I'd make a move for Brian Smith for 2010. McNamara may even agree to stay on as assistant to improve himself under an experienced head. Whether Smith would come back.. I'm not sure.

I'd be very surprised to see any immediate changes. Hopefully McNamara can salvage something from this year.. if only for his own reputation. But I would want to see a pretty spectacular turnaround to support keeping McNamara beyond his current contract.

At the Giants last year we relied on our assistant coaches. They did a good job.

Give Lee and Basil a go. Surely steve mac had the confidence to employ top people around him?

More a case of ' They won't sack me because look who'd they be left with'

Can't see it but Brian Smith would be ideal. He could then implement the infrastructure behind the scenes like he did originally. Other than him, Millward would be my choice...but as he's not exactly a "yes man" he might not be in favour with our B.O.D.

Smith's a great coach for building the foundations and he's done that under a budget before when he was at Hull. We apparently have some good young players in the academy and I'm sure they'd benefit from his experience so ideally I'd want Smith as first choice.

Id go with that, also with Smith for next year. I also agree that we might not see any changes, and that the board might simply let his contract run out and replace him over the close season as thats the cheapest option.

Although I like the idea of a "Bradford old boy" returning Smith, Hanley, Elliot, McDermott, Harrison, Noble (well, maybe not that one!) - whoever, I just wonder if we need a complete change next time like we had in 1995. We've continued promoting from within since then and maybe we need to change the whole structure again? Someone with fresh ideas and no link to the past?

Smith. I don't like the idea of getting someone who coached here before. Plus Smith has a terrible record at winning silverware - i.e. NONE Steer clear IMO.

I think the point is that it was Smith's work which turned us around and laid the foundations for the success in 1997 and then on. We might need a similar turnaround now and we know Smith's done that for us once so I can understand people mentioning his name, it would get no complaints from me.... dont think that one would happen anyway, and like I said, [iif [/iwe do change the coach maybe a clean slate would be better?

Would he see it as a backward step leaving Newcastle. Isn't he supposed to be turning THEM around at the moment?

how much motivation would he have to come back to a club that has seemingly thrown away all he set up last time?

the worry has to be that a lot of good coachs in current posts might see us as a backwards step... Which is why we might end up with a current assistant or someone out of work IMO.

If the post becomes available, and that is still a big if I reckon, I dont think we'll be short of applicants but we wont be able to go and get anyone we wish for.

I think the position is different now in any case. The first time he did it all the clubs ('cept Wigan) were in the same boat and in effect we go the drop on them by embracing Super League. Our position now is that we are very much in catch up mode and if we write this season off (as seems likely) we will only have one more year to prove ourselves before re-applying for our franchise. It's a bit like watching Leeds Utd situation.

If we're gonna get someone half decent we will need to offer a competitive salary. Dunno if the club finances are good enough to attract the kinds of names being suggested on here. What are the odds that we end up promoting from within again? Maybe Menzies or Morrison will want a crack at player coach. I've said before that get Robbie Paul in, it is a shame he is not involved with the club anymore - what's he doing these days???

Robbie still plays for Salford. I doubt he'd ever be a coach though.

He's playing for Salford as I remember. For me Bradford should have kept some link with Big Joe Vagana. I cannot for the life of me understand why they let him leave and not stay at the club in some capacity. I like it when clubs repay loyalty, Leeds have Poaching and Barrie Mc knocking about, Sculthorpe is still very much involved at Saints....etc etc

I dont think you will get rid of McNamara though so I wouldnt worry. If you do I don't think it'll be a well known coach coming into the fold. You couldn't afford them nor does the club look lucrative enough for someone to give up stable another job (Previous Links to Justin Morgan spring to mind)

If you do get a new coach in, the saving grace is that they will be able to reassess and plan for the new season,. You have quite alot of needs in my opinion. Morrison and Lynch re-signing is one of them

Yeah that would have been fine, but he wanted to go home

Joe wouldn't have got a work permit to stay as a coach according to the club.

You definate about that? Ive "heard" otherwise thats all. In all honesty was under the imprssion he desperately wanted to stay. Was willing to stay playing also. But I could be wrong

The principle is still the same though, there are plenty of ex Bradford players whose skills and knowledge could and should be used. Big Joe was part of a winning formula and (Whilst I appreciate so was Deacs) it might have been useful to have him around. Just my opinion though, and I can see what Im saying is all situation dependant but for me, the more clubs show "loyalty" as an important value the better it will be for our game.

OK, but we let the likes of Nick Zisti go when surely we could have found him a position?

Somebody from round these parts, posting in another place, has raised Ricky Stuart at the end of the season as being the deal.

Given Stuart called Klein a cheat, I'd say that's one qualification for a Bulls coach he could already tick off?

I think the loss of Joe Vagana is telling a tale already. Unless he really wanted to go home, it was absolutely crazy not to use him in some capacity.

Go tell that to the Home Office. He would not gave got a work permit.

His mistake was not being an Afghan asylum-seeker.

He could have just jumped under a lorry on the M606,(stuck in traffic of course) popped off at Rooley Ave then claimed asylum at Odsal - job sorted.

Dont think he would come over here i always got the impression he does not like us poms