Well, for a man who can't coach, with no money etc we are 4th in the table at about the halfway mark.

And surely something of use was said at halftime v. Wakey. But hey -

Is this "good enough"? Or should we get rid? The question ultimately is-

CAN MAC COACH?

I went to a Bradford game last season and was very unimpressed at some of the foulmouthed levels of abuse he was recieving of some sections of support, who should hang their heads in shame after how you have performed at the end of last season, following it through to this one.

I think perhaps this poll is a couple of weeks early. Not that McNamara doesn't deserve credit for the way he has got the team playing this year because we have for large parts punched well above our weight.

But for once I agree with Sky, the next couple of weeks and in particular the Cup match will have a huge bearing on our season. I think reaching the Semi-Final would be a massive boost for the club, once again competing for a major trophy.

Of course McNamara can coach, but I think we need to overcome a few more hurdles before we can expect the likes of ME to eat humble pie.

IMO Bradford's form this year has more to do with the acquisition of a half decent midfield triangle (Orford, Kearney and L'Estrange) than it does McNamara's coaching.

After seeing the recent games against Crusaders and Wakefield, I'd argue that the main weaknesses (i.e. poor defence around the ruck, too many handling errors and other features of silly play) are still there. A team with better attacking options would have scored a lot more than 10 points in the first half on Friday. That said, Bradford have obviously played better than this earlier in the season with wins against the likes of Wigan, so who knows.

I certainly wouldn't make the mistake of praising McNamara for turning the team around yet when there is of much of the season to go. As another poster has mentioned, the next two games will do much to restore McNamara's reputation if he can produce a couple of wins.

So on Friday night when Orford wasn't playing and Kearney had gone off injured, how did the team it around at half time? Was it L'Estrange performing all 3 triangle roles? Or did perhaps the coach have something to do with it?

Don't let sense try and talk him round!

I was referring to your form over the course of the season rather than one specific game. Even the Bulls of last year should have been able to turn over Wakefield.

Anyway McNamara may have been able to turn things round with an inspiring talk at half time, which begs the question why his talk had zero effect two weeks before against Crusaders...

Because the effect of the Easter period caught up with us, as it has to at some point for all teams??

Did you see McNamara tactically destroy Wigan in the 2nd half whilst they were unbeaten? Not the sign of a bad coach.

I never said he was a bad coach, and I think you'll find I mentioned the Wigan game above. I'd just like to see more games like the Wigan one (hopefully not next week though) before proclaiming him the second coming as many on here have done since it became clear he would be leaving at the end of the season.

We are like two teams at the moment though aren't we? The Crusaders away side, the Wakey first half side or the Wiagn first half side and then we are the Wakey second half side, the Wigan second half side, the Leeds first half side, and so on. Why the inconsistancy? Is that the coaching or the players?

Only the players and the coach are likely to know the answer to this.

Indeed. But we should be told!

I've been mainly in support of McNamara for most of his time with us and it will be a shame if he goes just as he's starting to see results. That said he has had some shocking moments as the Bulls coach whilst he's learnt his trade in public, and its easy to see why people would want rid. But on balance at the moment given the constraints we are under I would have prefered if he'd stayed. (ask me at the end of the season and it might be a different answer mind!)

On his coaching ability being highlighted at half time Friday, well yes clearly there was an impact and a reaction. But on that basis what happened with the coaching before the game to produce the first half performance? (The answer to that btw might be more a reflection of wakeys up and down display during the game rather than ours??) On balance he did a good job as we won, but the wakey game does demonstrate that both the Bulls and McNamara whilst showing huge promise and improvement are still far form the finished article.

Yes, Mac can coach.

Indeed we should not.

Because if WE are told, then so is the rest of the competition?

They could just tell us. We won't tell anyone else.

Mac has proven that given a squad of players who are fit and able, he can coach them to be successful.

Unfortunately, it took him 3 years to address fitness and what players were needed in what positions.

If he wasnt going to coach England I would have neither backed him or sacked him, but let his contract expire in November.

As it is, I would prefer that he left as soon as he can, preferebly so that his successor can be in charge for our game on the weekend of June 11/12/13 so Mac can focus fully on England and not try and do both jobs at half pelt.

His one sentence coaching history at the BUlls will read something like " coached the club in a time of difficulty and failed to make the playoffs in 2009".

wheras Nobles would be "coached the club in a time of unprecedented success for the club"

Trophies and titles are what fans want. under Mac we have none! YET!!

And what if his successor isn't available yet?

To save himself the effort why doesn't he tactically destroy teams from kick-off? Presumably you had not recovered from easter in the first half against Wakey?

Silly me...

No no no. It is all for our benefit. The sheer excitement after watching the opposition build up a healthy lead then wondering which response we are going to get from our players is indescribable. The tension whilst we wait to see if the opposition continue to pile on the points leaving us in crushing disappointment - or - a rousing comeback with flowing moves and scintillating rugby to snatch a game which was thought lost is the greatest feeling.

Is this coaching? I don't know. It is unpredictable though.

Still obsessed with me?



FWIW, this is an interesting time to start the poll. I wonder why it was not started after the Crusaders humiliation?

We will win nothing with McNamara and I will keep beating the same drum. No need for me to eat humble pie.

Eh?



I mentioned you because the majority of similar polls were started by your good self.

I note that the criterion for judging Macca to be a failure now seems to have subtly shifted to "if he does not win anything?"

If that is the case (maybe that was not ME's intent, in which case maybe he'll clarify?) then 12 or 13 SL coaches will be failures?

In fairness to ME most of the polls were not started by him, IIRC.

It has not subtly changed in the slightest Adey. It is quite simple. McNamara inherited the current world champions and has taken us backwards. We now sit fourth in the table and to some this is being viewed as a success. Even this poll was conveniently timed to coincide with a decent comeback rather than just after the humiliation and abject failure of Murrayfield.

A good coach can get success with a good team and ultimately success is dependent on silverwear. He has taken a good team backwards and will leave his tenure empty handed and ultimately a failure.

Some people may be happy with fourth place but not all.