Well he would say that wouldn’t he?

Had it just been just the issues Sinfield spoke of we would have seen the usual and expected bounce effect from the arrival of a new coach. But performances on the field have grown worse especially in defense and with only one win out of five proves the new set up is out of its depth.

Sinfield used to speak of honesty a lot when he was the captain but now in interviews just comes out with the tired old cliches of “making giant strides” of “turning the corner” of “training well and being ready for a win” none of which is true. His delivery is monotone and boring and you can see he lacks the personality to enthuse and motivate so necessary for coaching.

We need a proven top Aussie coach and if we get one I do not see a role for someone totally inexperienced in management and unqualified in coaching to be his boss.

I do, especially when GH retires. Kevin is perfect for the CEO role, he knows the club so well, and gas the connections with the RFL.

The set up we have at the moment is something of a holding pattern, until the right coach is available, I don’t believe it was ever the “plan A”, because I think that GH didn’t expect BMD to throw his toys out of his pram (although it was plain to see he would do).

The bonus of bringing in a current NRL coach (well, almost), is that he may be able to attract good players he has a past working relationship with, not to mention knowing the wider pool in the NRL. This surely bodes well for future recruitment... If, of course, there's anything in this rumour at all.

Once you get into the "anything goes" mindset/culture that cannot be easily changing. Evolution of culture is very high end change management and takes time. This will not change until next season when the ring leaders are gone and all the players have time to mentally exit where they are and mentally move into a different environment - probably pre-season.

Leeds looked OK earlier in the year before teams started to get their act together e.g Huddersfield. The performances haven't got worse they have just plateaued and other teams have improved. The current standard is the best this team can produce and without a significant change of personnel this will continue.

The arrogance of some players is there for all to see - losing games doesn't matter. Whatever you say about Sinfield he was a winner and knew when it was required to dig deep. Sadly this current crop of players don't have that within them - many were carried along on the back of the likes of Sinfield/Peacock/McGuire/Burrow players who knew what it took to face adversity and overcome it.

What makes you think Sinny has the financial or management expertise to be a CEO. Being a former great rugby player and captain does not mean you would be a success at running a sweetie shop let alone being in charge of multi million pound business with huge property assets. Yes he could be a PR man but as a CEO in name only would need other professionals to run the business in the same way he will need a professional coach to run the team.

So what you are saying is that the root problem was not the coach but the players, or more specifically the lack of adequate replacements of former star players. On this we can agree.

The fault lies with GH and the moths in his wallet.

Saying the fault lies in just one place or the other is a bit simplistic. You don't go from the heights we have experienced to where we are now by one thing only going wrong.

The team has been (criminally) under funded for years, and the players have been allowed to let standards drop below what should reasonably be expected of them. There is more than one "culprit" here.

I don't think he has all the knowledge and experience at the moment, and like anyone moving into a new position he will need to acquire it. What I do believe is that Kevin is intelligent enough, and has shown enough Leadership characteristics, to be afforded the time to develop the skills and knowledge that is required by a CEO. He also has an expert (who's taken his eye off the ball in the last couple of years granted) to teach him over the next year or two.

I actually typed out a much longer and more precise response but my bl00dy connection was lost and so was the post...

Still unable to accept his hero carrys any blame or accountability whatsoever.

People still seriously miss the biggest issue of McDermotts reign in its entirety. He could not develop youngsters. He did not have the faith in them. And its his actions in this regard that left us with the necessity to recruit outside better, which we failed in.

Not at all - read what I say.

The issues around the arrogance of the players and the sloppy culture lies firmly at McDermott. The lack of quality coming through the academy also lies with him.

The lack of investment in the team we don't know who is at fault - could be GH offered to increase the quality of the squad and McDermott thought the squad was good enough to compete.

So are you saying the coach is irrelevant - as long as you have a strong squad they don't really add any value?

That, for me, is a very accurate appraisal. The flip side is that he also managed to squeeze far more than might reasonably have been expected from the players he stuck with during latter years of his tenure. Let's face it, had he not done so he'd have gone long ago.

I disagree. A team can almost always produce better. Look at Saints under Cunningham/Holbrook.

But Saints already had the basic fundamentals to work with, whilst we don’t, they then added Barba to the mix.

But it was others who had alleged that the problem was all the fault of coach BMcD and he had 'lost the dressing room'. Had this been the main reason then there would have been some immediate improvement after he was sacked. Resulting performances if anything have worsened so changing the coach mid season has shown that the main problems are with the players and the lack of recruitment which I argue is down to Hetherington and not BMcD.

Most seem to have forgotten too that for all of BM's time this year we have been unable to select a full strength squad with half the first team unavailable most weeks. Since BMcD has left we have had some of the long term injured back plus 2 short term signings yet still no improvement.

The likes of Sinfield, Maguire, Burrow, Galloway all needed replacements of similar quality. Myler has been a good signing but where are the other three. The squad was well under strength for Mac and is little better for Sinfield.

Look I was a big fan of Sinfield as a player and captain and I really wish him well in his new role but he actually has no experience or knowledge of running a business as he has not had a real world 'proper job' since he left school. Now that is not to say he will not develop into a good business manager one day but I do think we are expecting too much of the fella.

With a top Aussie coach why do we need a DOR? What can he bring to the table? You are assuming he will take over from GH as CEO but my guess is that PC will want a professional proven manager to run the business when GH retires.

Perhaps it’s PC that has approved bringing Kevin back so he can learn from GH before he retires and become exactly what you say PC will want?

Seems like you are arguing with me, but we actually have a similar view that Kevin isn’t CEO material today? Only difference I see in our positions is that I’m more confident than you that he can get to the required standard.

Not so. I am critical of BMcD for accepting the lack of major class recruitment from GH. I am also critical of his judgement (and yours) that Sutcliffe should be the replacement for Sinfield when it was obvious (at least to me) at the time that he was not good enough.

As someone who has been calling for BMcD to be sacked since 2011/12 you have had to eat seconds, thirds and fourths of humble pie as he broke all records for a Leeds (and SL) coach. So no surprise that you still don't like anyone sticking up for him.

I am sure PC approved KS's appointment but I think it was an attempt to motivate the players to stay out of the middle eights and get to Wembley again. I would not be surprised to see GH replaced with a new man quite soon.

I think it’s more likely that it’s a longer term plan for KS to work with GH until the end of next season before GH retires and KS takes over as CEO.

I see Wigan has signed Shaun Edwards for 2020 and Adrian Lam as a stop gap until then

Good forward planning

When you say PC are you talking Caddick? If so he won’t care less who is CEO, his interests are elsewhere now. Not involved much now. Wanted buying out last year and had buyer, but GH put spanner in works. Instead a private deal done with GH and Oates.

Sinfield always had the makings of higher than coaching. Far more qualified than GH ever was. He just needs to develop in the role.

I take it you are talking about paper qualifications? Hetherington had real hands on experience of managing the Sheffield club while Sinfield might have had a paper round.

Once again this topic as developed into a ing contest

Certainly not before that. How do you think GH made his name?