No, however, as i said, opinions are very different from the utter tripe that was posted on here. Mine are just opinions though ones formed from seeing the coaches run sessions, being involved in their sessions and from talking to them, not from simply watching from the stands.

noted but when you come away from those sessions holding a higher opinion of a coach that has, so far, won no trophies than a coach who won two significant ones on the trot (plus a WCC and a LLS) why should your opinion be more valid than someone who hasn't had the access that you have had?

Might it be said, and I am not having a dig here because I find this discussion interesting, that even with the access you have had you could have formed an opinion that is flawed? After all, many things could have influenced your opinion, such as personalities etc.

I seem to recall you were not a fan of Tony Smith's personality (and you were not alone) but it cannot be argued that he is not a top quality coach surely? Perhaps you like McDermott and that has influenced your opinion?

I agree, btw, about the level of tripe and hope you will recognise this as merely a frank exchange of differing opinions.

Are we falling into the Ricky Bibey/Garry Schofield argument here? Medals alone are not the measure of a player or a coach IMO.

Nothing wrong with healthy discussion Gareth. The concerns of fans are all well and good from an uninformed stand point, like i said though its the name calling and calls for the axe after 5 minutes in the job which i find to be poor form.

Having seen Tony Smiths interviews i thought he had a strange manor in front of the camera, though never 'slagged him off', after speaking to him on a few occassions and recieving some mentoring i found him fascinating to listen to. As with McDermott I like what they have to say about the game from grass routes all the way to the top, some real insightful thoughts on the game, coaching and current players.

I formed my opinions from these encounters and not blowing my trumpet of course, but from also having a great deal of coaching experience from school and club level through to Scholarship and Yorkshire. Furthermore i thought McLennan was a really nice guy, but coaching wise from my opinion and those at the club he was somewhat lacking.

Are you on about my point about McClennan?

If so they are not views, they are fact.

Not at all, i know them to be fact also.

Just re read what you posted originally. Thought it was aimed at me



Too defensive these days

Seth wrote:No, however, as i said, opinions are very different from the utter tripe that was posted on here. Mine are just opinions though ones formed from seeing the coaches run sessions, being involved in their sessions and from talking to them, not from simply watching from the stands.

I know he won't do this (speak up) himself because he isn't that way inclined, but over the last ten years Leicester Rhino has played with, for, and against some of the brightest up and coming coaches and players, from NL3 down, players who in some cases have gone on to play to championship level and some whom are now on scholarships at Super League clubs. He has played against teams coached by current and ex Superleague players and has been instrumental in the development of one of the success stories of Rugby League in the last decade.

I would even go so far as to say that his personality, his demeanour and his playing skill has been a major factor in the recruitment, retention, and development of the game in the Midlands, not just in Nottingham, but from Gloucester, to Shropshire, to Birmingham , Coventry, Leamington, Derby and Sheffield.

If Leicester Rhino is of the opinion that BMc is not a coach of the highest calibre, I would be inclined to respect that opinion because he is not given to wasting his breathe spouting hyperbole and self agrandising claptrap.

Rant over.

Mine was a genuine question to Leicester Rhino, and fair play to him for his experience in the game. The utter tripe refers to the people who without just cause slagged the coach off with a tirade of name calling and calls for the axe, as i said earlier.

I dont see your post as a rant, more as a piece of good news, sounds like he has a great deal of experience in the game, would like to hear more.

after reading keith senior's book he mentions that when Mcdermott left leeds to take over at quins some fans questioned smith and how he was coaching the team and that it was brian doing all the coaching all along, i'm not brians biggest fan but it's amazing how fans can change their minds about a coach in three short years. i'm not going to say he's the next wayne bennett but i suppose he deserves some credit for getting us to the 2 major finals on offer with the so called "worst" leeds squad in quite a while?

I've got faith in McDermott. Dismissing his abilities at this stage is akin to writing off a player at 23 or 24. And the player's ability to improve is likely to be limited at some stage by his physical capabilities; a coach's isn't.

On another thread I mentioned that I thought McDermott wasn't as bad as I had earlier feared.

I had gone from ...
"Not looking good, strange selections, we are playing badly ... but I guess we'll have to let him see the season out"
to
"We are playing a lot better but, for me, the jury is still out on whether he actually is any good."

I am still positioned on that second view, I still suspect the players have learned to play around his coaching rather than with with it.
I really do hope I'm wrong.

For me, the jury was still out on McClennan ... right up until he left.
I'm still not convinced about him.
Either way.

I am most humbled by this



Doesn't mean I don't talk complete boll0cks sometimes though

As would I though I would not be inclined to simply accept or agree it because of where it came from. I usually like to form my own opinions, even when they clash with the opinions of people I count as friends or people I consider knowledgeable. I've disagreed with one such person on here already, Seth, and have also disagreed with Leicester Rhino (who I consider knowledgeable) on another thread today. I'd like to think that as grown ups we can live with differences of opinion.

Nope, you've got the market on that well and truly sewn up!

As if you didn't know I left that little titbit there for you to hoover up.

I try not to disappoint. At least outside the bedroom.

And you still have biscuit fingers.

Not done any finger related problems for 2+ years now. Biscuit clavicle is another matter

Was it built by Gaudi ?



(Some seriously supercilious people on here. Fans do undoubtedly want quick satisfying results for their buck and will invariably look for a scapegoat in lean times - especially if there is a hugely apparent lacklustre team effort - but I think most contributors on here have been relatively patient, to varying degrees, with Leeds' incumbent coach. The name calling has, maybe, been done only in a misguided attempt at humourous good play on his name: at least as far as I remember. Chill lads. We are ALL only expressing opinions)

I don't think Warrington had an off day,far from it, i think that Leeds put them in a place they'd not been for a long time. Having mullered wigan, Hull and huddersfield in quick succession they were blowing teams away until they met a side that were more than their equals in Leeds. Nobody will have tackled them harder or closed their key players down quicker than leeds did last week. The St Helens v Wigan game looked like it was in slow motion by comparison.

Actually the speed of the game was one of only two worries I had from watching the game. I hope Leeds are flexible enough to adapt to a slower-paced game - if I were either Sts or Wigan slowing us down would be one of the main aims in the GF.

The other worry was that for the second week in a row we let in a soft try up the middle after the ball had gone to our right and was then moved quickly across the field. against Hudds it led to a wlk-in, against Wire Briers only needed an inside runner to carve us up.

BTW, one thing that people (IMO) ought to allow for on here is opinions changing. I don't think its hypocritical at all to have really questioned BM's performances this year (including asking whether he should be replaced), and yet to now be happy to keep him. All we average fans can do is judge by what we see on the field after all.

Self praise indeed.

Well said BR we all want a decent team and performances afterall.

This.



I'm afraid my blue and amber glasses have clearly been sat on. Winning the GF or not, this has been one of the least enjoyable season I've had to endure in recent years, and beating Warrington away (by 2 points I might add) isn't going to change that. I would MUCH rather have enjoyed the 27 weekly rounds and suffer the heartache of losing in a semi, than watched 27 weeks of dross to win one match.

And the play off system is poor. And I'm sorry, but as much as I enjoyed our Champion performance last week, and as much as I'd enjoy a Champion performance on Saturday... I think it's embarrassing that there's a chance we could be called "Champions" for playing like champions in 6.66% of our matches (2 in 30!!).

I could not disagree with you any more vehemently. I think your views are dated and bertter suited to primary school sports day then professional sports. "It's not the winning, it's the taking part". Pah! It's all about winning.

If we win on Saturday it will be one of the most enjoyable seasons I've had to endure.