told he could/would leave? If we end up keeping him then they're leaving it late. We're overstocked with back rowers though, so I'd be happy for him to go, particularly if he only performs when his contract is ending or he's in the shop window.

A few of the players are speaking well of Agar in the Media I.E Cuthbo etc I wonder if this is the club preparing us. For next years Head Coaching announcement?

Then again some of the players speaking highly of Agar may just be the players who normally speaking we would be getting rid of.
Maybe a bit of bottom licking going on to secure a contract for next year?

The thing is you’d never know unless you were in the camp, we’ll have to wait and see what the club does.

We clearly need some further surgery on the squad so all areas need looking at ahead of 2020.

Personally I don’t think we’ll be title-ready until and unless some of the youth matures and fulfils some potential. We have some very talented lads but they will need to step up if we’re to challenge again.

I do think one more round of tough calls now could save us a lot of issues down the line actually. Most of the work has been done to set better foundations but the job is obviously not complete yet.

I will make a bold statement and say I’m happy for Agar to get the Job, as long as a strong assistant is named! I would be happy if Carr was the Full time assistant. The players speak really highly of him, they like him, he gets on with Kev and Gary. A full pre season and I genuinely think he could work well, I will ignore his past.

I actually think Agar makes a bit of sense for next year but no too sure about long term.

Over the last 12-18 months the club has had 4 different coaches and numerous playing and backroom staff leave and join.

Unless the club think they definitely have the right coach lined up rushing it will do more harm than good IMO, rightly or wrongly Sinfield and Hetherington will be very wary of an overseas coach after the Furner situation.

Next year will be another year of transition with many players off contract for 2021 the younger players will have more experience and I really think the clubs plan will be to really go for it in 2021

Wary of an overseas coach? The best three coaches in our history, Murray, Smith, McLennan, all overseas coaches, and all of them whilst Hetherington and Sinfield in situ. They should be very wary of British coaches considering the problems created and getting over.

It is hardly a rush in any sense of the word, when Furner has been out of here for nearly five months now. That is a long time to identify a coach and form a strategy. Infact, history shows us never before has a club took that long to make such a decision. They can spin that one however they like, but this as nothing other than to do with money and control.

Now we are safe if the club are going for an outsider I should think an announcement is imminent and if it's going to. Be Agar why wait for the last two games of the season the be played ?

Manners.