Surely he'll be working under radford's guidance so I can't see anything but another pair of hands and some new ideas hopefully.

I think when he was here bfore and got the job with agar at wakey hull did not want him togo in the first place so that why he maybe coming back

This is a good move. Since Hay left we've needed a decent second. Its all down to Radford though, can he work with Webster?

A few weeks ago a lot on here were calling for either LR to go or for AP to get some assistance in for LR. We were also stating our play was dull predictable and lets be honest garbage. Crowds were diminishing and even pass holders refusing to attend.
Fast forward a few weeks and things have changed dramatically. Before I go on I still feel we are only one poor peerformance away from doom and gloom again so I am far from satisfied.

It strikes me that the following has happened.

1) Senior members of the squad have stepped up to the plate in training. Ellis, Mini, and Pryce being the main three. Mini and Pryce at times despite giving 100% everytime their body language spoke volumes at times. They know what was needed and I strongly suspect that honest and frank discussions have taken place which no one on here is privy to.
2) Richard Horne has done more. He is apparently working overtime on video analysis. Is this at the expenses of the now out of work Paul Cooke?
3) Not forgetting those strike players that LR talked about are back. That doesn't excuse the poor performances we had at the start of the year with the same strike players in the team.

All this has resulted in a massive turn around in performances all be it we are still in amongst the all so rans and can not relax in our quest for top 8. I would say our form is that of a top 6 team at last and not a bottom four team. Lets hope that continues.

So why bring in Webster if the HDM is to be believed. Well yes some say it may upset the good roll we are on. I can see that.
I've seen some say its down to RH and the work he is doing. So why bring in someone to potentially upset that.Good point but...

RH has a responsibility for our junior development. He can not and should not be doing both full time work with the first team while trying to develop what is commonly believed to be our best crop of youngsters for a generation. Take our eyes off their development and we are back to square one. That is not what any of us want and is certainly not what Adam Pearson is about.
That for me is the crux of the matter. RH can continue with one or the other of his current duties, but he can not do both.
So Webster will step in. Do the job required and probably relish it after the job hes just had. It will benefit LR, the team and ultimatley us fans. It has to be worth a try.
Webster will know LR, RH, AL et al and they will know if they can work with him. I don't know much about LR but I am certain he will have had some say in any future recruitment be it playing staff or his coaching staff.

I'm not advocating a "more the merrier" attitude, but I think most of us agree that LR needed help and this is potentially a step in the right direction.

His playing record is irrelivant. How good a footballer was José Mourinho. Nuff said

Given the choice, would the preference be Cookey or Webster as assistant/attacking coach?

What can James Webster bring, that Leon Pryce (who's won everything, twice, and reached a level far greater than JW ever did) can't?

webster every time. cooke has done nothing of note in the coaching game yet at the top level. webster has had a spell with us before when we improved as a team. the wakey team was left in a terrible mess by agar with little in the way of funds to improve their squad (they operate way below the cap) and anyway their chief problem has been woeful defence

A non playing role. I would love for Pryce to one day take on a coaching role (if he wants to go into coaching). But right now I'd prefer him to concentrate his time and effort on keeping fit and focused on things on the pitch. Though I do believe he will have had some imput into the apparent turn around in our playing style.

Do you not think that by Pryce in conjunction with Radford with regard the attacking strategy and its formulation that the analysis by the person directly involved with its implementation on the pitch is actually a better thing with greater understanding of what is being asked if you are part of the detailed process right at the beginning?

That's not to say that Pryce becomes a coach but if his input and indeed that of playmakers at an earlier stage gives more clarity/greater understanding of the how and why one would expect a better end result if that plan has any merit.
I'm sure Pryce is intelligent enough & experienced enough to not cave under a bit of added responsibility off the pitch, that said that responsibility can fall to some quite young and inexperienced, people are different, some are massively quick learners and/or are natural leaders, others are slow burners, some just want to be workhorses with fewer tasks but can carry them out superbly.

