We have some really good young players in the squad or coming through the ranks that we really should be trying to build a team around. As it has been mentioned Leeds took their time, Saints are getting their rewards this year. Of course there is no guarantee of success but I think it looks promising if we give it time.

well said chaps

I'll be at Manchester, London away and Perpignan, feel free to seek me out mate, always happy to share a pint with a fellow supporter. What I wont do is drive to Hull from Worcester to see us scrapping with poor sides.

Even better still, hope everyone of the young uns are kept and more of our own come in next year. The ones playing now can only get better, along with Crooks, who incidentally, I feel is copping a load of cr@p, Lineham, who will help Crooks when he returns, Tyson Wilsons Cunningham, Hadley, Green, Watts god you could go on forever. The futures bright, the futures FC, or is that my "Black and White spectacles"

I'm not saying they won't develop into better players but currently they're not good enough. It's OK having one or two inexperienced players in key positions but on Thursday we had 5

Even if it means finishing outside the 8 next year and playing the likes of sheffield with a chance of dropping out of the top 12 for the following year? I doubt our owner feels the same

I doubt if Pearson is going to be too happy if we dont make the top 8 this year either

I kind of agree with the gist of what you say. But some of the ages you are quoting, leeds players were multiple grand final winners by the time they reached those kind of ages and there was a definitive and clear progression which i don't see with hull.

Became first teamers circa 02/03. Grand final winners 04. Up there ever since. So it may be a myth that leeds waited around on their team for years for it become good. The squad they put together failed, there was a massive clear out around 2002 where youngsters became regulars, they challenged in 2003 and won in 2004 and have been serial winners nearly ever since.

I don't think making changes is the problem, it's making the [iright[/i changes. Hull need, more tha annything, a top class coach. Many good young players in the team, there is the spine of something good there, something very good. They just need that direction and guidance. Look at the difference smith made at warrington and leeds. Maguire made at wigan. Hull NEED a top class coach. They come in, turn potential into winners and this often remains even after they leave.

Couldn't agree more

Only a couple of years back Gentle was being called the best thing since sliced bread. Wasn't he considered a 'top class coach' ?

" Hull NEED a top class coach. They come in, turn potential into winners and this often remains even after they leave"

Great sentiments but successive boards have tried to secure a top coach since Brian Smith, who incidentally, I believe let the club down, making his name here then leaving for a top job in Oz. Where are Hull going to get this top coach from, there is no queue of big names beating the door down. We quite rightly have gone for a young British coach who will shift heaven and earth to make us into winners, given time, I believe he will. We have at last got an owner who is prepared to put his money where his mouth is. We have got a youth system that is producing young British talent and we have, as I said earlier, the pivots to be the nucleus of a very young and successful side. I hate the term "Sleeping Giants" Hull has never been a giant of the Rugby world, we have flirted occassionally with success, when we have had an owner who is backing the club. This myth creates the great expectations that cause fans to put so much pressure on players to perform. I wish there was an easy fix but if that was possible every club in the world would be employing it. I have been patient since the late fifties and enjoyed the roller coaster ride that is Hull FC. Hopefully I will enjoy for a few seasons more.

He meant a head coach I think. Rather than an assistant getting promoted.

Best coach we've had recently imo is Sharp. I'd take him back tomorrow.

This isn't meant as a criticism of Gentle's appointment as I certainly felt that he was the best and most promising option at the time but I think in hindsight I would have gone for Brian Noble back then. I know he doesn't have his fans on here and I'm likely opening myself up for a torrent of abuse but I think he could have done a job for us, steadying the ship after the Agar years and laying a platform for his successor (Radders) to follow up on and take us onto the next level. The way it went with Gentle, it really does feel like Radders has had to start from scratch.

I'd take either Kear or Sharp back in a heartbeat.

Rose tinted spectacles

On that basis lets take Kath and co back as we had a miles better team than this with her at the helm (early on) and we actually won something

i would love to know where you think we can get a top class coach from. there's only 30 positions available in the world of RL at the top level. out of these you're kidding yourselves if you think a current nrl coach will leave his job and come to hull, and superleague coaches are much of a muchness with any better ones under long term contracts. this leaves only those out of work (these are out of work for a reason) and nrl assistants who are unproven with the head coach job and thus are a bit of a gamble. i agree that we should spend as much as possible on a top class coaching team, i just don't see where they are going to come from

Sharp maybe, Kear not so much.

I liked the style of rugby we played under Kear.

Same with players as well.

Guess you're not going to anymore games, just because of a few defeats, grow up

Really? Apart from our cup run I remember us playing some pretty dull stuff under Kear.

All coaches, good bad and indifferent, will have periods where things don't go to plan. This is when supporters have to cut them a bit of slack and carry on supporting both the coach and the team. Whilst I was never 100% convinced with Radders appointment, he is now our coach and I will continue to give him my support in the hope that he will do the business for us. Anyone saying the season is over needs to get a grip.

This^^ while the results haven't been as good as we hoped for the first time for a good while iam enjoying the style of attacking rugby we are trying to play.

Our current problem is one of timing. Just when we get an owner who has some cash and is prepared to spend it in reality there's no one to spend it on. Even the has been Australians can get a decent deal in the second grade these days and don't need to come over. The best British talent is in short supply and has lots of outlets in the NRL and RU and that makes it tough to rest those that stay here away from their clubs. Usually those clubs are already successful or have a more probable chance of success than us and have money too.
The squad we've got is pretty average and lacks class. God knows what McRae was doing! It also lacks intelligent players and basic skills which means we constantly make mistakes and take wrong decisions. That's dangerous with an average squad as is proving to be the case. Even where the players perhaps lift their game and compete with the opposition there's always someone who will do something stupid and either keep them in the game or worse. I think Radford is absolutely aware of that and is trying to address it. I'm not convinced any other coach would be able to get any instant change out of the players in the squad so maybe Radford getting them to play at 100% every week is the best short term option. Bringing through our own young players is also sensible though that isn't going to be a quick fix either and relies on there being talent of the right quality in numbers out there in the first place. For the time being at least we have to accept what we are and not harbour unreasonable expectations. I just hope that we see evidence of the right type of recruitment policy from now on which should be to work with what we have unless there is someone significantly better and in particular we should be willing to pay big money to players who are skilful , intelligent and can lead on the field.