as a true fan i have run out of patience- we NEED CHANGE!!

[eeelectroshooting?]

:lol:

fair enough

 

[Eels Dude]

Thats where you differ from me.

I only have faith in the first two things you mentioned.

Suity

I'll agree with you in saying Smith is past his prime and it would be better for all if he moved on. However, I cannot change the fact that he's there so i'll have to put up with him. We have to hope he makes the right decisions and turns our club around, though I'm not sure he will, i'd like to think that he can.

 

[Eels Dude]

Eels Dude, you mean that there will be NO CHANGE. Yeah, the faces change, but the song remains the same (apologies to Led Zep...)

I make no apologies for being down on the situation. Being passionate about the club, and seeing it struggle, does that. I know others get thrilled by it, but I don't. Bugger me but bing pasionate about the Eels is a curse, and I wish I could be blase and not give a rats like some of you. Sadly, I give a sh*t about how the club is faring.

I think it is safe to say that everyone on this board is passionate about the club. How they handle the dissapointments is up to each individual. We're struggling at the moment yes, but we can't just sit on our hands and be upset until we become a top 4 side again.

I agree with you, losing hurts, and it makes or breaks my weekend whether Parra win or lose. I'm proud of the guys effort over the last 4 weeks though. They've guttsed it out, and come up with 2 wins, plus 2 narrow losses to the competitions best. I don't think we could have asked for much more really.

We gotta support the club through the hard times and the low times. We will be a competition threat sometime in the near future, but we simply have to be patient. We're not a top 4 side at the moment, and we won't be this year. So I say support the club all we can, cheer them on, and be happy when they win, that's what being a fan is all about.

 

[Misty Bee]

Being a fan is more than just 'cheering them on'. It's about taking the club on as part of your life. Example - if for some reason I moved to Siberia, my contact with Oz would revolve around ontact with my family, a few friends, and how the Eels are faring. Things such as economy, politics, weather etc would only be of mild interet.

Parra is part of my life - part of me. When it is ill, part of me is ill. It's the only ailment that my GP can't fix. Psychologists tell people to talk about their problems. Hence this messageboard exists for me.

Trouble is, I reckon I know the cure. Sack Smith - get a decent coach, and make Parra a place where good players want to come to again.

 

[The Colonel]

Trouble is, I reckon I know the cure. Sack Smith - get a decent coach, and make Parra a place where good players want to come to again.

Thats where the trouble really starts. Seems Brian aint gonna go. No matter how much we whinge, whine, stamp our feet or hold our breath. The board sonsiders the dollar value of his contract far too large to pay out. Your just going to have to stay sick until 2007.

 

[Misty Bee]

Your just going to have to stay sick until 2007.

As will the Club, or don't you agree?

 

[The Colonel]

Your just going to have to stay sick until 2007.

As will the Club, or don't you agree?

I'll wait and see but the way it has been the chance is pretty fair at this stage.

 

[fish eel]

The board sonsiders the dollar value of his contract far too large to pay out

And I'm gonna throw this curve ball reason in as to why Smith wont get paid out.

Parramatta Leagues are fighting the state government over the poker machine tax.

Fitzgerald is a smart operator, he knows that if he pays out Brian Smith, he is damaging his case against the tax....ie, 'if parramatta leagues can afford to pay out a contract of an overpaid footy coach, they can afford to pay the pokie tax'.

 

[The Engineers Room]

Fitzgerald honestly believes in Smith, no conspiracies. How many coaches have Parramatta actually sacked? Most have just not been renewed.

 

[Misty Bee]

The mail suggested that the board woul;d have sacked him had we not won v Newcastle and Manly. I'm wondering that, having reached that decision, if we miss the semis they may decide to make him 'coaching director'. It's still on the cards.

 

[Avenger]

Fitzgerald honestly believes in Smith, no conspiracies. How many coaches have Parramatta actually sacked? Most have just not been renewed.

Parra have NEVER sacked a coach before the expiration of his contract. Nor should they now. If he resigns that a different story. I hope he does not though.

 

[Misty Bee]

Nor should they now???? You kidding???? You like being a mediocre club?????

The case for parting with Smith is compelling -overwhelming in fact. Smith has lst the ability to make this club competetive.

 

[The Engineers Room]

Fitzgerald honestly believes in Smith, no conspiracies. How many coaches have Parramatta actually sacked? Most have just not been renewed.