Poor understanding/poor communication of your plan is one of the major downfalls to achieve a goal
Add into that not all young men are good listeners and indeed can find it difficult to transfer that information into what is exactly required at X situation and further be able to adopt that accurately/repeatedly in a pressure situation (of a game of professional RL in this instance) AND to have the mental strength to correct failings/adopt changes in real time with minimal outside help, force yourself on physically, trying to nullify effects on your job (from a negative POV) it is hardly surprising you have some horrible outcomes and some very one sided games that on paper shouldn't be.

Trusting your soldiers as well as being honest and open with them not only can win you a battle & possibly even a war but it also gains you a hell of a lot of respect and from that you have a far greater chance of success, it's a symbiotic relationship.

I strongly believe that our about turn in attacking play is mainly down to Leon and NOT LR or indeed RH. So I agree with you. But there is more to it than simply implimenting actions on the park. Analysis of opposition for one thing which I would not want a current player spending his time doing. Mental tiredness is as much a failing as well as physical.

Do you have any insider knowledge on this or is it purely a guess?

5 years coaching experience?

David Brent in the house.

Guess - 1/10
Insider knowledge - 9/1

Having only played RL at youth level so I maybe wrong, but as a player I was told to follow instructions and concentrate 100% on playing.

Webster would have to time to analyse performance and work with individuals on certain skills. As a player Pryce would put him own playing performances at risk if he starts concentrating on formulating team tactics. I am not suggesting for one moment that players shouldnt have some input, but I cannot recall any notible player manager / coaches in RL in the modern era.

I can understand your point in one way, but at all levels players are coached by people who have won less. Can Pryce see everything thats going on from the angle he has on the pitch / training ground ?

I wonder how many Ozzies learn nothing from a second rate winger , yet he still seems to be in demand coaching wise

Leon Pryce might be an absolutely awful coach and have no idea about how to get others to follow his lead.
Winning things and coaching others to win things are two totally different things, if they weren't then Diego Maradonna would have been the best football coach ever, he was rubbish. Tiger Woods would have no one to teach him how to play golf better etc.

Sean Long was a great halfback but seems to be finding coaching very difficult having been shipped around a lot.

I always thought JW would make a great coach, his collapse at Wakey was unfortunate and proved he still has a lot to learn media wise but I can see him being back in a head roll at some point.

I don't think that comment was called for.

His point that it requires someone to take the analysis of the opposition and implement the gameplan based on this on the pitch is a valid one in my opinion.

Typical dumb comment to a sensible post.

Webster did a great job at rovers when asked to takeover been he was only 25 at the time his middle 8s comments killed him at Wakefield he was right but shouldn't have said it

Possibly, but you said it in one sentence.
Too many waffling management cliche's for me.

Ok, I'll put it another way, what can James Webster teach Leon Pryce? If he's to come in to help with last tackle plays etc?
If it's to overlook the whole attack of the team I'd rather someone with a better track record than Webster, or Cooke, or Goulding, or whoever else is flavour of the month with the fans.

Things are improving as they are nicely, don't see the point in appointing anyone mid-season unless you're 100% sure he'll make an instant and fundamental difference.

agree 100%, was never a fan of Lee's appointment but recent results mean he deserves credit, Webster did nothing for Wakefield, what can Webster offer that Horne can't??

Or what can Webster teach Sneyd, Abdull, HTW, and even Radford in relation to attacking play and formations. I'm not saying Webster (if he is coming) will add anything, only time will tell, but to dismiss it before he's got here is not on.
Based on what you say no one at the club is capable of coaching Pryce as not one person has the experience of Pryce at the club.

Isn't some of Horne's time taken up with the academy?


As for an attacking coach, I don't imagine they'll come in and be expected to teach Leon & Sneyd how to do x,y & z better. Saying that, a player is always capable of improvement.

I see it more that they'd be the ones studying opposition weaknesses, work with the halfbacks on set plays & how to exploit those weaknesses, working one on one with non halfback players on how to improve their own weaknesses, general game management, last tackle options, stuff like that. Basically taking some of the burden off the halfbacks & Radford.

Whether Webster is the man to do that, none of us really know. His playing record has little to do with it, and I wouldn't read into his time with Wakey too much either, their squad/resources he had to work with are that poor.