I couldnt give a flying one about Potters personality or lack of one.
What I will have a say on, wether you like It or not. Is paying good money to be bored rigid.
I can handle not winning trophys,the majority of time Ive watched Saints we havent won zilch. But last season we were incredibly boring to watch,despite haveing a team full of players most other clubs would love to have.
I dont get why we have to be dull as ditchwater why we rebuild but still have some of the best players that super league has to offer.

Nothing quite like over exaggeration to make a point worth ignoring.

Had Potter won the GF given the injury problems of 2009, he would have done a magnificent job. As it happens, he very nearly did.

You seem to forget the chokefest of Anderson's first season, I for one am happy to give him another year and I think people will be pleasantly surprised at 2010.

Did you ever discover if we'd become as incredibly undisciplined under Potter compared to Anderson's reign as you asserted at the beginning of the season on Redvee? But you preferred to wait until the end of the year to make your judgement because averages were of no use?

A lot of the arguments you are now putting down to your mates and fans standing round you, you were stating were your own at one time. Why the change?

Well, quite. Despite the injuries we got to the Grand Final but thanks to Meli we didn't win it. I wasn't blaming Potter for not winning the Grand Final. I was blaming Meli (who, until that point, had been surprising many of us by being one of our standout players for some weeks, an observation I was very happy to make myself at the time).

The injuries stopped being an excuse for the awful rugby played by Saints the minute all the injured were back on the pitch, which I think was by the time of the Challenge Cup semi, bar Longy if I remember right (which isn't guaranteed). Obviously I don't include Cayless in that statement but he was hardly seen when we won silverware so his absence can't be taken as a factor for last season's performance.

PS: I was clearly using exaggerated language in my previous post. There is a technical term for that. It's called hyperbole.

Billinge Lump, I haven't a bloody clue what you are wittering on about.

Unsurprising.

I love all this talk of boring rugby under Potter.

Until Leeds demolition of a walking corpse in the shape of Celtic Crusaders, Saints had scored more trys than any other SL team. So if we are boring what does that say about the other SL sides?

The team Potter has in terms of backs is the one that Anderson built, Anderson built his backs around size and power. Sides have to play to their strengths, and there is no point flinging the ball out wide in your own half if your team doesnt have the threequarters to exploit such play through pace.
This is something Saints lack. Until the lack of pace in the fullback, centres, and wings is addressed, Saints will appear boring to many fans. We will continue to have to play a power orientated game, that relies on big forwards setting up field position close to the opposition line, followed by excellently executed moves.
The main weakness of this approach is the one we all know from when the Bulls used, it. NO PLAN B. Having a side built on size and power almost guarantees you will be in the cut for the big games, but it also tends to leave you short of alternatives if the opposition raises its game in a big match. This is why Leeds keep doing us, and why Hudds defeated us this year in the cup.

Hopefully Potters development of the kids,(his primary task when recruited by Saints) will benefit us in the years to come, as many of these kids do possess pace. This should allow us then to vary our game, as Leeds have shown themselves capable of doing, eg mixing it up the middle or getting it wide and using pace.

You see this Is the exact mindset I dont get.
Because we didnt just struggle against teams that could raise their game on the day ala Leeds and Hudds as youve mentioned.
We strugled against an injury hit Crusaders who were out on their feet for the last 25 mins and we still didnt put a move on em.
It was mind numbingly boring against Salford at home,again no moves. In fact numerous home games last year Id given up watching and was chatting away to people around who had done the same.
Christ we didnt even have an offload game at times never mind flinging It out to the wings.
Ill agree that Potter was appointed with an eye on the development of the kids. I just hope he isnt developing them in a way that makes me stay home and watch the paint dry instead.

True. You never can string a coherent sentence together.

Good, because if he continues this coming season what he started during the last, you'll get an awful lot more of it!

Seeing as you said that you had gained some qualifications in coaching surely you can see the benefit in not changing coaches every year which is more or less what you're inferring by writing off Potter. I expect such flippant knee-jerk reactions from the less level-headed and emotionally stable, however from somebody who I perceive has an insight into developing players and playing style I think we're entitled to expect a bit more grace.

Not really.

Continuity comes from assistants and backroom
staff at many clubs. An average three year turnover of head coach is
not uncommon.

Potter is just not right for Saints.

He has some virtues but does not fit the
Saints ethos and more importantly does
not seem to be making any effort to
engage with the town.

If he goes then the whole backroom and the associated
youth policy will remain.

