What pisses me off most is Gus has spent 7 years rebuilding and we arent any closer to a premiership today than we were 3 seasons ago. We built slowly and steadily only for any progress we made to be stopped in 2014 basically.
Create whatever excuse you want. But in 2011 we brought Gus in and the closest we have been to a premiership in 6 seasons was 2014. 3 full seasons since and somehow fringe top 8 is supposed to be acceptable? Bullshit
Gus did all the right things with the lower grades. With the facilities. His recruitment up until Trent Merrin was pretty f**king good. But since the moment he sacked Cleary and hired Hook the club has stopped building toward anything. Shits just happening and we're just reacting.
I agree the hiring process was unprofessional. I'm not sure if we did it differently if we would have got a different result. The coaches available are all you can deal with and the good ones already had jobs.
As too your point about success, I would agree if the only criteria for success was to win a premiership. Since 2000 the most premierships won by a club is two. This has been done by Manly, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Roosters. Melbourne would have won four but were stripped of their premierships. So 17 titles on offer, and four clubs win twice. Four clubs, Titans, Parra, Warriors and Raiders win nothing. That makes us the equal with best club, or does it?
Isn't success also measured by how often a club makes the semi finals, how much sponsorship it attracts,
and how many members they can get. Because without that the club isn't sustainable. History shows the clubs who'd do that are the ones winning premierships every so often.
Isn't that where we are? More members, more sponsors, semis two years in a row? If we make the semi's three years in a row that is the first time since 91.
I understand people want success but a premiership isn't won by building a team in a couple of years. It takes time and an organisation that's built to sustain excellence. If we can continue to deliver championship winning junior teams and signing the odd big name, we have a fighting chance. People want Gus sacked, Hook sacked, the Board sacked. It's not perfect but it is so much better than it ever was.
That said, we don't accept mediocrity either. Once you get a club to be continually competitive then the expectations are raised. The Roosters sack coaches, the Dogs sack coaches when they don't deliver a competitive team even if they make the semi's. I think Hook will be gotten rid of if we don't look like making the semis this year and at least being competitive. That's how it should be.
Gus has sacked two coaches and a CEO in his time here. I don't have the slightest doubt that Hook will be gone if we aren't looking competitive early in the season. Timing will be the only issue.
