The question is can we show ambition under McNamara? I think the key to the answer will be in next seasons signings, whether they are world class, young bright prospects or Michael Platt types.

Fcku sake not that one again.

I though we were going to be good once we had Lesley's salary available, the Hape's salary, then Iestyn's salary.

Some of the problem is what's available.
Money or no money you can only buy what is available.

So sacking McNamara would show ambition?
I'd say quite the opposite. I think it would be short sighted and knee jerk.

Thorman, Webster, Dobson, Hodgson, Whatuira, Galea, Newton, Walker, Hicks, Gafa, Chase, Bell, Howell, Faumuina, Faimu are all players in our price range who have all joined other super clubs. So there was players available who would have been an improvement on aspects of the squad.

I know our reactions are slow but a tap on the knee should show a response quicker than three years. I am not saying he should go or not but three years of steady decline is not knee jerk. If leeds sacked Mclennan or Saints sacked Potter that would be knee jerk

Yes it would. It would that they knew the current results aren't acceptable.
Short sighted. So the level of performances over he last 18 months doesn't have any thing to do with it. A record of 10 wins from the last 29 games is good enough reason on it's own.

Do keep up! Nothing is the answer.

So far our plight has been blamed on Nobby, Iestyn, Caisley, the lack of the OSV, the British Immigration board and Stuart Cummings.

The club appear to be blameless for some reason.

I thought we said he'd be judged on this season, his players e.t.c

If you judge him on this season....taxi anyone?

So far I'd say McNamara isn't delivering. We always knew it would be a long re-building job but we've yet to see any real evidence of the first team being re-built. Instead we've seen steady decline.

2009 will be his third full season in charge. Each year performances have become poorer and more inconsistent. Increasingly the coach seems baffled as to the reasons why the team isn't playing to his instructions. The players seem capable of pulling out the odd good performance but these are becoming the exception rather than the rule. We were inconsistent in 2008 but this season is even worse. If the coaching staff are baffled then surely it's time for a change?

As FA says I think McNamara is a "dead man walking" as far as the head coach job is concerned but the board appear to be standing by him and I don't forsee any change before the end of the season at least.

The thought of Macca in charge again next year doesn't fill me with excitement. While I'll still be going no matter what I can see crowds dropping further while the present decline continues and unfortunately I can see no light at the end of the tunnel as yet.

While a positive OSV result would be fantastic it wouldn't automatically turn things around on the field. The club seems to be playing things very long term at the moment with their eggs very much in the OSV and academy schemes bearing fruit. I just hope we still have a club by the time those things start to pay off.

Sacking a coach shows neither ambition nor the lack of it. That would be indicated entirely by what happened next. If we were to sack MacNamara and replace him with an existing top coach, that would show ambition. If we were to sack him and replace him with an unproven coach, that would simply show desperation. If we were to sack him and replace him by promoting Basil Richards, well...

Well we didn't sack Nobby but...

My point exactly. The sacking is nothing. It's the replacing that counts. To replace the promising unproven coach of three years ago who - at least at first team level - has failed to live up to expectation, with a promising unproven coach now, would be a knee-jerk of the highest order and would at best risk and at worst invite another three years of disappointment.

Fair points. But sacking McNamara would not be knee jerk in the slightest. He has had more than enough time.

What happens next for you is to move on like we did.

Ace! Some re-building advice from a Crusaders fan. Have we really fallen that far?

Sacking without a plan for replacing with better would be knee-jerk. Sacking with a realistic and costed plan for replacing with better would not be knee-jerk.

Ok, so say we sack him tomorrow. What happens then?

Pray do tell.

RAB will have 35231 less threads open.

Not this season. Its dead and gone. Well have to live with Maccas contract up to 2009 end when it runs out as does his assistants and there are no indications as yet from management that they will be retained.
If there is to be rebuilding of the coaching structure it will be 2010.

That's true. It's dull on here when we win.

I thought it had been ascertained that the contracts are up at the end of 2010?

It's never been fully verified.

Assuming this is Maccas last hurrah, how about Fittler ? may feel undermined if Nobby joins Roosters coaching staff, also could Mark O'Meley be persuaded to leave Oz ?