RL outside of SL is dying anyway. They saw to that when they got rid of promotion and relegation.

The RFL are clueless... always have been always will be and people are staying away in their hundreds because they can't see any point in attending.

Could'nt agree more Snowy it will take time .I think alot of the negativity about the ground is because they are unhappy with the teams performances , if they were playing attractive rugby the atmosphere would be much better its nothing to do with the ground ,if we where still at H.P. do they think the atmosphere would be any different the way they are playing.

well said that man what a cracking post

Some positivity. Hallelujah!!

This is my first post on these message boards, and I only really signed up because I have read a lot of the posts on various teams forums and they are very interesting and at times I have wanted to have an input.
It was this post and this comment in particular that drive me to it.
I have no problem with a genuine fan, as Snowy obviously is, having optimism and a positive view.
However to state that Neil Kelly is by far the best coach in this division is a bit optimistic to say the least.

Paul Cullens history speaks for its self. And as for Matt Calland at the shay, he has put together the best squad in the division, and the bulk of those players are part time.
The debate of best coach in the league is one that will never be settled, which one has the money, who succeeds with the least resources etc etc.

Anyway I hope Cullen doesn't get Widnes sorted for a few weeks yet and we can dump them out of the cup on friday night!!!

Sorry mate but Cullens history is what? Having one of the largest pots of money ever given to any Wire coach and still making a pigs ear of it?

as for Calland he's not gone alone as yet lets see how he goes without the guiding hand of his football director (Lonely oh that was Callan

), I also dont think Kelly is the best he's been out of it too long and wont last the season but hey thats only my opinion an like bumholes we all have one

Have to agree with that, and like I said, there are arguments for and against just about every coach in the division.
Only sauid about Cullens history because no matter what anyone says, but to coach in SL for that long he must of been doing something right.
Ues, Calland has got Martin Hall as Director of Football (a position I disagree with). The question "Who is the boss?" will always be asked.
But I'd rather have 2 good rugby brains at my club than one.

I'm looking forward to my first visit to LSV, hope some of the posts on here have been exaggerated about it!!

Took Warrington from relegation candidates to an established top six side who now demand success. He has also coach internationally with England.

Aye fat lot of good that did him - look where he's ended up!

You cheeky madam, Widnes are a bigger club than Warrington always have been and always will be.

Top post Snowy and finally some positivity. Some people need to realise that we aren't going anywhere for three years and this is only the first year of the plan. Lets get behind the lads as much as we can.

Am I right in thinking that to be eligable for SL in the next round of franchises, a team has to appear in a Grand Final or a NR Cup final?
If so that could be a massive stumbling block for a lot of teams. It is the only real criteria that actually means you need a good team and not just a business plan and good stadium (not having a go at LSV or Halton Stadium).
Or is the Grand/NR final just worth a point in the application?

I think you do need to appear in one of those finals to even be considered for the round of franchises but my understanding is that you don't have to win it, just get there and that over the next 2/3 years I think we [ican[/i be capable of.

You have to WIN a cup final or appear in a Grand final to qualify.

Well, if that is the case, the teams hoping for a SL licence from the championship may have to improve.
I for one am in favour of the idea, but all you need is 6 bad games over 3 years and you can't be considered for the next SL Licence.
The teams that meet the criteria by the end of this season will be breathing a huge sigh of relief and concentrating on the business and marketing side of things whilst those going into the last season needing a final will be very nervous indeed.

just watch that rule change if gateshead or tolouse fail to meet one of those criteria!!!!

Exactly - and in 2009 or 2010 too! That's why some on here would like to see more of a sense of urgency directed at what happens on the pitch.

The RFL, change the rules? Surely not!!
If Gateshead, Tolouse, Barrow and Haven all miss out on a final the RFL would be getting the lawyers involved sharpish!!

My answer to that question would be no. In my opinion there seem to be a lot of clubs 'speculating' at the moment. Widnes, as usual, have put together a talented group of players; Halifax's key players are a match for anyone in this division and I doubt they're on peanuts; Barrow, Featherstone, Sheffield and Gateshead all look to have recruited some decent players in the close season with the latter two recruiting quite a bit from overseas. My point is, I'd say there's going to be a maximum of 2 teams from this division that will be handed a franchise in 2011. I think Toulouse are a good bet for one (no matter what the qualification rules are) and Widnes (fan base) or Halifax (league perfomance) are leading the way if there's another one.

Can we realistically match Widnes in the transfer market over the next two years? I guess not. Can we get our squad to the level of Halifax? I'd say it's acheivable, but do we want to gamble on signing quality, experienced players in the hope that we can win that one cup final?

Realistically, I'd say our best shot at winning a franchise might come 3 years later in 2015. It might take Mr Kelly 2/3 years to achieve the squad that he wants. As time goes by, some players that don't make the standard will move on, as will, as you say, all of the pre-Kelly players that he may not have wanted. In will come more talented youngsters, as well as hopefully a few shrewd experienced/creative players to mix with the better bulk of the squad that we have already. I'm confident that Neil Kelly can turn this team into a top team at this level, something like he built at Dewsbury, given time.

In reference to VM and Maurice, I'm not sure I buy into this whole thing that clubs are going too die at this level, now that franchising has been introduced. This is exactly one of the things franchising was supposed to put a stop to. Widnes, Barrow, Featherstone, Sheffield and Gateshead have all recruited heavily this time around. That doesn't say to me that clubs are going to the wall. Are they all bullish enough to think they're going to get a franchise? I doubt it. Are the clubs that fail to get a franchise going to go bust in 2011? I doubt that aswell. The RFL aren't going to sit idly by while a number of founding members go to the wall due to the franchising system that they proposed and implemented.

As for Leigh, I'm not convinced that Championship rugby at the LSV is going to be the death of the club. We've moved to a brand new stadium, where costs are expectedly higher than at HP, and we've cut our cloth accordingly. This season especially we can't buy in the players like we did in the Terzis-Benson days. Instead we've had to lay the foundations down for something more sustainable (something the RFL might look favourable upon in a franchise application). Costs may be pretty high at the moment, but does anyone think that the SMC would drive their number one source of revenue out of business because they want more money now? What else, currently and potentially, can bring in more money for the SMC? Genesis? Wigan wouldn't play there permanently and their fans would be p'd off. Saints could use it for a season while their stadium is being built. Then what's left to recoup the massive cost of building the thing? A Leigh RLC. If the SMC have any sense, prices would come down abit in a year or two, as will the prices of refreshments, and more will be done to entice people down on matchdays, but I can understand why it is like it is right now.

That's fair enough - a lot of good sense written there

For the benefit of all you mention, we need to find ways (pretty sharpish) to attract more punters into LSV.

And so did a plethora of other coaches fail with England, but read what else he wrote about spending all that money and achieving absolutely Ziltch, I quite like the guy but a great coach he aint or he wouldnt be down here and dont be two faced you lot were calling him not fit to burn six months ago.

Do you fancy a weeks experience at our place to change your mind.......

, no disrespect intended

I`ll agree that we have too many Suits at ours and countless other places as well.......