We haven't won anything yet and even if we did win the Grand Final - assuming we actually get there - that wouldn't change my opinion of how Saints have performed under him, which is what I have been talking about. That he is a cardboard cutout is unfortunate but that in itself isn't what has convinced me that I'm happy to see him go. It's what Saints have been like under him. And I'm not about to get into that because I really can't be bothered given that it's almost the end of the season and he's almost gone. If you want to know my opinions on that then you can go look at my posts from the last two seasons. It's all there.

Interesting that some of your mates were sorry to see him go only when they discovered we weren't replacing him with a big name coach! At least I have some integrity and was happy to see him go before I knew who the replacement would be!

We have some talented players, that's why. Without a few of them - especially Pryce, Eastmond, Roby, Graham and Wello - there is no way we would have been in 2nd/3rd this season IMO.

Saints don't have devine rights to win the grand final and challenge cup every year!

What do you expect of potter?

Being a good coach is about what the team does on the pitch, not what he looks like sat in the stand, not what he says to the media!

Tony smith is rated as one of the best coaches or even the best coach in super league with the best and most costly squad, yet potter is sitting a place above him and scoring more points and tries than anyone in super league.

This thread does make me smile. As I said before we had a similar thing with Brian Noble, particularly last season. Exactly the same arguments (one out boring rugby etc) Then it was pointed out that Wigans wingers had scored more tries (combined) than any others in Superleage. It still didn't pacify them though. Once the daggers in they love to twist it.

So you would swap Nobby back for McGuire?

And who said they did?


To get the best out of what is a largely talented team, which IMO he hasn't done.


You choose to totaly ignore what I write! It is precisely because of what the team has done on the pitch that I don't rate Potter.


Tony Smith has turned Warrington around. They are defending the Challenge Cup. They have gone from tenth in the league to third/second. We are defending nothing and we have gone from first/second to second/third. I know who I would want as my coach, between Smith and Potter.

Would he fook.

No, but that doesn't mean that Noble did a bad job. And to give him some more credit I think Crusaders have played some really exciting rugby this season.

To be clear they didn't change their minds when Royce was appointed, they were shocked that Potter was let go when we didn't even have a replacement lined up and were then less than satisfied at the apparent initial calibre of the replacement. Hopefully Royce does improve us but only time will tell, god help him with some if he doesn't.

They were not happy to see Potter not offered a new contract as they were impressed with what had been achieved despite having a smaller, older, less talented squad than the previous two coaches, a crippling injury list and having to integrate 6 or 7 youngsters due to the breaking up of the squad over the last few years, to even keep us challenging for the prizes is pretty impressive.

You didn't answer my question, you admit we have no devine right to win anything and talk about performances but then if that is all you are bothered about you can never have been happy as a Saints fan in the last 20 years, did you have any such vitriol for any previous coaches? When have you been impressed that you couldn't criticise a coach and were happy with Saints?

Your integrity lol! You've stated yourself you've been posting complaints about Potter for 2 years! He had no chance with you, the guy didn't impress you from the start and no matter what happened after that, your mind was made up, you wouldn't admit he has done a good job for Saints as it would be admitting you got it wrong about him as a coach, its not a great attitude to have considering you want to work with 11-16 year olds...

I don't think you are in a position to speak on behalf of all of 'them'. And I was replying to a specific post in which that claim was made.


Our squad is younger than it has been in ages this season; it is no smaller than previous seasons; we have played good rugby and poor rugby regardless of the injuries at any given time (had we not done so but instead played poor rugby whenever we had our highest number of injuries then I would agree with that point); our young players were integrated last season, with the exception of Jamie Foster, and have often been some of our better players; and if you're of a mind to judge a coach or a season on the amount of silverware won (which I am not, as I have said on here many times before) then 'challenging for prizes' is meaningless.


You're talking garbage. Like I said previously, read my posts on here.


Here is the meaning of the word according to the Collins dictionary:

integrity [ɪnˈtɛgrɪtɪ
n
1. adherence to moral principles; honesty
2. the quality of being unimpaired; soundness
3. unity; wholeness
[from Latin integritās; see integer

As I've said on the previous pages, I wouldn't change my position even if we won the Grand Final because I still don't believe Potter is right for Saints. That's me being honest and maintaining my stand. That's what integrity is about. I thought you needed the definition, though, as you did not seem to understand what the word meant.


