How can McRae have said in an interview that he's having to play young players with no experience of SL (possibly as an excuse for poor performances?) but then still get accused of being afraid to play them? Surely if he IS playing them, it proves he's NOT scared of doing so?!

The players I listed (that you apparently don't count) are proof that he WILL play youngsters who are deemed good enough, regardless of SL experience. Prior to this season hardly any of our young players SL experience, now several do.

Of the players you suggest deserve a call-up I can understand some but wonder who you would drop? Drop Swain for Spencer, Mal Alker for his brother, or Myler for Palfrey? I could understand dropping Smith to accommodate Ratchford at standoff, then putting Walton in the centres, but it is obvious the at McRae wants to persevere with Smith for the time being. Whilst I don't wholly agree with that, I would still rather see Ratchford playing out of position than not at all.

Otherwise I can see little or no reason to play any of those youngsters at this point. Have any of the players you are mates with volunteered to give up their first team spot to accommodate these youngsters?

I do think Nash and McGillvray (who has actually played 8 times) have had plenty of game time (Nash played in almost 30% of our SL games this year, and McGillvray almost 40%).

And finally, I can't agree that Cashmere or particularly Henry have been poor this year, nor that either deserve to be dropped for a young player with no SL experience.

Deja vu indeed, how many coaches do we need to sack at Salford before we find one the players are happy to work with, having forced Harrison out are they now working on his successor then?

I'm no huge fan of McRae myself but can't help wondering were these coaching/motivational shortcomings evident at Saints when he was taking them to the SL title & Challenge Cup? Were they evident in Gateshead's only SL season as they finished high up the table. Were they then still in evidence in a Hull FC side that improved year on year? Perhaps they were, but perhaps their players were just a little bit more professional & decided that they would try & achieve that bit extra rather than throwing one in every week & then blaming the coach for everything.

I've worked under some poor motivational managers in my time, you know what I did? I motivated myself, it's not rocket science is it? I have no doubt though that in this case the players will eventually win again as it's easier to replace a coach than replace a whole team isn't it.

I have always been self motivated since my ten years in teh civil service when poor management was the flavour of the decade, whereas my team enjoyed coming to work, (most actually followed me to the TEC) others in the office didn't. So I know a good motivator is a must in many jobs, but also staff who what to be motovated and also can motivate themselves are brilliant assetts in any team. Do we lack both here at Salford or just one?

Does mean McRae is the new Brent?

reference to the youngsters i personally dont think they are doing that much in the reserves, possibly only palfrey looks the best out of the lot,
spencer is too slow and doesnt even start in the reserves some of the time
the others are average