We all guessed it would be longer than a month - now confirmed www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 08,00.html

We all guessed it would be longer than a month - now confirmed www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 08,00.html

The guy's been diagnosed as ill and I have sympathy for him. However, if he's ill enough to be off sick for weeks on end should he not do the honorable thing like Phil Bailey and offer to leave in the best interests of himself and the club? It's a very unfortunate situation but it just leaves the club in total limbo in such an important year with a franchise licence at stake and it being the last year at the Willows.

The clubs pushed the boat out this year with new signings and they probably don't have the money to pay him off and replace him due to his unfortunate illness. Maybe I'm different to others but if it was me in his situation it would be on my conscience all the time and a worry I could do without if I was ill.

Perhaps if he resigned it would help take some pressure off him and allow him to recover more quickly without the added pressure he may be feeling about letting down a lot of people at an important time. Personally I think the club have been very fair and loyal to him, had he been at other clubs I think he would have been sacked two years ago.

I just hope this doesn't drag on to the detriment of our club, Shaun McRae's health and the game of rugby league. A possible solution could be the club offering to pay him half of his remaining contract which I think expires in September. Let's face it the guy won't be short of a few quid considering all the years he's coached and all the Sky Sports work he's done.

Mcrae will not walk away, this is going to be his last job and he defo wont walk away from it, bailey has walked away cleverley as people will look on to him with respect now and from what i have heard he plans on coaching now so will not want to burn any bridges with any clubs and be looked upon as a guy who ripped off a club. mcrae will not walk trust me

What must the illness be costing him in lost earnings as a summeriser on Sky Sports? Match summerisers are paid per game, they're not on a fixed salary or contract. A long term illness could open the door for another summeriser to come in and do a great job, preventing McRae from returning to Sky when or if his health improves. Let's face it John Wells talks sense and is getting great raps from many at the moment, and he's English.

I'm sure he must feel that he's got more years ahead of him as a tv summeriser than a head coach but who knows? Sky Sports policy at the moment seems to be about freshening things up with younger faces. (As seen in football) Out of sight, out of mind as the saying goes. It's in SM's long term interests to recover quickly and get back in that TV box if that's were he thinks his future is.

So next time that your off sick from work will you pack your job in and say goodbye to any income at all? He has just as much right to be off sick as an injured player. Would you say the same if it was Patten or Holdsworth?

I think you'll find the answer is no.

I'm sell employed I can't rely on someone paying my wages if i'm ill. However, if I was an employee due to retire in 6 months time and I was ill and well off enough, I think I would seriously consider taking early retirement. If I knew a lot of people were relying on me and a replacement for me was not possible whilst I was still on the payroll, I'd give it some serious thought if it meant relieving some stress and helping my recovery.

It depends on the illness. We don't know the condition Shaun has and we've all wished him a speedy recovery.

However, let's postulate that it's a stress related illness. That's not the kind of thing that gets much sympathy in sport. It's the health equivalent of Steve McClaren putting up an umbrella on the touchline when it's raining. It's expected that you have to grin and bear the conditions. Sad but true.

Like Andy Gregory standing in the rain in his suit ?
we all saw how 3-4 years coaching Salford did to Andy

Shaun's had as he states 16 years being a top flight Rugby League Coach , with that comes stress and that must take it's toll ?

He was always a popular Commentator / Broadcaster and a pleasure to listen to, but he seemed a different man behind the mike or infront of the camera for SKY than when in charge of our team and being grilled by the press over our results.

Whatever the issue I do wish him a speedy recovery , but that the right steps are taken for both club's sake & the individual to ensure his long term health & happiness, not just the remaining 6 months of his contract.
In my experience with work colleagues / family where stress is a contributory factor to illness there is rarely a ' quick fix ' there usually a longer term rehabilitation involved , a return to the job with a different outlook or a different role. job altogether.

Precisely why I'm studying the subject I am. Rather distressingly, there's a growing number of athletes and coaches suffering the disabling effects of mental illness, yet little research has been conducted into the effects of sport on an individual's mental health.

JUST TO REITERATE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT MR Mc IS SUFFERING WITH! My comment is a general point.