Parra have NEVER sacked a coach before the expiration of his contract. Nor should they now. If he resigns that a different story. I hope he does not though.

And the reason for never sacking a coach is that it is not the way the club operates. We believe in our team and support whoever is in charge of them. I have said in the past that Smith needs to change his tactics in defence and attack. I have not said Parramatta should sack him.

 

[The Colonel]

The mail suggested that the board woul;d have sacked him had we not won v Newcastle and Manly. I'm wondering that, having reached that decision, if we miss the semis they may decide to make him 'coaching director'. It's still on the cards.

But who will be his replacement? Its highly likely that it would someone from inside the club coaching ranks already which IMO would be much the same as leaving Smith there anyway.

Matt Cameron, Hayden Knowles or Alan Wilson for my mine, would be the best options.

By all accounts Taylor may as well be Smith anyways.

 

[The Engineers Room]

Matt Cameron has done a good job with the Premier League side this year.

But I'm not sure if he is much different in his approach. Still think that the problem is the gameplan.

 

[Misty Bee]

Hunter, the club should then change! It needs to bring sucess, not jobs for the boys! The purpose for spending megabucks on a fooitball side is to bring sucess, not employ Brian Smith!!!!

Colonel, it's an old question that has been answered a thousand times before. There are sucessul coaches on the market. Chris Anderson, Ian Millward, maybe Brian Noble. Even Daniel Anderson would be a change. He was great at the Warriors for 2 years. Then there is a host of well crentialled premier league coaches. Hell, Gold COast has signed a coach and they don't even exist yet! How hard would is be for a club with the wealth that we have??????

 

[Eels Dude]

Being a fan is more than just 'cheering them on'. It's about taking the club on as part of your life. Example - if for some reason I moved to Siberia, my contact with Oz would revolve around ontact with my family, a few friends, and how the Eels are faring. Things such as economy, politics, weather etc would only be of mild interet.

Parra is part of my life - part of me. When it is ill, part of me is ill. It's the only ailment that my GP can't fix. Psychologists tell people to talk about their problems. Hence this messageboard exists for me.

Trouble is, I reckon I know the cure. Sack Smith - get a decent coach, and make Parra a place where good players want to come to again.

Being a fan is ALL about cheering them on. We're Parramatta supporters, we have to support the side when they're winning, we have to support them when they are struggling as well. Every club goes through good and bad phases. We shouldn't be in one now, but we are. The side needs our support more than anything now, and it's obvious they're trying their guts out.

Sacking Smith in ideal world would be the answer but it's not that simple. What do we do then? Who do we replace him with? Are we still going to have to throw millions of dollars at players to come here? What happens if we're still struggling next year, do we sack the new coach too?

 

[The Engineers Room]

We don't give up on people. That is the point.

 

[The Colonel]

Hunter, the club should then change! It needs to bring sucess, not jobs for the boys! The purpose for spending megabucks on a fooitball side is to bring sucess, not employ Brian Smith!!!!

Colonel, it's an old question that has been answered a thousand times before. There are sucessul coaches on the market. Chris Anderson, Ian Millward, maybe Brian Noble. Even Daniel Anderson would be a change. He was great at the Warriors for 2 years. Then there is a host of well crentialled premier league coaches. Hell, Gold COast has signed a coach and they don't even exist yet! How hard would is be for a club with the wealth that we have??????

True, but with having to pay Smith as well its highly likely that the club will go with a cut price coach. Do you honestly think if they still have Smith as coaching director they would be 200 - 300K for another coach? If they won't pay Smith out they won't spend mega dollars on a new coach. Plain and simple.

 

[CrazyEel]

i dont think smith at the helm is helping us much at all. but there is no evidence that we would be placed any better with someone else and nothing we can do about it.

considering there is so little we can change in the club, no matter how many voices cry out and call for a change, the only thing we really have control of is our on personal states of mind. and by taking a different perspective on everything at the moment we can enjoy football a little more other than dwelling on the negatives and being depressed about supporting our beloved club.

it makes sense to me anyway.

I totally agree and that is precisely what I am doing, enjoying what I can within my lower expectations.

If one honestly believes Smith is the problem then theres simply no point in expecting more than what he is delivering, to do so would be denying he is the problem.

But I must admit I do tend towards self delusion prior to every game by hoping for a win in spite of my expectations. #-o