Don't agree in the main. Always exceptions, but mostly I think people will be happy if they see the team playing the way we want, and will openly say as much if they are confident it is something that will continue.



I do agree with that.

I think it implies it quite strongly, tbh.

I agree on this, as I said in one of my posts we have had very dire rugby in the last 18 months and if we are brutally honest we were seeming to be going backwards in terms of performance and results. That is why fans myself included have questioned the Coach and quite rightly. Now it is pleasing to see that we have played well in the last 2 games and credit to the team as whole for that but 2 games does not prove we have turned a corner or can sustain it as we have seen it so many times before since the 2006 GF appearance.

That for me is why fans are vocal about the coaching and rightly questioning the sudden change of the last 2 games from the way we have played over the past 18months. I for one am not knocking it as it is a breath of fresh air and great to see but doubts are still there as to whether it can be sustained for the remainder of the season.

The changes could well be in part be because the fans are disgruntled and not attending, something that Pearson alluded too in a recent interview and he also stated IIRC that after the Huddersfield game everyone at the club had to take a look at themselves. So maybe he gave them all an honest appraisal of their performances to date and maybe shaken them all out of the comfort zone and they needed to change things, which they have.

Things have changed and rapidly and whilst Radford no doubt will have had input in that, the amount and speed of the changes can not just be down to him suddenly becoming the grand master in terms of coaching.

Whatever are the reasons for change then I for one am happy to see them but will reserve judgement until more than just a couple of games as we have been here way too many times to then see all the promise turn to nothing and face yet another transistional season.

Then I think you should reread the quote in full:



Specifically attributing the change to a team meeting.



Note [ieventually[/i. There's been criticism and calls for his head for a fair while, I'm not sure how saying the coach [ieventually[/i changed his philosophy is suggesting it's a direct reaction to fan unrest. If it was fan-inspired it would have been before now, IMO. The point is clearly how strange it is to suggest that fans were wrong to not be happy on the evidence that they have been given what they want for a couple of games and as a result have (in the main) stopped complaining.

Claiming to be right about something is not the same as trying to claim the credit for fixing it.

This is where this argument falls down. Radford is hammered on here, even to the point of personal abuse (from some) and hailed as one of the worst coaches in recent history, we start to win games and he's only 'had an input' and 'it can't be that he's suddenly become a good coach'.
My take on it is that we've had a (much needed) overhaul in our halfbacks and finally have two of fairly decent quality. However, they've taken time to develop an understanding. This progress was hampered by Sneyd's injury.

On the subject of Sneyd, I think he's an off the cuff player that the players are only just getting used to playing with.

Radford was also hammered for saying things would improve once Ellis was back, but he constantly attracts 3 or 4 defenders, this creates space elsewhere making it easy for the halves. So he wasn't wrong, was he?

Ok.

As we are in better form and playing some decent rugby how about we all stop tearing into the team, the coach and other fans?

At least until after Friday.

So are you saying it is all down to Radford alone?

What I am saying is fans have rightly questioned whether he was the right man for the job based on the evidence presented every match for the past 18 months. Then all of a sudden after the Huddersfield game which seemed to call about a team meeting & Pearson stating he'd made it clear performances were not acceptable etc and everyone at to look at themselves we seem to have had a huge change in terms of the way we playing in the last 2 games compared to everyone before.
That change and the speed can not just be done to one factor but a number of them. The fact we have seen more off loads/promoting the ball, dummy runners, angled runners and support play in the Cas game alone than we have all season points to more than just the coaching factor.

Whatever it is that has brought about the change then great and credit to everyone concerned but don't expect the disgruntled fans to suddenly become happy clappers overnight as we have had far too many false dawns.

Lets see in 5 more games whether we have been able to maintain a decent level of play and consistency

No, I'm asking for consistency of argument. People too quick to stick the knife in are always last to give credit.

No No No. It's the highlight of my day logging on here and seeing the endless tide of claims, counter claims, accusations, arguments about semantics and general vitriolic abuse. It's like being part of the worlds biggest and most dysfunctional family. Makes me feel much more positive about my home life.

Unfortunately you will never get that as people in life generally are always quick to complain but slow to praise.

I don't think people have been quick to stick the knife in, many voiced concerns about Radfords level of experience as a major concern etc (myself included) and whether he was good enough when he was appointed. In all fairness what people have criticised him for in the main have been valid points and backed up their arguements with examples as is evident in the previous 18 months.

But like I said you can not expect people who have been very anti Radford to suddenly become happy clappers after 2 performances. What people need to see is that level of consistency maintained over more than a couple of games to prove its not a flash in the pan performance.

Radford has yet to prove he is right the man capable of taking this club onto success and he has made quite a few mistakes and probably one of his biggest was to castigate the fans particularly when performances have been so poor.

As I say if they can maintain the same level shown against Cas for the next 4 or 5 games then maybe people will then start to give some praise but after 18 months of dire rugby it aint gonna happen over night as I've said before we have seen too many false dawns in the last 8/9 years, it will take time to erase all that.

He was indeed derided on here for his comments re Ellis and others coming back. As things stand now his comments have been shown to be pretty much on the mark. I already put my views on the halves earlier which echo yours. It's a shame about the two one point defeats this year - reverse those and we'd be 4th now and there'd be no conversation on here about 'dire' rugby and some magical change of approach and performance.

That's ifs and buts though - we need to string some more wins together to make up for those losses. At least we're no longer having to play with 3 hookers.

Oh dear, you really don't understand irony do you

the fact there was a big rolling eyes icon after that should have being the dead giveaway. No matter, if you truly honestly think that a poster would be serious enough to suggest that fan pressure is the reason our attack has changed these last two games you need to give yourself a hard bump on the head..see what I did there...

