Naughty Ian Millward at it again

[Fairleigh Good!]

Fielding an academy side against the World Champions in front of 16,000 people eh?

Personally I thought it was hillarious, you could see the steam rising from Caisley's nostrels. This was their one chance to finally beat Saints. A Saints side battered half to death by having a real derby match 48 hours earlier, not like the fanny-frenzy of the Leeds-Bradford match.

Once again this is causing immense controversy over here with the usual idiots calling for him to be crucified, Caisley for one. Millward though has the interests of HIS team and HIS players at heart though, it is not his task to satisfy Bradford's bloodlust or Sky's entertainment.

I am symptathetic to all the other people who attended with me today who didn't know this would happen, but it is truly the RFL's fault. Asking Super League players to back up from playing in the most physical match in Rugby League with a game against the World Champions 48 hours later is sheer lunacy. Even Stevo wasn't critical of Saints today, as he put it, "Yeah we did play games this close in my day, but in those days you played one game with a stomachful of Tetley's, then played the next with a fresh barrell of Tetley's". It is time the RFL recognised the impact that 3 games in 7 days will inevitably have on Super League players who cannot be rotated due to the limits of the salary cap.

One game over easter for everyone PLEASE. And NO BIG GAMES near Challenge Cup Semi Finals either.

 

[terracesider]

I'm afraid you're wrong FG. It is every clubs responsibilty to satisfy SKY with high quality entertainment. Like it or not, SKY own ESL, which was created with a huge pile of their money. Having just signed a very good deal which, given the present commercial climate and SKY's current business stategy, is very much better than might be expected, all clubs have a responsibilty to deliver the goods.

Saints not only bit the hand that feeds them but let down all the other clubs involved in the game by reducing what should have been a show piece to a farce. What message does that send to potential sponsors.

As for tired players, don't make me laugh. Tired is what you get working in proper job not swanning about for most of the week, then playing 240 minutes over 7 days.

Yet I see why it happened. After years of relative failure, Millward must mindful that only a CC win will make his job safe and, in Fartown, he's up against a very good side who showed last year that they can beat Saints.

I suppose Skints and Wigoon has a certain attraction in Lancashire, but on this side of t'hill we all know it's not the real thing.

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

I'm afraid you're wrong FG. It is every clubs responsibilty to satisfy SKY with high quality entertainment. Like it or not, SKY own ESL, which was created with a huge pile of their money. Having just signed a very good deal which, given the present commercial climate and SKY's current business stategy, is very much better than might be expected, all clubs have a responsibilty to deliver the goods.

Saints not only bit the hand that feeds them but let down all the other clubs involved in the game by reducing what should have been a show piece to a farce. What message does that send to potential sponsors.

As for tired players, don't make me laugh. Tired is what you get working in proper job not swanning about for most of the week, then playing 240 minutes over 7 days.

Yet I see why it happened. After years of relative failure, Millward must mindful that only a CC win will make his job safe and, in Fartown, he's up against a very good side who showed last year that they can beat Saints.

I suppose Skints and Wigoon has a certain attraction in Lancashire, but on this side of t'hill we all know it's not the real thing.

You have a valid point, but the impact you receive in a Super League game like the Derby at Knowsley Road does not result in a healthy body 48 hours later. The players bodies would have been sore and hurting even before the game started.

I admit what Saints did is detrimental to the sport, but Millward didn't have a hand in planning the fixtures. I am of the opinion that one game is enough over Easter. I know people who went to the Wire - Wigan game and although close they said the pace of the game was slow-motion and the quality was shocking as the players were well and truly knackered.

 

[terracesider]

I can see your side of the arguments FG, so fair enough.

The only thing I'd never agree with you on is that Millward shouldn't be crucified. He's a history of playing silly-buggers and of bringing the game into disrepute. I'd say that a majority outside St Helens think it's long past time he was stopped.

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

I can see your side of the arguments FG, so fair enough.

The only thing I'd never agree with you on is that Millward shouldn't be crucified. He's a history of playing silly-buggers and of bringing the game into disrepute. I'd say that a majority outside St Helens think it's long past time he was stopped.

You'd love him though if he coached your side. EVERYONE at Saints loves Ian Millward, the players worship him. The fans will accept things like this because he has genuine reasons for doing it, i.e the health of his players. He acts as a father figure to a lot of the players and won't let them be put into an unfair situation with regard to their health.

Sure this will come across as arrogant or derogatory(sp?) to outsiders, but Millward is a professional and as such does everything in his power to ensure his team succeeds. Phil Clarke wrote very knowledgably on this in his column on Sky, saying Millward was right basically and shouldn't be criticised.

 

[terracesider]

Now everybody is at it. We're putting out an inexperienced pack against Leeds on Friday, which is the SKY game.

http://www.superleague.co.uk/article.asp?artid=196362&list=

I fear we are going to get hammered.

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

Now everybody is at it. We're putting out an inexperienced pack against Leeds on Friday, which is the SKY game.

http://www.superleague.co.uk/article.asp?artid=196362&list=

I fear we are going to get hammered.

Better keep track of betting practices in PNG then! :lol:

 

[terracesider]

Now everybody is at it. We're putting out an inexperienced pack against Leeds on Friday, which is the SKY game.

http://www.superleague.co.uk/article.asp?artid=196362&list=

I fear we are going to get hammered.

Better keep track of betting practices in PNG then! :lol:

~RAOTFLMAO~

I like it. :lol: :lol: :lol: .