Me to. The only one who remotely falls into that category is Neil Kelly and after years away from SL he's a long shot - though a plausible one.

It's a statement of intent that's made the world of RL glance Wakefields way for a while

One of our complaints about the players this year is that they just don't seem bothered, or their heads drop too easily, and that they aren't fit enough. We have got some decent players. Now does anyone seriously think that these players won't look at Brian Smith and think that it's about time that they pulled their fingers out, because if they don't respect him, we've no hope. There might also be one or two of the back room lot who will be thinking that life is about to get a little more challenging.

Here's one thing: the players seemed to like James Webster, and perhaps that was their problem: they were playing for a nice guy they liked rather than a boss they respected. What if Webster had offered to go back to assistant coach and learn the trade under Brian Smith? Just a thought.

I've not always been MC's biggest fan, but he came across well on TV and as a decent guy, and I do think he's made a belting appointment. As he said, it was a no-brainer, and for the club in the long term it might be very good indeed. If we can be turned into a well-run outfit rather than just the next disaster waiting to happen, some of these so-called big money men in the wings like Steve Parkin might eventually fancy a pop at owning a club.

It's the first time in a couple of years I've felt anyway positive about the club. Just need to get past this year ............. again

This would have been a fantastic appointment about 3 months ago - unfortunately, the rot may now be too deep-rooted for even a coach of Smith's calibre to deal with.

We have a squad containing maybe 3 - 5 players who look like they give a damn; the rest appear to be a combination of mentally weak, physically unfit, emotionally disinvested and plain old not good enough. That's a tough ask for anyone to sort out in what is a very short space of time, with weekly matches against superior opposition thrown into the mix.

I would agree however with the suggestions of clearing out the backroom - our fitness and conditioning looks as bad this season as I can remember it being, and I'm certain that contributes to picking up more injuries; probably time to ditch the old school flogging techniques and move with the times.

No point naming people the fact is he is the new coach and come the middle 8s he will need to wip this bunch into shape to beat Leigh Bradford Sheffield and one of Featherstone Dewsbury or Halifax its going to be a task to get them fit and its time to kick the ones out who are not up for a fight

Neil Kelly would have being one on the list as would Andy

Was it not under Brian Smith's reign at Bradford that started the transformation of the Bulls into the successful side that they became in early Superleague days? I recall it was about that time that I started to dislike the Bulls so much.

Some promising comments on FB from Garen Casey, Carl Briggs and Dane Dorahy about Smith.
Certainly an appointment that not a lot saw, maybe due to the fact he may have been out of our price range, or so we thought?
Let's hope he can bring in players like Jeremy Donougher and Danny Peacock.
Not really heard of but made a big impact over here.

I would have been happy with Neil Kelly.

Was unsure about Morrison although would have been totally behind him, same for JD, uneasy about Kear (top man, did a brilliant job but second time around rarely works), a bit wary of Cummings or Poching and definitely didn't want Nobby. Suspected we might end up with Gilmour or Dickens, decent coaches but not what we need right now.

Then suddenly it's Brian Smith! Bloody hell yes, didn't see that coming but what a good appointment! Well done MC, whatever happens from now to the end of the season, we know we have the best possible coach behind us and if we fail then so be it, but I have a nice feeling that WTW might just upset the odds and be in SL, to the annoyance of many, once again!

He needs to take control of the changing room and have no preconceptions of the players. He needs to bring them all in and hopefully explain that it is a clean sheet but what I fear is that he will initially listen to our current coach and make his initial decision based on what failed in the last 13 weeks until he can reach his own assessment by which point I fear that Carter may have trimmed the squad further. I suppose we will have money available but sadly no players available.

He has a problem to fix.
If it were me, I wouldn't say it's quite a clean slate at all.... But everybody has a chance.
Right now we need players playing their best, but most of all together.
Good players not playing for the team are not what is needed.

Im sure you will find that Mr Smith will waste no time in addressing the squad, that may be before , during or after the Leeds game. I cant wait to see what response he gets, because make no mistake this squad needs a good sorting and Mr Smith will not stand for sherkers.
The club stand to benefit from Mr Smiths managemt and organisation skills, I think we will all get an early indication of the players not up for it.

