Mike Cooper you have no class

[Hills Dragon]

Dragters...

Departed Dragon dishes the dirt
By Phil Wilkinson
October 15, 2016


ENGLISHMAN Mike Cooper has lifted the lid on the Dragons’ nightmare season.

Off-field dramas, a supporter campaign to oust CEO Peter Doust and poor form on the field all conspired to make it a miserable campaign for the Red V.

But while a lot of the focus was on the misfiring halves pairing of Benji Marshall and Gareth Widdop, Cooper believes their problems stemmed from changes to the tactics that proved so effective in 2015.

“There was a lot of talk that we didn’t score enough points and people seemed to forget that we were one of the best defensive sides in the competition for a long, long time,” says the prop, who is rejoining his former Super League club Warrington.

“This year it went completely away from that. We just focused too much on the attack, in my opinion.

“Everyone was a little bit guilty of listening to outside noise instead of focusing on and carrying on from where we left off. I kind of knew when we came back in for pre-season that it wasn’t going to be the same sort of structure from the year before.

“It’s just a big opportunity lost and it’s made it frustrating.

“To be honest, if they don’t make big changes then they’ll be in the same situation next year.”

Cooper believes as well as a different approach, new personnel would help drive a change.

“A lot of the people have been there a long time . . . employing people that have been in the club isn’t always the best move,” he adds.

“Sometimes you need fresh ideas and maybe that’s what they need moving forward, but I know everyone there genuinely just wants the club to proceed and they’ll do anything they can to make that happen.

“But from an outsider’s point of view now having left, I think they need a good freshen-up.”

Cooper admits he felt the simmering pressure to replicate the Red V’s past achievements.

“They always revert back to the glory years of 11 in a row,” Cooper reckons. “That was a long time ago, the club’s sort of built on that and still talking about that, and I think they maybe need to move on from that era because that isn’t where the club is at the minute.

“Sometimes I think maybe the fans think that the brand’s bigger than it actually is in terms of the league and members and numbers and fans turning up on the gate.”[/Q

 

[Hills Dragon]

What really terrifies me is that Cooper said the team concentrated too much on attack. Imagine how many tries they would have scored if it had been neglected.

 

[TruSaint]

What really terrifies me is that Cooper said the team concentrated too much on attack. Imagine how many tries they would have scored if it had been neglected.

Thats a fair call mate.. agreed.

 

[Maximus]

Just read an interview from Cooper slamming the club and its fans.

We accept that certain officials have been at the club for too long and have continually made poor decisions over the past 5 years.

Bums on seats have been down, largely due to poor on field performances.

This season Mike's form was abysmal. He lacked motivation and his efforts on the park were sub-standard.

Unlike Benji who took ownership of his form, Cooper blames the Club for living in the past and the fans for thinking our club is bigger than it is.

Last time I checked, the board doesn't miss tackles, or drop balls, nor does it fail to back up players with the ball.

Suggest you have a good look in the mirror Mike. Players like you are symptomatic of the current management and coach.

You came to the club as a fringe first grader and excelled because of the standard of players around you.

When things got tough you took your bat and ball and went home with your tail between your legs.

You have no class or backbone.

Best of luck playing at home in the substandard super league with your mediocre team mates.

Having read his actual comments, looks like you're the one with no class.

 

[possm]

Just read an interview from Cooper slamming the club and its fans.

We accept that certain officials have been at the club for too long and have continually made poor decisions over the past 5 years.

Bums on seats have been down, largely due to poor on field performances.

This season Mike's form was abysmal. He lacked motivation and his efforts on the park were sub-standard.

Unlike Benji who took ownership of his form, Cooper blames the Club for living in the past and the fans for thinking our club is bigger than it is.

Last time I checked, the board doesn't miss tackles, or drop balls, nor does it fail to back up players with the ball.

Suggest you have a good look in the mirror Mike. Players like you are symptomatic of the current management and coach.

You came to the club as a fringe first grader and excelled because of the standard of players around you.

When things got tough you took your bat and ball and went home with your tail between your legs.

You have no class or backbone.

Best of luck playing at home in the substandard super league with your mediocre team mates.

I day the compressed defensive pattern,attack formation and game plans were the dominant reason for failure. Players like Cooper just could not buy into the stupidity that Mary was imposing on the players.

Put another coach - who knows how to run an NRL team - into the equasion and I'm sure we would have a different result and different comments from Cooper.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

The Broncos team in 92 / 93 were on approx 9 million and dragons on 2.3 million per season! The days of NO SALARY CAP!

Actually, there WAS a salary cap in those days.

