Sack Adam O'Brien

[Haffa]

Club needs a re brand. Keep the Knights. And adopt the Hunter New England moniker. It is easy for other clubs to slide into an area where they have no ties to a club. If we represented the Tweed down and really went out of our way to make them part of it then things may turn over time. But the territoriality of small minded fans means you reap what you sow.

I swear @macavity said the same thing 5ish years ago.

 

[Woody90]

For the record, I wonder if Brad Arthur is feeling the pressure at the Eels? Outside of the top guys who aren’t likely to be looking for a job anytime soon, I think he’s an option that the club would need to consider if he became available (IF they decide to punt AOB)

I’m sure I’ll get shouted down by some on here but Brad Arthur has plenty of experience, has taken a side to a GF and basically built that Parra team up into a competitive unit after they were in the doldrums about 10 years ago. Sure they didn’t go great last year but they’ve been in the finals in 5 out of the last 7 years which is an enviable record.

Anyway we’ll all have to wait and see, this is all hypothetical at this stage.

Not saying he’s the answer but man I found the way he responded to the Eels loss last week refreshing. Just saw him interviewed and he said that he hopes the players felt embarrassed after the game and that he’s let them know that while he can’t drop everyone, the rest are lucky to still be in the side.

AOB would never.

 

[Old dog]

But should

 

[Loose Cannon]

Given the Ponga injury, a pedestrian game plan, and despite Wests Group‘s ignorance, O’Brien should be odds-on to be punted before his 3-year extension even takes effect.

That’s some quality incompetence by all parties.

Posted this in the NRL thread re First Coach Sacked.

Seriously don’t expect him to claim Demetriou’s honours in that regard, but the sheer stupidity of resigning him for 3 more years, with 1 still to go on his current (at a 45% success rate over the past 4 years), defies any possible reasoning.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

Posted this in the NRL thread re First Coach Sacked.

Seriously don’t expect him to claim Demetriou’s honours in that regard, but the sheer stupidity of resigning him for 3 more years, with 1 still to go on his current (at a 45% success rate over the past 4 years), defies any possible reasoning.

if it werent for wabbits, and titans the media would be applying the blow torch big time.

 

[Old dog]

Obi is safe for this season at least

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Whatever our opinion is of AOB, the players certainly respond to him and universally love the bloke. The effort on Sunday is clear evidence of that when compared to what's happening at South's with JD at the moment and he's seen, or at least was until recently, as a better coach than AOB.

Are there better coaches in the comp? Yes

Are any available now that we could get? No

 

[Yosh]

Sure they love him. Lose every game and still get picked! What's there not to love?

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

I wonder how AOB would go in charge of an A grade roster.

Let's say the Rorters, couldnt do any worse than Robinson surely. Throw in a Money Bill or a Cronk into an already chocka block fully stacked line-up and he'd win a couple.

It's 50/50 for mine, AOB isn't a super coach but the roster he's given to work with is far from a Premiership winning one also. He's being asked to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

 

[Burwood]

My theory since very early on is that he is somewhat lacking in tactics and game plans, so needs to surround himself with quality assistant coaches who can get the best out of the squad. No doubt that he has the support of the playing group.

And you only need to look at him blowing up in the coach’s box to understand that he does have high expectations and often isn’t happy with the team’s performance.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

You can certainly criticise his team selections and tactics from time to time but his commitment to the players and the club can’t be questioned. I’m not surprised the players have his back tbh, he clearly has their respect.

 

[Woody90]

Whatever our opinion is of AOB, the players certainly respond to him and universally love the bloke. The effort on Sunday is clear evidence of that

Not saying he’s not well liked, but I wouldn’t necessarily assume the effort on Sunday was due to AOB. They’d had the media all week saying that we are zero chance of making the finals without Ponga, which no doubt makes the rest of the squad feel like chopped liver. If that didn’t motivate them I don’t think anything could.

We haven’t had wonderful effort in the previous games. We dont necessarily completely give up like some teams do, but the general effort areas have obviously been lacking. Their effort was great on Sunday but I’d want to see it more regularly and not just when they’ve been attacked by the media or celebrating milestones.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Not saying he’s not well liked, but I wouldn’t necessarily assume the effort on Sunday was due to AOB. They’d had the media all week saying that we are zero chance of making the finals without Ponga, which no doubt makes the rest of the squad feel like chopped liver. If that didn’t motivate them I don’t think anything could.

We haven’t had wonderful effort in the previous games. We dont necessarily completely give up like some teams do, but the general effort areas have obviously been lacking. Their effort was great on Sunday but I’d want to see it more regularly and not just when they’ve been attacked by the media or celebrating milestones.

TBH I thought the effort was there in all the games aside from the Bulldogs game. The game plan and combinations clearly weren’t gelling but the players looked like they were putting in. A few bad lapses of concentration definitely cost us a few times.

 

[Old dog]

We have Obi for a while yet like it or lump it but just accept it

 

[Woody90]

TBH I thought the effort was there in all the games aside from the Bulldogs game. The game plan and combinations clearly weren’t gelling but the players looked like they were putting in. A few bad lapses of concentration definitely cost us a few times.

Depends on what we consider effort I think. Other than the Bulldogs game we haven’t given up and let the scoreline blow out. On the other hand though we’ve had really poor line speed, soft contact in defence, not contesting kicks or jumping on loose balls, etc. Until Sunday they haven’t seemed very keen to do the 1 %ers.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

I think the real issue is management, bit like the Eels, where the f**k are our juniors ? where are they ?

Show me the 3rd parties or show me the juniors but dont go telling me I've got to accept fair to middling and pray for a 3rd Premiership before I die of old age.

 

[Woody90]

where the f**k are our juniors ?

The Raiders, mostly.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

The Raiders, mostly.

hahaha yeh that's true, even the Storm have a few.

The Panthers have a production line of juniors, jeez it's amazing. Surely the Knights are aiming for something the same.

I'm amazed a company like Wests havent got 3rd party deals hanging out their rear- yes I know clubs arent supposed to arrange them but we all know they do.

 

[Woody90]

I'm amazed a company like Wests havent got 3rd party deals hanging out their rear- yes I know clubs arent supposed to arrange them but we all know they do.

Newcastle just isn’t a big market, especially in comparison to the Sydney and Brisbane clubs. The club makes mistakes but there are definite disadvantages of being a regional team.

Saying that though, I do recall an article from a few years ago where the TPAs were released and we actually had quite a lot? The other regional teams like NQ and Raiders were way down the bottom.

We actually invest a f**k load into junior development, more so than most clubs. Our problem is we focus on winning junior trophies over individual skill development so when kids come through from those winning junior sides they’re usually pretty overrated.

 

[Yosh]

1. Ponga
2. Meaney
3. Gagai
4. Best
5. Young
6. Gamble
7. Hastings
8. JSaifiti
9. Brailey
10. Tapine
11. Hoskings
12. Frizz
13. Thompson

14. Starling?
15. DSaifiti
16. King
17. KPP

If we kept our players, is this the best 17?