It's what fans do isn't it? We all did the same at the Bulls when McNamara got the head coach job. You try and convince yourself of the positives!

It's going to be an interesting 2011.

There were positives about McNamara? Apart from the obvious that some day his contract would end of course.

IIRC plenty of us hoped him taking over would go as smoothly as the last couple of changes where the assistant had taken over from the senior man. As I recall nobody at the time said that he was hopeless and we should steer clear.

Can't disagree with that.

The pool of talent in last few years hasn't really helped Poaching. From the snippets I have heard about him did appear he was bit too nicey nicey around the place, and some of the players saw him more of a ''mate'' than a coach.

Interestingly enough, there's been a few whispers that has been the case with McClennan. Whether or not they're true, we will never know!

From my albeit limited info and from what I've witnessed myself, I'd have to agree with that.

most teams no matter how good they are need a change in coaching personel every so often just so fresh ideas and tactics can be tried
it also stops players becoming too complacent about their places and improves focus on trying to get a place in the starting 13

as for the u20s no doubt there will be at least 1 player thats failing to impress now that leaves the club only to return in a few years as an established super league player, just because they didnt roll every team over last season doesnt mean poaching wasnt a good coach, the cream like clarkson will still rise through the ranks to reach the first team

Looks to have been a good swap from the Wire side of things.

Maybe from our POV as well since our junior teams seem to be going pretty well, despite or because of losing Poching I don't know.
So looks like a win/win situation.

Has it really?

Not many Wire fans gave Jimmy Lowes credit for being assistant coach when we won at Wembley twice....so why would they give Willie Poching credit for our current form?

All this Lowes v Poching stuff is just speculation from fans who have no knowledge on their respective abilities on the inside, the diverging fortunes of Leeds and Warrington reflect more the difference between Brian McDermott and Tony Smith.

Correct!

It makes me laugh people commenting on how poor Lowes is. How can anybody comment on his input, unless they have seen what he does at training first hand.

Although, having said that. I would argue that its not just the head coach, its the whole management/support team that has an affect on fortunes of the team (aswell as the players obviously).

...yeah but he has a little piggy face and his eyes are too close together - my mother said "never trust a man whose eyes are too close together".

Foetal alcohol syndrome: not his fault, his mother's!!

At Warrington most of the fans seemed to like him coming to us as assistant because he had a trophy winning background, and they were willing to give him a chance when he was appointed head coach. He actually started off with a run of wins which got us into the playoffs in 2008 but where Lowes didn't do himself any favours was with his absolutely shambolic image with the media.

After having had Cullen, who was an articulate bloke who presented himself well to the media and came over as somebody who cared a lot about the club, Lowes appeared in front of the press looking scruffy and as though he didn't care, and just grunted and gave smart ass answers. Even the weekly videos with the local press which went on the warrington worldwide site (a publication which is always very generous and favourable to the club) degenerated into Lowes just trying to give a sarcy answer to every question and imply that he thought being interviewed was beneath him.

I know the role of a coach is to win games not handle the media, but Lowes general demeanour gave the impression that he was a guy who wasn't really coach material, hence the Wire fans slagging him off.

He ain't impressed me at all in his time here

Lowes doesn't exactly have a great rapport with the Leeds club and fans after his move to Bradford and the things that happened as a result of that. People are struggling to see what he is adding at the moment (other than making BMD look coherent) as whenever the camera goes onto him he's chewing the top of a zip up jumper. He has had very very little success in a coaching capacity wherever he has been (a little like his boss), and frankly when you add all this to the way we are playing under his coaching, its hardly surprising that he's coming in for some flack.

...yeah and he's got a little girlie yappy dog too. He walks it around Bramhope and looks a right t*t.

Walking sounds about right, you certainly won't see him driving for a year or so anyway. Nothing further to add.

I nearly run him over the other day on arthington lane, had some Warrington training gear on!!

That's because he can't be trusted - eyes too close together you see.

I made a mistake swerving didn't I?

Not to be trusted.

And he has a rat tail hair do