This is nothing new though. Its always gone on, not just at Saints but at every team. Its why we need a competitive league were no match is a walk over.
I suspect the increase in the league to 14 teams is one of the reasons for more none event matches. People forget that in the 12 team league we were often playing good sides 3 or 4 times a year. This meant more "big game" clashes.
Now we are playing teams just home and away, which exposes us to more poor opposition.

This then has the effect of the players switching off and taking the walkovers somewhat easily.

From a fatigue point of view there is also little pointing going 100% against weak opposition, especially if the following week a more challenging team faces Saints.

No I'm not. I don't think I've ever actually said we should get rid of Potter but I do believe I have said I would be quite happy to see him go if Saints produce the same awful stuff they produced for the final third of last season. As I understand it, and I think he vocalised it himself, the slower PTBs meant that Saints had to adapt their style from previous years. Potter appeared to answer that challenge with defensive moves, which IMO is a coaching cop out. It is easier to aim to stop other teams from scoring than to create moves to outwit them. However, such an approach results in deathly boring RL. If Potter turns out a revitalised attacking team this season then I'll be happy. However, if he simply produces more of the same then I will firmly join the Potter out camp, albeit it adapted to 'no contract extension for Potter'.


Not really. Saints were just as boring when all the first team were back from injury. They are seasoned players. While all good players should always be learning and growing, they were not developing in the way young players obviously are. I thought it ironic that the only player who stood out in the Grand Final was Eastmond. I just hope his flair hasn't been coached out of him by Potter in the off season but instead supported by inventive moves and the freedom to create opportunities.

Good grief, people are making Potter out to be some sort of rugby hating demon.

Hardly!

Given what happened to the team's style during the last third of the last season, it is perfectly feasible that Eastmond's spontaneity and flash could be reigned in by overly defensive rugby league. IMO it depends on (a) what approach Potter decides to take to the slower PTB etc this coming season, and (b) what kind of skills Potter has in his attack armoury. We haven't seen evidence of his ability to coach attack yet, other than about two moves, and so I think it is perfectly reasonable to wonder whether Potter's approach will snuff out Eastmond's flair. You clearly don't think that, but then I doubt you'd criticise Potter if he blew the place up! (And that's another example of hyperbole, just for the record)

he's had his first full off season with the lads, and knows them all, so lets just wait a bit eh?

Well, yes. I've said that [iif[/i the team produces the same stuff as last season this season [ithen[/i I'll be happy to see the back of him. If you read my posts you will see that is what I have been saying. This implies, surely, that I'm 'waiting a bit', doesn't it?

You've not seen any evidence of his ability to coach attack? Why are you ignoring his previous three years at Catalan when they were one of the most exciting teams to watch in the competition?

Did he coach the flair out of Bosc? Mogg? Greenshields?

i wasnt saying it at you directly, just my opinion on the topic

Read again. The context of my post was clearly in relation to Saints. Thanks.

Fairy snuff.

What people seem to be forgetting is that under Anderson we only had one move (the loop around with Pryce/Wellens) and in the past two seasons teams cottoned on to what we're doing. With Eastmond now in the centre of the pitch I'm sure we'll be one of the most exciting teams to watch in the competition. He's already better than Burrow.

So you're ignoring evidence that is contrary to your opinion?



If we're going to ignore a coaches previous work at other clubs, who are we going to replace him with? Mike Rush? Ian Millward?

does anyone know how often MP had his full squad availiable last year? i doubt it was more than 6 or 7 games at most and this can have a huge impact of tactics and almost more importantly training.
i'm willing to give him a good few months yet

Glad you find yourself funny. I think you're pretty dull.

Saints aren't Catalans, or has that escaped your notice? They aren't built like Catalans and they don't have the same skill set as Catalans. Can you imagine any of our players today scoring that fantastic try that Bosc scored where he kicked with one foot then another? Nah, I can't either. Potter had a gifted player in Bosc and a talented halfback partnership. He had Longy and Leon here (one spent half the season injured and the other might well have done for all he contributed). Like I say, not the same teams. I seem to remember others have said on here where Anderson and Millward are concerned: it's easy to have success with a good team. I'm not entirely sure we have a good team anymore. (We do have some good individuals, just not a full team of them IMO) I'm sure we'll find out what we've got soon enough. Likewise, I'm not entirely sure Potter is able to create an exciting, attacking side and my opinon is based solely upon the evidence he himself produced during the final third of last season, which was an interminably dull, defensive side. Should he reveal a Saints team I can actually relate to again and enjoy watching then that will be great and I'll be among the first on here to congratulate him. Meanwhile, scuse me if I'm skeptical - [ibased on the evidence[/i - prior to the season even starting.