Got to say that I agree with this a lot. We seem to have done a good job replacing most of the outgoing players with players that should be just as good or (hopefully) better.

What an extraordinary statement. What is this phenomenon, which cities are affected by it and exactly how is the effect caused by the insular attitudes of Hull people?

It was Rock God X. He also said he would wash his hands if Radders was appointed and duly hasn't been seen since. (Shame, I miss our knicker discussions. Come back Rock God X, need your critique of the game tonight and my new longjohns.)

I agree completely that Radford must be measured against the same yardstick as Gentle. Gentle managed 6th and would have been expected to improve on that with the same squad plus any off-season changes he made so I expect Radders to do the same with the off-season recruits and exits [ihe[/i has elected. 6th or higher for me.

I liked Gentle but the club was embarrassed twice last season in a very big way and since Pearson seemed already to doubt some of the application and attitude behind the scenes it was inevitable that he would choose to remove him. The squad is fractionally better in my opinion than last year so below 6th would be a disappointment. I think Pearson will give Radford more than one season unless we're staring relegation in the face mid August, and rightly so if Pearson himself believes that things behind the scenes are travelling in the right direction and not the wrong one.

Does anyone think that some of the lower expectations people seem to have may be down to the club being less vocal this season about our ambitions?

Not at all, probably down to recruitment not been great and the appointment of an inexperienced coach. This probably explains season ticket sales also.

True, it was. And I stand by it. Finishing in 8th place should be considered a failure for a club of our size. If you're going to sack a coach, the guy who replaces him should be expected to do at least as well as his predecessor, or what's the point? We had a couple of highly embarassing scorelines/performances under Gentle, but he did manage 6th place and a cup final in his final season. Not sure he was the man to take us to glory, but I'd be a little more confident about the coming season if he was still in charge than I am now.



I don't think I said that, did I? I remember saying this:

[i"I've had a couple of days to think about the whole Radford/Last/Cooke idea now, and I still can't see any merit in it whatsoever. Like anything, there's a chance it might work, but it looks like a massive gamble with incredibly long odds. I don't like it. Not one bit."[/i

Which is about where I'm at now.



That was more to do with the childish/petty nature of this board in the off season than anything else, though I can't say I feel particularly excited about anything RL related at the moment.



Don't think there'll be much to critique tonight - I predict that the wind and rain will turn the game into an error-fest, with the winner being decided by who drops the ball the least. Long johns will be a must though. It'll be nippy by 20.00.



Yep.

Possibly. And if so its no bad thing IMO.

Longjohns it is, then.

I agree. Let the team do the talking on the pitch.

... current forecast is very wet and windy at 20:00, but a temperature of 9C - will still be wearing long johns though .



The weather certainly hasn't done us any favours recently.

try being in Worcester (on Sea)!

Surprised no surfers have been seen on the Racecourse yet.

it's madness, one minute we have Seagulls and no Sea, the next we have Sea and no Seagulls, the bridge is going to be out a good few weeks yet I fear. Good job the next race isn't until May, it's going to take some time for all that water to disappear!

Bet the square at New Road is a little soft in places as well ?

Tbf if the club start saying we are going to do this & win that then they are just adding more pressure to themselves, we all have our expectations of our club, as they have in house, we are a massive club, as some say sleeping giant,just hope this current squad are the ones to wake it, as for other clubs/fans/ media predicting this will be another difficult season for us, let's just see, our squad thrived on that in the CC semi final last year, well I hope this bunch do the same on the doubters this campaign & play with a bit of passion/ pride...good article in the sun off Ian wright about players not caring & not playing with hate.

I think it was on a thread I started about what would be an acceptable return and I actually have an almost identical take on the whole thing as you.

Be interesting to see how we get on now McRae has gone.....personally think he had too much influence at the club

I got slated for that very opinion, the guy was, and is, a complete moron who had two stabs at ruining my beloved club.

Agreed.

McRae might well have had more say in running hull but he was no moron

How is it working out so far.?

Well we haven't given him a contract extension yet.

Still in title race.

No thread necromancy, ta.