Back page of today's HDM:



[urlhttp://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Hull-KR-Sandercock-sets-sights-shock-win-Wigan/story-16000396-detail/story.html[/url

You whinging Aussie get.

FFS man get a grip.

We're a team in development with some potential in our youth ranks.

Your job Sandercock is to turn those players into Internationals if that's what you want a team full of. You knew this before you came now stop flapping your lips and get on with it.

Pre-emptive moan this time though, he usually saves the "internationals" line for the post-defeat interview. That only leaves him with Bentham to blame tonight, as we will have a VR present.

Maybe he will lighten up when he gets laid?

Isn't his wife here, yet?

I have to say I am concerned at some of the things CS says. For example, his comment yesterday, saying 'he isn't concerned if fans have already judged him and has stressed his focus is long term' (HDM 3rd May). He might well be right in what he is saying, adopting a teflon approach, but I wonder if he realises how negative he comes across. His comment in today's HDM, the constant references to Wigan's international players, IMO shrouds his 'quietly confident' remark. He gives with the one hand but takes away a double helping with the other.

When I read and hear what he has to say (to the media), at times he leaves me demoralised! I wonder how the players feel when they hear him talking in this way, its hardly inspiring, is it?

Yet, having seen him at work he is so positive, totally opposite to the negative persona he seems to have adopted for the media. Perhaps he ought to seek out Justin's book of cliches, he had the knack of turning all things negative into positives lol!

Jesus if you get turned over his after match speech is going to be great, this guy really is entertaining

Not as entertaining as watching Leeds u18s win 82-4.

Why do people have to select one comment and then quote it out of context?

The whole theme of the interview is how positive Sandercock and Rovers are about the game despite the odds being overwhelmingly against them. The bookies have Wigan 12 to 1....ON to win this game. In league weekly there were experts tipping Wigan even with a 30 point start to Rovers.

I'm afraid the reason for this is that Wigan really do have better players than us. Have a look at the England elite & Exiles squads and you'll see that Sandercock is quite correct in his observations.

Everyone knows this so presumably the problem for some is that they just don't like to hear it.

Sandercock points out how he thinks we can win the game and what we need to do to have a chance. He also uses the 'no one gives us a chance' routine to take the pressure off and to maybe make the players determined to prove everyone wrong. Worth a try but we'll still need Wigan to be well below their best even to get close. That's because...well they do in fact have a team full of internationals and we don't.

You watched? Who played well?

Sunley, the ginner fullback.

Disturbing for Hull, 2 Leeds players left the field injured early on yet they (Leeds) still had enough to post a score like that? Frightful.

They aren't a strong team. I watched even Rovers u18s muller them last week. They were poor, and their attitude seemed lax. Our u18s do buck the trend as all our other acadamy sides are doing ok. When's the Rovers u18s/Wigan game?

I don't know, I only follow the Leeds u18s.

Wild stab in the dark. Leeds U-18's?

They didn't, really. Although it was a cracking result for 15 men.

Oh come off it Bob, I don't selectively quote on normal occasions, but he has used the "internationals" line on at least half a dozen occasions now, it's becoming tiresome. If he didn't want to face international opposition every week he should have applied for the Wath Brow Hornets coaching job.

Since the big drive ahead of 2008, recruitment has been, with hindsight, well...

for 2009:
Fozzard (epitomy of a grizzled veteran, did okay-ish for a year), Colbon (good steady first season, not so good thereafter), Scott Wheeldon (decent squad player, if a bit limited), Ryan Esders (1 game?). 3 ultimately left for London, none remain at Rovers.

for 2010:
Matt Cook (another for whom Rovers was a staging post on the way down to London), Ratu (yeah, I'd forgotten about him too), Josh Hodgson (showing promise, still at the club!!!), Joel Clinton (Actually quite good in 2010, has been generally poor value since)

for 2011:
Willie Mason (we're all familiar with that tale of woe), Craig Hall (not as erratic as some make out, but not quite as talented (or at least 'effective') as others claim either, IMO), Blake Green (pretty good - huzzah!).

So that is one good stand-off, a decent, versatile young hooker-cum-backrower, a middling utility back and a highly paid prop who nobody expects to be retained.

Now to be fair, these were meant to be finishing touches type signings to the squad built for 2008, and we no doubt had to pay slightly over the odds back then, leaving less room for maneuvre. And who else was available on a free? Also it ignores the kids that are finally coming through our own system. But it's true that CS inherited a team in need of rejuvenating - too much continuity was a common complaint last season. Plus it must be daunting going into games against the top teams, as despite the cap, the top players invariably join the top teams (which is why Hull getting G. Ellis was so impressive). That said, CS could do to realise that there is such a thing as too much honesty and that despite the odd mad rant, we can manage our own expectations. Actually, I think 11 points is close to satisfactory all things considered and with one or two caveats, mostly to do with (not) tackling.

It's a bit early to judge this season's signings, but so far Paea is the only one that stands out for me, and, being honest, that might be for the type of player he is as much as for his quality.

Interesting background info, but come on mods, this is surely thread drift?

My point, put bluntly, is; is he wrong or is he just wrong to keep going on about it?

He could at least wrap it prettily in hope for the future. 'We're a couple of years behind the top teams', or something along those lines is how Gentle sold it after they got walloped, combining realism with an implied promise of jam to come.

Or maybe unvarnished honesty should be refeshing in an age of spin and soapy media-management. It's not improved by repetition, either way.

He's got an annoying voice.

And he likes Hawaian pizzas.

Both very bad things.

Good heavens, with supporters like you lot we don't need away supoorters. It would be very nice if true Rovers supporters actually got behind the whole team and support them warts and all. Stop comparing him with the Morgan years, this is a New Era in Hull KR's history, a New Coach feeling his way in a strange country without the support of his family, injuries haven't been kind to the new regime so far this season. Give them a bit of slack and save your criticism until the end of the season.

Cheap, Stanley.

Or how about you keep your nose out of how I chose to support my team? I don't come on here to kiss the coaches ass or blow smoke up the clubs backside. I'm setting off to Wigan in an hour where I will sing my lungs out for the team, then no doubt miss the suicidal interview on Humberside afterwards. Who the do you think you are to tell me how to support my side?

Reet bad mood today is Stan.

My fault, threw one of Andy's pies at him.

I couldn't have put it better