Michael Yardy has had to leave the world cup because of illness (depression), sportsman/coaches are under an awful lot of pressure and it must take its toll! Not saying Mcrae is depressed but the pressure he was under must of been horrible and some of the abuse off some of the numbties in the shed was a disgrace.

The worrying thing is though if it is stress and he is quite fragile if he did come back and we went back to playing like we did against saints then the calls for his sacking and the pressure on him will be greater than ever. Again if it is stress then both the club and Shaun need to have a long think about what's best for his long term health

Nice to see that you are so concerned about his health, ([size=85considering your avatar[/size)

Assuming it is stress as many seem to think (I've not heard one single comment to deny it is) it's extremely unlikely he will want to return to a high pressure job.

If this is the situation and the cause of his illness is related to his job would it not be in the clubs best interests to offer him another 'less stressful' position within the club until his contract expires? His condition may not be improving if he thinks he has to return to the head coach role and it may help his recovery if he thinks he won't have to face the same pressures as before.

Would this not be better for him and the club? Just an idea.

What like in the club shop?
or we know he can talk for England so how about a club selling role into the run up to the new stadium.

I wasn't thinking about a role he may find derogatory considering his current position. I was thinking about him helping out with the marketing/promotional side of the new stadium and perhaps being a 'meeta and greeta' to sponsors on matchdays. I'm sure the club would welcome some extra help on this side.

I will the first to admit I don't think he is right foe the job and no I don't want him to be coach - wouldnt wish ill health on the guy though

TBH i think we may have seen the last of Mcrae, i think they will just continue with the he's still not fit to work for the rest of the season because of the great job Simms/Vievers/Alker is doing! Cant see the club allowing him back to take over the team again.

Wow.

You are a compassionate bloke aren't you.


I doubt whether you actually have a job but just supposing you did and you got ill and was forced to go on the sick would you resign because some diickhead said you should and then have the added burden and stress of trying to find another job once you recovered?


Thought not.

Do you work in the public sector where you get paid sick pay?
A lot of people in the private sector (which Salford RLFC are) only pay SSP and don't have the luxury of paying somebody who is sick. So after a while the person will have a few chats with a manager and before long find they are not fit for work and so are then finished by their employer. I know the system stinks but that is the real world out there, Civil service would be 6 months full pay then 6 months half pay, but they will encourage you to retire on ill-health and with a pension.
I would assume Shaun will, if he returns put on other duties, which could be anything really, now if the club are really bad they could have him working with the groundsmen or just send him out watching other teams before we are due to play them, so a sort of technical coach, until his contract expires.

Pev I think the main sticking point IMO is that people are saying he should go now based on the teams prior performance and their wish for him to be removed from the coaching post. How many players do with have "go off sick" when injured for months on end and you don't hear the same comments. The guy has only been off a month or so.
JW is known for his loyalty. SM has become ill due to the demands of the job and somewhat from the disgusting behaviour of some of our fans. I'm glad JW isn't sticking the boot in and is remaining loyal to SM in this situation.


Saying that once he's well enough get him sacked

I said exactly this to one of the contract managers at work as soon as McRea went on sick leave, ive seen this happen so many times in the industry i work in, imo its the only way McRea can get out of the Willows because Salford wouldn't have paid him off thats for sure.

You HAVE to be a Security guard.

You can't even spell the poor blokes name right.

Matey if your even employed i guarante i double your yearly salary. I'm a site manager for a big construction company, previously a bricklayer, spelling isn't my strong point but how does that determine what job i do you CLOWN.

Pal you have dropped in on a thread and responded with limited knowledge of the situation. If you knew what I know and others you may have a completely different opinion on the matter. But what I do know isn't for this forum.

The compassion I have right now is first and foremost with Salford City Reds.

[iI hope Mr McRae gets well soon of course we all do if were honest!

His contract is up at the end of this season and I for one don't expect to see Shaun in charge next season but that does not mean to say he will no longer be at the club.

I spoke to a guy only last week and he said he had seen a chap that looked very much like Bomber in Egypt recently but he did not go up and ask him to make sure.

Anyway since his absense the Reds have done OK and at the end of the day it's the club that matters and not one person.

Plus we need to get the franchise nod in July and then we can move to Barton next season knowing we will be in the top flight for at least another three years, and then anything is possible..

COME ON SALFORD CITY REDS....



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