"We have copped a bit of flak for our attack not being well and not having many points in us, but we're coming along."

"One of the things we've talked about is changing our attack and playing more rugby, throwing the ball around more"

I've also read this thread and again couldn't find any evidence of people claiming it was down solely to the fans other than your own interpretation and slant on quotes.

The above quotes however are from the Steve Michaels interview.
So why now all of a sudden after 18 months is there this huge change in philosophy?

I'm not implying it's down to the disgruntled mass( before you also accuse me of saying it is too) but due to falling gates, constant e mails to Pearson and the constant criticism from fans and the media maybe the penny has finally dropped with Pearson and this is now been conveyed to Radford.
If Radford was this tactical genius of a coach to start with he could have avoided this unpleasant situation by just playing like this from the off but he didn't because I believe he was to structured, too rigid and believed himself to be infallible.
I think this whole situation coupled with the clear the air talks has possibly encouraged this change in style and for him to re think his approach in order to preserve his job.
Hopefully this new fresh approach is not just a flash in the pan, I'd rather watch us lose playing entertaining rugby then the total opposite we've endured during Radford's tenure.
Whatever this change is down too hope it continues as I'd rather have a happy team which in turn should breed confidence.
I'll acknowledge Radford for this recent change but credit him, No not yet as I'm not convinced this has all been down to his own making.
He's done a lot of damage to this club's fan base more than any other coach I've known and 2 games is far too soon for me to be reaching for my sock just yet unlike some but stick with them and hope for a little bit longer, I will.

Do you not see it?

I must need to borrow your glasses.

I think it's down to a culmination of issues not just the fans alone although they must play some part in it what with falling gates, booing at games and a Radford out banner.
It was a situation which could not continue and by changing his playing philosophy now at last and Pearson explaining what is expected to all he continues publically to support his coach and he also saves face.
Ultimately I believe that the financial implications on the club have brought about this change at last, looking at the bigger picture.
And of course these are only my thoughts.

You should probably make yourself clearer then Bumpy. Big rolling eyes icons for gods sake, you're an adult, articulate, don't use little emoticons that people could misinterpret.

Actually, maybe that's what the petition was missing?

Let's step back and think about this for a moment.

Pearson having a word that results/performances must improve, I accept that probably happened. Radford feeling fan & media pressure, yes, definitely.

Have those things directly led to us playing better - nah, I don't accept that for a minute.


From listening to Radford's interviews this year, his philosophy has always been to play good rugby and win, of course it has, that hasn't changed. That's why he signed Pryce & Sneyd, that's why Westy is in at 13, that's why he's spoken about promoting the ball.

This year our defence has been decent, our possession and field position decent, but our attack has fallen flat on it's arris. That's something we all agree on. We've been able to get the ball and camp out at the oppositions try line, but fail to get over it.

These past few weeks have seen our halfback pairing start to flourish, the captain & best player come back from injury and the lads playing with much more confidence than they were before.

Unlike some, I don't see the turnaround as drastic at all, I see it as a culmination of the hard work put in by all the staff & players finally coming to fruition, having been built up gradually over the past 6 weeks or so. But maybe that's just me.

If when we lose "the buck stops with Radford", then the buck stops with Radford when we're winning too. Long may it continue.

That was and still is correct................

We will not be buying passes for the 2016 season, two of the seven are stopping going completely the remainder will be going on a game by game basis.

Last Saturday three of us went, three where working and could not attend, nice of you take the interest and you can add to the "been count"

Can't we all draw a line under this now and agree to evaluate Radford's performance at the end of the season?

The league table after the top/middle 8 games will show without question whether he's been good enough.

It's not enough to merely make the 8. If we aren't in the running to make the final 4 with two games to go I'd say we haven't achieved our goal for the season.

Before anyone jumps on me, I'm not a Radford hater, neither will I be calling for his head if this objective hasn't been achieved.

The buck stops with AP, Radford is his appointment and in 2011 he said that he will not accept a top eight finish as a barometer of supposed success at any point in the future whilst he is the owner of this club.

I think that 4 years is long enough for him to have made substantial progress towards this goal, so I don't think I'm being unreasonable.

It was perfectly clear to all and sundry except yourself,(ok, you and 1865) given the fairly obviousness of what had/has been said (or indeed NOT been said) for you to misunderstand is your failing. My rolling eyes icon was a representation of exactly that when you say something particularly ironic...how you could not understand that given everything that had being said is beyond me.
The petition was clear and accurate in what it said, if you couldn't understand it that again is a failing on your part, you didn't have to read it, no-one is forcing you.

Absolutely spot on sir. I was in no way claiming fan pressure had any sort of influence on the apparent change. In fact as you point out I highlighted the team meeting as the main reason. FWIW I think what has possibly happened is that Radford in conjunction with the players has decided that being so good defensively actually gives us more licence to take a few risks and do something with the ball as if/when it doesn't come off our defence can make up for it.

It's not just a case of Sneyd and Pryce suddenly hitting some form either, the entire team we're playing with more freedom. At one point we had Paea and Watts doing a run around and the number of offloads suddenly went up. The ball from Paea to Watts (slightly forward fwiw) that led to the 3rd try I think it was hasn't even looked like a possibility previously this season. The philosophy has definitely changed and I couldn't care less what the reason behind it is but long may it continue.

You could send a glass eye to sleep pal.

He is the cure for insomnia

Very sensible post. Radford is coach till the end of the season and if we make the 8 I think he will keep his job because its a considerable improvement on last season. If we don't make the 8 I think he should go but I will back him until then.

Despite what Pearson said I think financial constraints may have caused him to moderate his ambitions.