The problem he has is balancing 'up for it' with capabilities and fitness.
Owen is a good example. If you saw him against Widnes you'd say he was the most up for it we have. Against Cas he made mistakes that clearly affected him and slumped back to casual style.

There are lots of things you can do to build confidence. I'm sure Smith knows better than most. Graham Lowe says in his book that he created planned moves solely to bring players in to the play that don't usually get the chance just to build esteem and get better out of them in other areas as a result.
Confidence in themselves and each other is key to this team.

Encompasses my fear to be honest - that said I thought the same for Kear at the time. I'd have said even a month ago would have been enough but it's really tight now.

To be really blunt, BS has to come in, take the bull by the horns, beat 4 championship teams and one Sl team in the middle 8 play offs, that should be enough to keep us up, it can't be that hard, can it?

The thing you need to do is compare what Kear had to work with and what is available to Brian Smith.
Man for man Kear had a superior team in the majority of positions.

Players like Owen, Arundel ,lyne, Miller ,Riley and (FFS if the rumour is true) Howarth will win you sweet FA if they are in your side. They are simply not good enough and that is something that it is impossible for Brian Smith to do anything about.

A man for man comparison of the team Kear had for the first Cas game he was in charge, and the team we put out against Cas at the weekend.

1 COLUM HALPENNY or RICHARD OWEN
2 SEMI TADULALA or TOM JOHNSTONE
3 RYAN ATKINS or DEAN COLLIS
4 JAMES EVANS or REECE LYNE
5 JASON DEMETRIOU or CHRIS RILEY
6 BEN JEFFRIES or JACOB MILLER
7 JAMIE ROONEY or TIM SMITH
8 ADAM WATENE or SCOTT ANDERSON
9 DAVID MARCH or PAUL MCSHANE
10 MICHAEL KORKIDAS or NICK SCRUTON
11 DAVID SOLOMONA or DANNY KIRMOND
12 DUNCAN MACGILLIVARY or DANNY WASHBROOK
13 MONTY BETHAM or JON MOLLOY
14 SAM OBST or PITA GODINET
15 TOM SAXTON or MATT RYAN
16 OLIVIER ELIMA or MICKAEL SIMON
17 NED CATIC or DANIEL SMITH


Interesting how your mind plays tricks. I would have said the players we had now were much better (although not playing very well) than the ones we had then but looking at that list I'd probably choose more players from Kear's team than the one that Brian Smith will inherit.

Kear's team would wipe the floor with that current list.

Halpenny

Tadulala (Johnstone has potential though)
Collis
Evans
Demetriou

Jeffries
Smith

Watene
McShane
Korky/Scruton (both offer different things can't decide between the two)
Solomona
Washbrook
Betham

Godinet
Ryan
Elima
Smith

Just watched the Bradford away game 2 weeks after Cas away when we won 20 - 12. That defensive effort was one of the best I ever saw against the likes of Vainikolo, Vagana and Lynch. They tackled like trojans from the first minute to the last making us all proud and setting up the million pound game a week later and the rest is legendary. Oh for that effort again in the coming weeks, I sincerely hope Brian can do what John Kear did for our team then, the difference between the performances then and now is an almighty chasm.

Is that the one where David march came staggering back onside under the posts like he'd just drunk 2 gallon of ale not knowing if he was on this earth or fuller's and Ganson penalised him?

Yep that's the one Chissitt, and the woman at the end with her top off flashing her bra. Needed a fix of a classic Trinity performance, that one does the trick every time.

It's true how you're mind plays tricks and I'd have to agree that kear's team would probably beat the current one.
One thing I did notice is that, in my opinion, both teams were/are underperforming.

Due to my strict upbringing when that happened I naturally put my hands over my eyes


That was a better classic performance a fortnight later though when we played our nearest and dearest

I would have Ryan Atkins infront of Collis and also Duncan McGillvary in there. Big Dunc put more into one game than some of our back rowers have done all season.

However looking at both squads I think it backs up my point that Kear had a much easier task than the one facing Brian Smith

He sounded very positive in his interview on bootsnall just now, he certainly has the experience. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with this team, especially the defence!!!