Is your poll a result of them getting done by Wakefield the other night or, are you being serious.
Although Mcdermott has his critics, this guy steered Leeds to the title and you probably should have won the CC last season.
Wow !

Nothing to do with the wakefield game at all. We have had this argument for over a year and only now did i decide it might actually be a good idea to see what others thought.

If he was a good coach he would have a better weekly rounds record and done far better with london.

Yyou may be right but, with the play off system, the weekly rounds themselves are unimportant as long as you qualify for the play offs (as Leeds proved last season)

The games we have won have been in spite of McDermott rather than because of him. Poor Coach.

Would agree with this. I don't know Leeds as well as I do Wigan but the sign of a good coach and team is one that can maintain a high level of performance even in 'nothing' games, and also win even when they're playing poorly.

Wigan have lost a few funny ones this year but I've seen them play poorly by their standards and still win, often winning by some margin. Same for Warrington. When Leeds are off form they often seem unable to grind out the win - whether that's through motivation or application I don't know - though it has to be said they can still raise it for the big games and are up there with the very best on their day though increasingly that form seems hard to find.

They'll be in the contenders at the end of the season.

Rob Powell learnt everything he knows from him.

What does it matter? He's won 13 out of 14 knock-out games while in charge of Leeds.

Exactly. Why bother revising, if you can fly through the exams? Generally speaking though, Leeds might be ordinary, but have they big game winners in crucial positions; Burrows, Seinfeld, and McGuire with Ryan Hall who is always on hand to finish. Meaning you wouldn't back against them when the push comes to shove, but they haven't got a team to be consistent.

At Saints we have a consistent team, but no real game changers! In the current climate, I'd swap.

How can anyone know unless you have been personally involved in one of the teams he has coached?

McDermott is a crazy genius. Sometimes he comes up with game plans which are brilliant. Sometimes he outdoes himself and comes up with plans such as on Monday which are somewhat incomprehensible.

However the most important thing in my opinion is that the engine room of the Leeds team - in particular Peacock, Kylie and even Sinfield - is no longer physically strong enough to slog themselves week after week through the regular season. So they trough and peak like the passing waves. That is the best way to get this group of players through, and hopefully winning when it really matters. It might a lot of people off, but the trophies and finals keep coming. And it's also worth remembering that the "crap in the regular season" stuff began well before McDermott took over.

When all is said and done his record when it matters speaks for itself, no matter what s think. Anyone who has ever spoken to him can see that he's no fool.

FWIW jarvis12345's back catalogue of posts speak for themeslves too - but not in such a positive manner.

I'll be honest, there have been times when i've thought he's useless and times where I think he's a genius.

In the end i've put it down to him trying to get Leeds to peak and use their most efficient tactics at the right time.

By the way I think the signing of Shaun Lunt was a stroke of genius.

Putting a different question forward -

If Leeds could pick a new coach from anywhere else (or even a past one) would you as fans keep him or get someone else in?

The proof of his coaching credentials will come in the next year or so as he starts to rebuild an ageing side.

Bad coach, Nope! Great coach, Nope!, Lucky Coach, Nope! Good coach, Yep!

I remember chatting to him at Quins after we had had a good start then fell away. He said the team had peaked too early in the season (Pre season trg was wrong) and you couldn’t maintain such levels of fitness etc

He has clearly learnt his lesson and adapted his plan to peak at certain times, which on paper has been masterful

Leeds being on the wrong end of results at Wakefield or Castleford is hardly a new phenomenon that is linked to Brian McDermott. Our records there have always been 'patchy' to say the least.

As mentioned above. This is a results driven businesses and the results are that, to date, Brian McDermott has got Leeds to every major final that he possibly could have - and he's won two of them.

Hard to fly with eagles when you have a team/budget for turkeys,

I suggest that all SL coaches and those in the NRL get their second rowers signed up on long term deals......this guy collects them!

I wish hetherington was weak willed and sacked brian like all these fans clamour for. The problem is not the coach - look at the rumoured in fighting some i have had confirmed which has happened with two previous coaches.

Couple of things amaze me about leeds - the team is built around local lads that played in the academy for years - but they stick together and that wins them some games as they fight to the death - that will not win games where tactical nous is needed,
Leeds feel they should be winning every game at a canter but with a salary cap and not improving squad massively (more just replacing players who are leaving.


Look at london - academy and london set up is easy even at a difference to see all the hours he put in. he was at leeds academy before and some of future players will know him and be close to him. If the players want to coach themselves then fair enough (slight arrogance) but Mcdermott knows the game is tough and uncompromising.

Tony smith - he should have had a title with what he has had at wire - he was right place right time with leeds.

Who do you propose is good enough or should be so honoured to work for leeds - you will not get a sheens, bellamy,hasler, etc

London academy has been in the hands of phil jones for over a decade HE is the man behind the youth not macdermott! As a coach i'll never know what he's like but my view is that the players perform in spite of him

right couple of things Jones will have been given pointers from mcdermmott whilst down after been in charge of such an illustrious academy as leeds no? be a travesty if he just kept stum.
Convenient that whilst he was there and afterwards that players actually started to be given a chance - not just the london boys but he was loaning and playing youngsters - the like of bjb for instance. It was mcdermott that changed the culture of playing all australians at the club (enforced or not he managed to make them competitive).
I would not point at any particuliar player and say the coach is responsible for his success, as there talent and attitude dictate that.

Before 2010 wakefield had never beaten us at wakefield, in super league. We've won both our games at castleford under mcdermott.

Leeds being inconsistent but good enough to be in the top half is hardly something new under mcdermott. Bar 2004 and 2009 it's happened throughout super league and a good 20 years before that. Leeds have very rarely been the most consistent team. In recent times they've gained the ability to win when it matters and hence they have racked up some super league titles.

But those title shouldn't give people the illusion leeds have been some relentless machine that is program to win week in week out. In all those seasons from 2007 to present they showed poor performance and inconsistency. In 2008 they were totally thrashed by saints just a few weeks before the grand final. In 2009 they lost to salford at home.

It's just more apparent because other teams, such as wigan and warrington are much more consistent.

Leeds took a quantum leap under Smith. A great coach who improves the skills of the individual players no end. The title teams of 2004 and 2007 saw significant changes in personell.

On McDermott, can't decide. Many of his decisions and comments frustrate me but can't ague with results. He's taken to Leeds to every final sicnce taking charge.

A number of Leeds fans still believe that Leeds would have won the 2004 Championship if Powell had stayed. Completely bonkers.

Irrespective of how good a coach McDermott is, professional sport is a results driven business. When people look back, they will just see silverware on his CV.