 

[Old Timer]

When someone who knew had something to say about our club this is how we responded

 

[ChocOConnor]

This may help

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

View attachment 30086

This may help

Players casting aspersions on the club they just played at are stupid and lack class.
Mike Cooper came to us with a lot of hype spelling out how he wanted to go to the next level and so on.
I for one believed him in the beginning but history will show that he made little impact during his time in Australia.
Watching him play in the ESL these days and he's a bog average middle forward and has probably gone backwards since his Aussie sojourn.

 

[Evil Homer]

Players casting aspersions on the club they just played at are stupid and lack class.
Mike Cooper came to us with a lot of hype spelling out how he wanted to go to the next level and so on.
I for one believed him in the beginning but history will show that he made little impact during his time in Australia.
Watching him play in the ESL these days and he's a bog average middle forward and has probably gone backwards since his Aussie sojourn.

Cooper was never anything other than an average rotation forward in ESL. His performances now are about the same as they were before he left the first time.

 

[zombiebloodlust]

Players casting aspersions on the club they just played at are stupid and lack class.
Mike Cooper came to us with a lot of hype spelling out how he wanted to go to the next level and so on.
I for one believed him in the beginning but history will show that he made little impact during his time in Australia.
Watching him play in the ESL these days and he's a bog average middle forward and has probably gone backwards since his Aussie sojourn.

Disagree. Sometimes you've gotta be cruel to be kind. Sharing some inconvenient truths is what this club needs more than pithy cliche platitudes. Everything he said is just as true today as it was when he said it

 

[thommo4pm]

Players casting aspersions on the club they just played at are stupid and lack class.
Mike Cooper came to us with a lot of hype spelling out how he wanted to go to the next level and so on.
I for one believed him in the beginning but history will show that he made little impact during his time in Australia.
Watching him play in the ESL these days and he's a bog average middle forward and has probably gone backwards since his Aussie sojourn.

Doesn’t mean he was wrong with what he said about the people involved at our club.

 

[possm]

SGI is in such a MESS that it would be great if more departing players would give true and frank comment on their view of our club.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Cooper’s observations are spot on: the truth hurts.

As a footy club, the Dragons rely on its rich history of winning 11 consecutive premierships. Sadly, this disguises the fact Saints have only won 2 premierships in 40 years.

Read that again...two titles/40 BLOODY LONG YEARS!

There’s also no prospect on the horizon for another one either.

Annoyingly, putrid Sydney based clubs such as Manly and Canterbury have achieved much greater success over the same period.

The low expectations and acceptance of mediocrity by club officials are disgraceful.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

SGI is in such a MESS that it would be great if more departing players would give true and frank comment on their view of our club.

Why would they? Any which case, spilling the beans on a bad employer is an awful look. No one in their right mind would bag off a company which provides a livelihood.

No, by looking at the line of quality players who have left early with one denominator (McGregor), it’s clearly evident that something stinks at SGI.

 

[possm]

Cooper’s observations are spot on: the truth hurts.

As a footy club, the Dragons rely on its rich history of winning 11 consecutive premierships. Sadly, this disguises the fact Saints have only won 2 premierships in 40 years.

Read that again...two titles/40 BLOODY LONG YEARS!

There’s also no prospect on the horizon for another one either.

Annoyingly, putrid Sydney based clubs such as Manly and Canterbury have achieved much greater success over the same period.

The low expectations and acceptance of mediocrity by club officials are disgraceful.

The writing was on the wall when Johnston moved from Chairman of the Board to CEO and Doust who was suppose to retire, still is CEO of St George Leagues Club. The fact that the Taj was once the most prestigious leagues club in rugby league is now well overdue for major renovations is testimony to Doust's performance in that role over the years.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Doesn’t mean he was wrong with what he said about the people involved at our club.

True that but it's the principle considering he is a professional sportsman.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Disagree. Sometimes you've gotta be cruel to be kind. Sharing some inconvenient truths is what this club needs more than pithy cliche platitudes. Everything he said is just as true today as it was when he said it

There is nothing that Cooper revealed that has not already been commented on numerous times before. No one is listening.
The difference is that Cooper was a contracted player on good money and the fans that give their comments and opinions, pay for membership, merchandise and tickets to the games.
Who has more right do you think?

 

[zombiebloodlust]

There is nothing that Cooper revealed that has not already been commented on numerous times before. No one is listening.
The difference is that Cooper was a contracted player on good money and the fans that give their comments and opinions, pay for membership, merchandise and tickets to the games.
Who has more right do you think?

Who cares who has more right? He spoke the truth and in doing so validated all the times the fans have said it. I find his candour much more respectful to the fans than someone like (the rightfully revered club legend for eternity) Matt Cooper when he is constantly praising his mate McGregor

 

[avocado]

Sadly, this disguises the fact Saints have only won 2 premierships in 40 years.

Read that again...two titles/40 BLOODY LONG YEARS!

One title in 39 years sounds way worser.