Just taken the Sydney City Roosters (or Easts to those of an older generation) from bottom of the pile to Grand Finalists in 12 short months. Goes to show what a differance quality coaching can make to a side.
Sort of puts improving from 12th to 6th into the shade somewhat.

as I have said before, he nearly bankrupt the club and f'd off at his own leisure, wouldn't be welcome back for this FC fan.

One of the best coaches I ever saw at the club not for what we won but for the way he made ordinary blokes look like world beaters, his motivational skills and will to win whatever were first class. He was clos to the fans too on the field at the end celebrating with the lads and the crowd A great bloke! I am quite proud that he cut his teeth with us!

you have no opinion of the money he spent, the way he left, or the way he conducted himself?

unlike you Wilf.

The Smith brothers both seem like mercenaries,just move on when the time and money suit them,but no doubting their coaching skills.

Qualities he quite cleary still possesses.
It is the hallmark of an excellent coach. The ability to extract the maximum out of your players and to formulate and implement a gameplan which best utilise's your players strengths whilst covering their deficiences wherever possible. This is essentially what he did (and has continued to do throughout his career) during his time with us.

Funnily enough, his brother has the same ability. Getting the likes of Bridge, Hicks, Riley, Westwood etc playing to a standard that few thought they were capable of.

This isn't intended as yet another Agar out thread, but until our club takes the decisive step in appointing a coach with those qualities and abilities we will continue to be a team who are on the outside looking in when the trophies are being handed out.

didn't the roosters finish 6th?

Although i dont know what went on with the money side of things....i would have him back as coach as his record stacks up and is better than Agar ever will be........wouldnt he be better with a stronger board as well as i think you mentioned before that the board at the time wouldnt say no to him?

tbh,who actually dictated the finances at the club? smith or the directors?

What are the figures, then?

All without fitz & o'meley

People forget how good a coach he was .just as Wilf says he made mediocre players into world beaters.One player comes to mind is Eastwood who went on tour with GB keeping that little welsh out of the team .I think he was one of the highest points scorer of that tour

What has Brian Smith ever won ?

He has been here, moved on and so have we.

Never go back, its rarely as good secondtime around

I wasn't actually advocating the return of Brian Smith to FC as coach in my original post (not that he would anyway). I was merely pointing out how a top grade coach can make a difference to any side, as he did with us 20 years ago.

I agree with you, it's not wise to go back, it very rarely works outs.

Can't people just give Agar a fair and proper chance??

We are improving, and have gone from 12th to 6th (should've been 4th). We've beaten this years only grand finalists (so far) at home and away...

I takes a bit of time to sort out the mess that the previous coaches left behind!! but we're getting there!

Eveining Rich.......










Thought i'd get in there first!!

I don't think anybody can underestimate what he did at both Hull and Bradford for that matter. We may not have won anything under him but as Wilf as mentioned his ability to turn less than average players into very good players cannot be overlooked.

In the two and a half seasons he's been in charge we've lost more games than we've won. We've only scored 40+ points four times and never scored 50+. We've never won a SL by more than 30 points. We've never beaten Leeds or Warrington. We've not won a knockout game in over two years.

As for Smith, he is a great coach although he does seem to have itchy feet. I have great memories of his time in charge. His final game in charge, for example when we beat Leeds to go top of the league.

I'm not doubting Smith's coaching ability, i would just rather support my coach until he puts us in a position were we are going backwards with no sign of recovery!! That is not the case, we are progressing and improving!!

It was not him who nearly bankrupt the club. I am certain he NEVER signed a single cheque for payment from the club to player or company. That was the board at the time and the man who is lorded by some but who time and time again led the club up dark alleys. Mr R W.

Smith was without doubt the best coach we have had since Arthur Bunting (Did he nearly bankrupt the club ? ) My wish would be for him to win the GF next Sunday and then quit to take over at HFC. Season tickets would fly out the door and the club would then be on the crest of something truely great.

All opinions though and I respect yours however misguided I feel it is.

He took us from 4th, to 11th to 12th and he's not got us back to where we were before he took over

2 and a half years later !

Brian Smith turned a very very average Hull team into a team that was very difficult to beat.
Ok, they were not the best in attack, but they could defend like their lives depended upon it.

Imo , We have a similar team now as we had then. A very good pack mixed with a couple of decent backs.

It's a shame we don't have a similar coach now, so what how much he spends, thats comes down to the board to be authorised.