I didn't know that he had an in depth knowledge of rugby league.

Quote ="rubber duckie"Good topic. I’ve always believed, you don’t particularly need to be a great tactical coach/ ex player to be successful. My thought process…if Alex Ferguson walked into the HJ and offered to put things right. I am 100% convinced that he would.'" We tried Jedward didn't we? Worth a go I suppose https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yqqkKD3ayo

Quote ="rubber duckie"Good topic. I’ve always believed, you don’t particularly need to be a great tactical coach/ ex player to be successful. My thought process…if Alex Ferguson walked into the HJ and offered to put things right. I am 100% convinced that he would.'" We tried Jedward didn't we? Worth a go I suppose https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yqqkKD3ayo

Excuse me but I've never been on the Powell kool aid train. When he was first appointed I said it wouldn't work and even when it was going well I said it'd take a turn. I still said it when we were 8-0.

He didn’t have the depth in football either.
Yet was a successful manager.
Having the right mindset, msn management, the right staff, and a pot of plenty money, gets you results.

Sorry RD, but thats cobblers. Ferguson led teams to the Premiership that had no right to be in the running let alone win it, and teams that other managers wouldn't have got a tune out of.

The half time hairdryer thing was a myth - he was a superb tactician, and a brilliant motivator in thr same way Clough was.

Eh?

As a player I’m talking about, not a as manager.
I didn’t think I needed to be that specific!

Look at Tony Smith, probably the nearest SL guy to compare to Fergie. Not even average at best as a player, great man management skills and prolific cup winner, with teams that seldom dipped form across seasons from full on potential.

Fergie played over 300 games, including for Rangers! What more do you want?

Exactly

Well, according to your theory Cullen should have carried all before him as a coach, because as a player he was th3 definition of average.

No my theory is exactly what I wrote about Fergie.

What separated Ferguson from his peers was his ability to evolve ahead of the game. He was never wedded to a particular style or formation, beyond general principles such as always playing to win and avoiding the 'park the bus and try and nick one' type approach.

All of his big rivals - Wilkinson, Dalglish, Keegan, Wenger, Mourinho, Benitez, had their spell when they were relevant at the top and then the game moved on and they struggled to recapture their former glories as their approach had been worked out. Meanwhile Ferguson refreshed and reinvented United in ways that meant they were always able to win as the game evolved.

In rugby league you also see coaches who 'have their time' and then get left behind as the game moves on. It happened to Tony Smith and it might be happening to Powell also.

I think it’s definitely happening to Powell

Possibly it had started to happen before we appointed him, from the evidence of his later years at Cas.

A good few of Powell's rejects are playing out of their skins for Adrian Lam. Yes, Dita (good evening, hope you are well?), coaches are very important!

So it looks like "Powell out" is the answer then?

In the short term, possibly. For the long term, unlikely.

Unless the person in charge of recruitment is competent (ours hasn't been for long before Powell arrived) and you have a functioning academy, then you can fetch in who you like as coach, it won't make much difference.

I'm overlooking the Mediterranean as I type, so yes, I'd say things are OK..

Just to challenge that point.

Leigh signed a number of players from us and, therefore it follows that, these players were previously recruited by us. These players appear to be performing at Leigh. This would indicate recruitment is not to blame in this instance.

I think the interesting thing to watch with Leigh, is can they maintain these standards long term, or is this a one season bounce, which most clubs have had at some point in the last 20 years?

The only clubs who seem to maintain any consistency are those with good academy systems and its been almost non existent for any side reliant on outside recruitment to find consistent success.

Just out of interest with Leigh, has Lam been given full control over recruitment, or is there a Fitzpatrick type figure roaming the RL circles identifying and budgeting for their signings?

Are we settled on Fitzpatrick being the recruiter then? Seems to be a variety of opinions on this, but the only thing on the record to my knowledge are the statements from both Powell and Fitzpatrick back in 2021 when they confirmed Powell would have full responsibility for recruitment and retention.

Yeah this is relevant to Wires71's point as well about those players playing well for Leigh. Lots of the players we would class as being overall disappointing signings had a spell where they looked good for us, before they start treading water. We'll see what happens with Leigh - are they going to establish themselves as a new force, or will this be like when Widnes came up under Neil Kelly and had a good first season or like when Salford have had the odd good season and then fallen away.

Also on the academy point: the clubs that always win Grand Finals are the clubs with the best record of producing quality players through their own academy who can be top SL players for a decade or so. But those only account for a few of their first team. They also have to recruit from outside like everybody else, they recruit from other SL clubs and the NRL, and they have a better hit rate of good signings than we do.

Quote ="Barbed Wire"Are we settled on Fitzpatrick being the recruiter then? Seems to be a variety of opinions on this, but the only thing on the record to my knowledge are the statements from both Powell and Fitzpatrick back in 2021 when they confirmed Powell would have full responsibility for recruitment and retention.'" KF likes telling the world he was the genius behind the Ashton signing. He was tipped off to him by a scout (George Williams' Dad), went to watch him and then dealt directly with the Swinton owner to agree the deal. So he was responsible then in 2019. Source https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... n-26381995

Quote ="Barbed Wire"Are we settled on Fitzpatrick being the recruiter then? Seems to be a variety of opinions on this, but the only thing on the record to my knowledge are the statements from both Powell and Fitzpatrick back in 2021 when they confirmed Powell would have full responsibility for recruitment and retention.'" KF likes telling the world he was the genius behind the Ashton signing. He was tipped off to him by a scout (George Williams' Dad), went to watch him and then dealt directly with the Swinton owner to agree the deal. So he was responsible then in 2019. Source https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... n-26381995

Quote ="Wires71"KF likes telling the world he was the genius behind the Ashton signing. He was tipped off to him by a scout (George Williams' Dad), went to watch him and then dealt directly with the Swinton owner to agree the deal. So he was responsible then in 2019. Source https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... n-26381995'" I appreciate that, but that tale pre-dates the article from April 2021 in which Powell and KFP confirm that Powell will have “total control” over recruiting, the article goes on to add that Powell was brought in and announced so early so he could make the decision on whether to keep Toby King, Blake Austin etc. before the May deadline for out of contract players to talk with other clubs.

Quote ="Wires71"KF likes telling the world he was the genius behind the Ashton signing. He was tipped off to him by a scout (George Williams' Dad), went to watch him and then dealt directly with the Swinton owner to agree the deal. So he was responsible then in 2019. Source https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... n-26381995'" I appreciate that, but that tale pre-dates the article from April 2021 in which Powell and KFP confirm that Powell will have “total control” over recruiting, the article goes on to add that Powell was brought in and announced so early so he could make the decision on whether to keep Toby King, Blake Austin etc. before the May deadline for out of contract players to talk with other clubs.

Well if KFP signed Ashton and since then it’s been all DPs doing then it’s fair to say all is forgiven KFP….get rid of Powell and get your hands back on recruitment.