I'm used to seeing McNamara coached defensive lines with players all moving up at different speeds in SL so it's good to see it's the same at test level.

You know, it's strange. Last season over 7,500 points were scored in the NRL. So, for the sake of argument, there were probably somewhere in the order of a thousand tries.

Given how stoically and impeccably NRL-drilled players defend, repelling all-comers, how can this be? I think we should be told.

They were all conceded due to Michael Worrincy & Sam Burgess' poor positional play. And look who used to coach them.

Lets not forget the positioning of sheriffe for the last try.....

Theres a pattern to all the causes!

In McNamara's defence, he simply has nowhere near enough quality at his disposal in order to realistically threaten Australia in a game of RL. England were miles behind the Aussies and it is hard to see what McNamara could have done to improve on this.

That said, Briscoe and Yeaman on the left hand side? Dear me. Nowhere near good enough internationally.

A tad unfair. Not sure who would be a guaranteed improvement on Briscoe, and Yeaman has run back into some very good form last season so not a controversial selection. But who would you have played there?

I agree with the above - Before the tournament kicked off, I had Yeaman and Briscoe in my team as they have demonstrated this year that they work really well together.

Taking into account the last 3 games, I think they have played really well. The defence on their side has been pretty solid, the other wing is where we seem to have problems defending.

At no point did I make ANY suggestion about who would be a “guaranteed improvement” and with a crystal ball none of us can. I am simply saying that if those two are the best that England have then no wonder they are so far behind Australia.

Whether they have done well in a vastly inferior competition counts for little. They are well below the standards required to compete against Australia on a regular basis and I doubt even Superman could coach the side to a win.

Ah, so you agree Mac picked the best selections available. Fair enough.

Hmmm. Quite why you feel the need to put words into peoples' mouths is a curious practice on here FA. I never said that whatsoever.

FWIW, I would have young Foster in my side before Briscoe, Sinfield would never be in the halves, Wilkin would be nowhere near a game, Westwood is an absolute liability and Chase is completely the wrong nationality.

So, no, I don't believe he did pick the best selection available, but, even if he had done so, the quality as I said before is sadly lacking.

WTF?

What's your problem now?? Fookin'ell, I try to have a normal conversation with you yet ... ???? I won't bother, it really, really ain't worth it -ENDS-

Good idea. I ain't biting as you can see, despite your best attempts to get me to do so.

So, Mac coaches a comprehensive defeat of Australia's frequent nemesis, New Zealand, keeping them well in check for most of the game and comfortably qualifying for the Final. Briscoe and Yeaman in particular played well.

Imagine what could happen if he could only coach . . .

Well he's got the best English players from around the world into a tournament final.

That's an achievement.

However, his club coaching record is still poor

I still don't understand what Widdop has to do to get a game?

Or Wilkin not to get a game.

i wouldnt want steve mac anywhere near my team and been an international coach is easy really you expect to beat france expect to get beat by the aussies and you take in turn with new zealand to beat each other

Bring back McNamara now!

If the last couple of weeks have proved anything it is that his recruitment at Odsal was spot on, the attacking and defensive systems he introduced were sensational and the spirit, attitude and motivation he fostered in the squad was immense.

It just happened that, by some weird three year long fluke, results and performances didn't show it.

Indeed. TBH I have no idea whatsoever the point that FA is trying to make here. I do realise that most people find his frankly baffling views hilarious in the extreme but trying to convince anyone that will listen that him presiding over two games (one of which was a defeat) and finishing top two in a three team tournament AT HOME as being a sign of ability whilst conveniently ignoring four and a half years of utter failure is taking blinkered stupidity to a whole new level that I must admit I didn't even think that FA was capable of.

Clearly he is on the wind-up.

He must have been hiding his light under a bushel all the time he was with us then.

Heheh I love it how McNamara getting us to the 4N Final must be eating your heart out. You were soooo hoping and praying we'd be crap, and out, so you could have another pop. Never mind, you'll get over it. Just don't take on so, if it upsets you.

I would stay off the glue if I were you FA, you are really beginning to look silly now.

I have no interest in McNamara now that he is away from messing Bradford Bulls up. As I said, coming in the top 2 in a three team competition at home is hardly the stuff of legend, especially as they only faced one quality side and got a stuffing.

Open the box of Kleenex all you wish, I doubt too many people on this board would ever be convinced that McNamara was a good coach and it is almost insulting that you seem to think you could convince them otherwise.

As I said, you are clearly on the wind-up on this thread.

I'm sorry, but I have to side with ME on this one, you're clearly on the wind up.

Out of the 4 Nations in the tournament, the Aussies have the biggest and best talent pool. They are generally held as THE best side in the world and it's safe money that they'll be at least 1 of the names to appear at the final. As for the 2nd one? Well that comes down to either us or NZ, as we're the only other 2 nations to have enough talent to be competitive at international level.

So really, a final appearance should be at least the MINIMUM that McNamara should be expected to get, least of all because the team he's coaching is made up of the BEST players eligible for England. Realistically, any coach worth his salt should be able to get England towards this position.

My personal view is that McNamara is not that good a coach as his time at Bradford showed. Yes, he may be able to reach a final with the creme de la creme, but would he have been able to do a better job that Harris did in charge of Wales if he was coaching the Welsh side?

Indeed.

A very poor attempt by FA to start an argument on this thread but he has only succeeded in making himself look very foolish indeed.

I am not getting drawn into it.