I'm beginning to feel about as popular as Mike Cooper at a Haliwell Jones team bonding session.

I'll move on. I hope you are right and Powell is the man for the job; I'd much rather be posting on here about free flowing rugby and our GF prospects.

Join the club, I'm probably about as popular as a fart in a spacesuit at the mo.

There’s a difference between a “we know what kind of team we have” and hanging out kids 6 weeks after they last featured.

You’re right, you can’t get the post match interview right. But you can get it wrong.

Btw. I probably shouldn't say this at this moment in time in this debate. But I actually have a lot of time for your posts - extremely articulate and always an interesting/good point to be made...apart from the long in the tooth one lol.

I'm going to take a backseat on this debate as it's quite bloody knackering! What I will say is that, whilst I have backed Powell and still do; I also agree with many many points made against him and funnily enough points made against my points too. It would be boring if we were all on one side of the debate.

Peace to all.

I guess my point was that he seems unable to correct the performance issue he cites so regularly. I am wondering why this will be resolved for next season and I am a Powell supporter.

The 2 year Ratchford extension is baffling. Whilst I like Ratchford as a person he a) goes missing in big games b) is clearly finished as an elite level player.

Stop with the self flagellation.

there are plenty of people still supporting Powell (just).

not only does he go missing and is extremely limited he is also currently Captain! Watch him when we concede (it happens a lot), he not only doesn't speak he just stands there shaking his head, it's painful to watch. So this is my main worry, the people Powell has put all his faith in don't seem to be of the 'right stuff'.

If we survive and Ratchford is indeed to be our first choice six for next season - don't expect much improvement in our performances.

He was once an elite level player??

I reckon this lack of confidence / unable to handle pressure is the main problem. It is not easy to solve and I wouldn't think he or anyone really knows the answer. I would personally (and guess he is) working on defence. Our defence is awful and this time last year it was a real strength.

I reckon this "hanging out kids" complaint has gone on too much. He does have to say something & I am sure he would prefer not to say much but sometimes you get asked very pointed questions. Banging on about a comment or two made several weeks back helps no-one.
He picks lots of youngsters and if we were honest one or two don't always help our cause ... particularly in defence.

I guess what worries a lot of us whether we are “in, out or shake it all about” is that woeful as we were in the play off game v KR last season our performances this season are way below what even the most pessimistic of us could have expected. Inevitably when a significant number of players have gone in the off season, and subsequently, people will look to the Coach for signs that he is at least steadying the ship.
I’m not demanding that Powell go BUT, I would like to see some sign that he is influencing the team in a positive way. I’m a very nervous supporter at the moment, and not in a good way.

Is it a blessing in disguise 5 of our last 7 are away from home? The last 2 capitulations have been greeted with anger and contempt by the crowd (for the record i think if you'll take the applause when you're flying, you need to be prepared to take the flack when you're not, especially post game)

Having 5 matches away from home could alleviate the stress the team feels when the chips are down.

How sad is it that I'm actually thinking my team will perform better when our fans aren't there, and from past comments, Powell thinks so too.

Publicly chastising a junior player for kicking poorly in a game that we lost convincingly on two occasions is outright stupid. I like that he plays the kids, I’ve been asking for that consistently throughout the year, and the fans broadly speaking are more sympathetic to an error under pressure from a promising junior than an player played 5 times the wage for delivering the same performance level. He’s not publicly bemoaned Williams, Widdop, Ratchford or Matautia who have all featured in the halves, just the kid. Twice.

It’s poor form, any way you look at it.

I genuinely believe our fans have been very patient this season despite some utter dross served up. We most of us expected nothing this season except a bit of fire and some decent attack, both have been sadly lacking.

I actually think Powell’s deluded attempt to move mountains/personnel in order to get into the play offs THIS season has tipped things way off balance.

Don't be surprised if there a quite a few Tony Smith's barmy army chants and other chants directed at the board. Especially if we lose against toulouse. Which by the way has been announced as quid a kid.

That pretty much sums up where I am at the moment. The catalans matchade me feel better that there was some ability to put in a performance but its forgotten quickly with 2 games since churning out very poor results. Nervous times indeed.

I'm actually thinking that my team will perform better when Powell isn't there.

We've got to 50 pages, get in!! The quid a kid could put generations off Wire.

Ratchford has been on the decline for a couple of years now, it’s been there for everyone to see. It’s an absolute ludicrous decision to offer him a new deal when we have Dufty/Thewlis/Ashton.

Yes, a crowd on their back, that's just what will drive an already low on confidence side to perform to their best...

I assume from the manner of your posts, you will be taking advantage of the £1 entrance offer??...

And now it's also been moved for sky.

Bugger. Was going to take the kids to that one, but now it’s been brought forward we’ll still be at the airport in Turkey waiting to fly back. They’d better have free WiFi.

If any self respecting parent takes this offer up, I'm reporting them to the NSPCC.

IT'S TANTAMOUNT TO CHILD ABUSE

Powel just fall on your sword NOW.