That's a lie. Show me where I have stated that and/or where I was posting complaints about Potter over the last two years? Even during this season I have stated clearly on here that I was 'on the fence', not having made up my mind about him. So you're just talking bollox because you want a dogpile.

It's pretty obvious you measure how good a coach is by how much he wins.

No. [iYou[/i think that. I don't. And I have said so on here quite clearly, many times. I've been very clear. My concern all along has been our performances. Winning is great, no doubt about that. But I go each week to enjoy my rugby league whether we win or not. And I've said that more than once. And been dumped on each time for it too. But that doesn't change what I've written on here.

I think you should all be pleased with Potter we've had to put up with the new England coach for 4 years.

Look at Warrington under Cullen. They had loads of talented players yet failed to deliver success or a high place in the table.

Spot on.

Yep. The same team, with the addition of Atkins and Mathers, is fantastic under Smith. Just my point. A good coach really does make a difference. What we would have been like to watch this season with a good coach is just too much to think about because it makes me want to cry.

Potter is a good coach. He may not be the best coach in the league, but he is a good coach, hence our position in the league, our competitiveness in the big games and our run in the Cup / Play Offs.

You can't just have talented players, you need a coach to give them direction and Potter has done a pretty good job at that.

And Solomona and Myler

I disagree. Not about our position in the league, obviously, or our desire to compete with our closest rivals, but about Potter being a good coach. Wire and Wigan have been competitive in all their matches, even those they have lost. We have played too poorly too often, even when we have had a lot of senior players in the team - like against Crusaders in the first half - for me to believe that Potter is a good coach. We haven't even had any real Millward-esque games to compensate.


I disagree. (No surprise there!) We haven't really had direction all season and people on here have commented upon that so it isn't only me who takes that position.

Indeed. I forgot about those two. But take a look at the four new players in Smith's squad. Did people think much of Atkins when he was at Wakey? And what did Wigan fans say about Mathers? And Bradford fans on RLFans have wondered recently how come Solomona didn't play as well for them as he has been doing for Warrington? Richie Myler is just lost in a team of players who are finally achieving their potential. Because they have a good coach.

Potter is a good coach and this year looks to have settled in which has improved the performance on the pitch( 2nd in the league, scored more tries and more points than any team).

He seems to have got the best out of the team this year which for most of the year has lacked any centres, any halfbacks and a very young backrow.

I'd like to have seen just how far potter would have took us if he had stayed.

I'd be pretty shocked if he's not in the 3 for coach of the year.

How do you come by those conclusions? He's settled in? How so? And what are you comparing our performances this season with? Last season? The season before? And what do you consider to be an improvement in performance?

I think our attack has improved a hell of alot this year and the performances have also improved a hell of alot.

I think your forgetting we have played this year without centres, a halfback or two halfbacks.

We lost sia which was our only signing all season.

He's done a fantastic job, without a doubt.

But what are you comparing those performances with? To have an improvement you must be using a comparison.


Not true. We have played a couple of games without both recognised centres but in most of our other games we have had at least one recognised centre in Gidley and the other centre spot has been filled either by Wheeler, who had already experienced centre position last season, or Meli (a recognised centre) or Dean (a recognised centre). And we have played most of our games with both our halfbacks. Of the remaining games we have played with one halfback unless you count Moore as a halfback, which is what he was prior to going on loan. On only two occasions have we started and finished with no recognised halfbacks.


We lost him so long ago and so completely that I don't think he's been missed at all. He simply wasn't around long enough to be missed. It's just like last season in that respect.


If you want to think so then you are entitled! I disagree, is all.

We have made a improvement on last year under potter.

Meli is not a recognised centre. Wheeler has played about 10 games all season. We only have one recognised centre at the club in gidley, this year we've had gidley, wheeler, flannery, armstrong, meli, sia, dean all start at centre and had ashurst and roby moved there during the game, i would say the centre postion has been a problem this year.

Isn't scott moore back at saints to replace KC when he retires ? Ain't he he played the last 3/4 years at hooker at cas, hudds then back at saints ? Didn't he play hooker for england ? I'd say his postion is hooker now.

Kyle was out for 10 weeks this year! we've had moore(hooker), wilkin(backrow), roby(hooker) all playing in the halfs. We then lost leon to injury for past 3/4 weeks and maybe the year! We have played a few games without both, including a semi final which we was unlucky not to win.

Not many teams would cope with these situations and the coach and players deserve a big pat on the back to still be 2nd in the league.