Quote ="Wires71"You make fair points, he may turn out to be a fantastic coach, we just have no evidence of that at this stage. I'll summarise the counter points.
1. Ratchford has no coaching experience that we are aware of at any level*
2. We are supposedly trying to change culture. This perpetuates it, ensures a continuity.
3. We want the best people in the best positions. It would be very fortunate indeed if the best recruit we could find internationally for a youth coaching role happened to be a fullback retiring just at that point. We have had jobs for the boys for years and look where it has got us. Maybe it's time to change the approach.
What prompted me to put my head above the parapet, inviting the critique from the usual, in posting a contrary view for discussion was that someone on here had posted that "the era of jobs for the boys has gone". I would assert that this appointment proves that it has not. Just seems a convenient, lazy, appointment.
Anyway we do not have to agree and I can respect your view.
*Having said that I have just researched that Joel Tompkins (of all people) is Youth Performance Coach at Wigan so maybe it isn't that important. I guess the youngsters can ask "What do I need to do to win the GF Joel?" or "How was it playing and winning a WCC?". Ask Ratch that and he wouldn't have a clue.'"
Two different points here that are getting muddled up.
One do you have to be a serial winner as a player to be a good coach. My thoughts would be no, in your last point you reference your wannabe asking Joel but when Matty Peet was in that role he had even less experience than Ratch. I think the best setups have a mixture, so with Wigun Matty Peet might not be able to tell you what a GF win feels like but his assistants can.
The other jobs for the boys point. I think it very much depends on the job.I wasn't impressed with the selection process for the DoR, which is different to saying I don't think the current DoR isn't a good fit. For the very top jobs we need a rigours selection process to get the best out there. The Ratch situation is we are helping a player at the end of his playing career transition to his next career, we are helping him become a coach, Abe has even said that a job at Warrington isnt even a given yet. In this respect we are just being a good employer and treating an employee who has given many years of service help with their retirement/next phase.
If we turned around tomorrow and said that Ratchford is being apppinted head of youth development from 2026 without any assessment of his coaching ability or formal process then I'd agree with you, but that's isn't currently whats happening.
