Just checked the squad details thread and was reminded all of Mick Potters backroom staff are out of contract:

Francis Cummins 2011 Assistant Coach
Lee St Hilaire 2011
Geoff Evans 2011

Time for an overhaul perhaps due to the results, or go for continuity especially with a squad overhaul, would be good not to change too much.

What do people think? Discuss.

Francis Cummins needs a new deal. Geoff is a good bloke too. As for LSH you decide. lol

Lose st hilaire and replace with a coach with a strong defensive element. Retain cummins and Evans.

If your getting shut of St Hilaire for weak defence then Cummins has to go for poor attack.

Not specifically saying st hillier for defence. Don't know which coaches are responsible for what elements of play particularly. Can't see what st hillier contributes point blank and as defense has been an issue seems an area where a specialist coach would improve things. Potter appointed cummins so presume st hillier would be more likely to go.

Would keep Cummins but ditch the others.

The team has never looked unfitter under Geoff Evans and Lee St Hillaire just doesn't look up to the job.

I think Martin Clawson would be a good shout for conditioner. He's knows the club, he's got a good past record of getting the team into shape and I believe he's available after the Barrow debacle.

I'd also have Phil Veivers back in a flash. He's been mucked around at Salford and may be interested in being trained up as the next head coach (when Potter inevitably leaves).

Why would Veivers come back when he was over looked last time by the same regime as is in charge now.

He didn't did he? Thought he went to Wigan with Noble.

Could be wrong.

i think we should ditch LSH keep Francis Cummins and get some fresh faces in new ideas would benefit us more!!

He did in the end. But he should have been offered the job before McNamara he was the longer serving assistant.

Jason Demetriou for me. LF so links the whole game. Man of Steel nominee. talks the talk and walks the walk. takes on the table topping side and beats them.

Lose LSH been here too long already - waste of space !!!

Don't forget Medders and Barrow........

LSH to go he has been here long enough and has not proved himself. if you realease poor players then the same must be done with backroom staff.

Does anybody actually know any of the backroom staff personally and there quality, or otherwise, the players views on them and inherent ability/lack of?

No, thought not.

Good point - whilst sometimes it is possible to gain an appreciation of the merits of the head coach (especially if they have been around for a while or at multiple clubs), how can fans ever know whether the assistants are good or not? This thread reminds me of those defending McNamara's record last year because he supposedly had poor assistants - where was the evidence for this?!

The unfortunate evidence is that we sacked Basil and Clogger and got worse.

You are not wholly right there, though. One or two who post on this forum do meet those criteria. However, they tend to be relatively circumspect and don't go blabbing their views all over the place. When one of them DOES express an opinion (on here or privately) I tend to listen. As indeed I did last week when one of them gave me some thoughts in response to a question.

Myself, OK I have met and had brief discussions with a couple of the coaching staff, but am in no position personally to presume to offer any comment whatsoever as to their detailed coaching abilities or how the players see them. Which is why I never do. As I have never done about Potter and indeed never did about Macca, despite being labelled by some a Macca Backer.

Just been wondering...knives seem to be out for LSH (in particular) in some quarters. On what evidence precisely do people base that judgment? Do people know what exactly his responsibilities are? So specific failings in the team can be objectively attributed to him? Or is it just supposition and "spot the scapegoat"?

Serious question - would be very interested to hear views?

Strangely, in all truth, though I was involved in those discussions on here, and elsewhere, I don't recollect that being said. Not saying it wasn't, just I don't think it was a widely held or repeated view; if it had been I would surely remember.

I don't recall much reasoned discussion (may have been the odd debate) either regarding Macca being let down by poor-quality assistants, although quite a few had a go at Macca for the choice of his assistants (whether from any actual knowledge or just supposition, I have no idea). I do recall discussion that you probably get what you pay for, and that no doubt if there was a lot more money available you could look to recruit higher-level and probably more experienced assistants (a general argument I put forward ) - but that was a different argument. The more substantial POV I recall being expressed on here was instead that (rightly or wrongly, I have no knowledge) Basil and Clogger carried the can for Macca's failure?

I think that peoples problem with LSH is the fact that he was here last year, and he's here this year!

So was Koppy and Heath and Whitehead and the club doctor and the girls behind the bar at the back of the stand...should we sack all of them too?

My stance is not really based on getting shut of LSH but i do think that we need a very positive motivator with a proven playing career which will get the respect of the players thats why I think Glen Morrison would be a good aquisition. (plus Robyn is well fit!)

I'm not saying I agree with the reasoning Adey.

What I'm saying is that I can't imagine many of the people on here have trained under the current coaching staff. For all we know LSH may be the best of our coaches, but doesn't get enough time with the lads.

Neither am I saying that the coaching staff doesn't need freshening up, because I don't feel I'm in a position to have much of an opinion.

All these people looking for scapegoats in the dugout should look at some of the lads on the pitch. I'm sure the coaching staff aren't encouraging high penalty counts, low completion rates and a load of errors most games. The thing that makes it worse is the fact that we've seen the lads DO have good perfomances in them, they just don't seem like they can be d most of the time!

Rant over.