Well it'll have to be somebody. The board can't exactly claim that this situation has crept up on them can they?

And if the financial situation is really quite so dire as to make it impossible for us to attract a top coach and all the trimmings, then maybe the board should consider some radical cloth cutting and surrender our SL licence, return to a part time squad and ply our trade in the lower leagues.

The same financial constraints must have been evident when we splashed the cash for Orford, maybe we should splash some more and give him the leadership that the expenditure warranted?

or maybe we can wait tilll next season when we should have finished making 5 figure harris settlement payments to leeds and use that money to recruit a coach. which just happens to coincide with when macca leaves.

Probably best outcome for us overall as theres a portion of our support who macca was never going to win over, even if he did the treble.

We now need to take as much time as is needed to ensure we get the right man to replace macca and take the club forward. I'd suggest this appointment is actually more important than any squad strengthening next season and its more important to spend money on the coaching staff rather than the couple of backs and a forward most seem to want.
We will have maccas salary to spend )and I wouldnt be surprised if st hilaire goes with macca)plus a few player departures (worrincy and crossley spring to mind) so we should have a bit of money available even if we stick to current budget. Hopefully the improving performances and weather will see attendances start to rise over rest of season.

Well its a done deal tomorrow then, with Macca staying on till the end of his contract. I dont blame Macca for taking a job offer when its still 50:50 if the Bulls would offer and extention.

I dont blame the board either, there was no way they could have offered McNamara an extention last close season, and although we have hit some form, the junior development is starting to show serious progress and (most) of the 2010 signings are working well, if the England job had been given to someone else I suspect it would widely be seen on here as too soon to offer McNamara a serious extention based on this season so far. It just seems to be a coincidence of timing that made it inevitable, I said when the report first surfaced that it looked likely to me.

I have an issue with the RFL and the timing, why on earth could they not have appointed someone in the close season? Why wait until mid season?

The key to if I'm ok with this move or not is in the replacement. At least with McNamara staying until the end of the season we have time to get it right (or at least take our best shot at getting it right with the dwindling resources available to us) We're all going to have to balance good/bad points of the potential replacements against what we can afford and what risks we are able to take, like the signings of recent years.

I also wait with interest for the full announcements from the RFL and the Bulls tomorrow...

I take into account everything that's been said but ....


I don't think the RFL would pay us anything when he's not even being released early.

So why the sudden u-turn by Hood & or the board?

(I will wait aswell before I decide whether I think it's a good or bad thing depending on his replacement)


If any of the following are McNamara's replacement I will be upset & angry with the boards decision.

Jimmy Lowes, Brian McDermott, Ian Millward, Shaun McRae, Terry Matterson, St Hilaire, Bulls4champs2010.

Class

Woaaahh, Ewwen. I'd knock the rest of SL clear out of the way of the Bulls.

You could even log onto the T&A as "Bulls4champs2010 for the Sack" and play merry hell about the coach!



You forgot to include Mystic Eddie though?

That level of expertise would cost a fortune though, right ME?

I agree that that shortlist does not make good reading, and I would reject all but one... I just have a feeling that McDermott might be being unfairly pre-judged by some. You've got to remember what he's working with/against down there. He's learning his trade still like McNamara has been, and he has a decent rep for youth development, which is the direction we want to go in, and I suspect he could produce better results with better resources (we're not flush but we do have some genuine top drawer players whereas Quins do not).

I'm not saying he would be the perfect appointment, far from it, but I don't think he's one to dismiss too quickly either. He might be a decent fit with where we are currently as a club. I [iguess [/ihe might also be cheaper than either an established aussie or hot shot aussie assistant? I confess I dont know enough about the game down under to point out the next Nathan Brown or Mcguire, which would be my first choice if there was such an outstanding candidate that wants to come and we could afford.

but how many games would ME give himself before he judged himself



??

I agree re McDermott - Duckman argues the case well.

I picked up something the other day which made me think he could be a strong candidate. With the possible exception of Michael, he'd be the pick of that bunch IMO.

Remember, this "shortlist" is all guess work.
We have no idea what the club have been planning or who they have been speaking to.

I expect a pretty swift statement from hood following the RFL's announcement.

Can't blame Macca for his choice, particularly if the board were split and couldn't make their minds up.
I think another 2 years would have seen us contesting a final or two again.

No doubt if someone comes in and manages to do this, it'll be about the "new coaching" and not all the hard graft Macca has done, a real shame IMO.

Indeed, he may turn out to be a clever appointment. Only time would tell mind.

I'd like to see a strong team around him though - I just hope whatever the new regime, more pennies aren't pinched here, we need to spend as much as we can afford IMO.

I'll sign up to all of that.

I'm very disappointed, and concerned. The former will remain; I hope and pray the latter will be short-lived. We'll not pay for a top coach on 7-8k gates though.

Without highlighting it, it's quite clearly obvious the one you speak of is my good self. Thanks.



I think the next hot shot assitant down under is called Stuart Flannagan from Cronulla. I've heard his name being bandied about quite a few jobs including the Parra one before Anderson got it. He's also NSW assistant or was at one point not so long back.

Yep, me too. I just hope fans are not expecting too much from the new appointment, I suspect we wont be shopping in the top bracket, however I also hope the club manage to pull an ace out of its sleeve...

Don't forget the 5k that only said they'd come back when Macca goes.....!

Goes without saying, but just in case its probably best you said it anyway, no worries



Flannagan? Ok cheers for the name, thats one of tomorrows lunchtime google searches sorted then.

I heard that name, from someone who posts on here, a couple of weeks back.

I've said before, if we lose Macca we need to look at Australia if we can stretch to it. Sodding weak Sterling isn't helping matters. McDerrmott would be the pick of the Brit crop for mine.

I think people are confusing Shane Flanagan with 'Stuart' who is a Cronulla player.

Yeah it was me.

If we were going for a British coach then I'd opt for Nobby, but failing that Big Mac too. At least he's had a few seasons coaching at SL level and a few seasons under Smithy at Leeds. He's also a fitness man and keen on junior development, but a you say, we need to look to Aussie.

Quote ="Bully_Boxer"I think people are confusing Shane Flanagan with 'Stuart' who is a Cronulla player.'" We're not mate. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 1117954283

Quote ="Bully_Boxer"I think people are confusing Shane Flanagan with 'Stuart' who is a Cronulla player.'" We're not mate. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 1117954283

Shane, not Stuart.