Soward tells it like it is

[denis preston]

Our board is daft, backwards and lacks any ambition for success.

But, they arent so stupid to sign a coach for two years and sack him straight away. That would make THEM look bad. These old boys know how to survive better than a cockroach after a nuclear bomb.

That is , unfortunately, why we have to lose so many games to FORCE them to.

 

[blacksafake]

Firstly thanks for the memories Sowie , the glorious Bennett years were awesome. The Dragons played with purpose, swagger and 2 minor premierships, a premiership and world club trophy showed how dominant were were.
Fast forward to today and we are a rabble of a club, a faceless and speechless board, with zero clout in the NRL.
For all of Doust’s many faults at least he fronted the fans, sent out club correspondence. I even had email replies from him.
It’s got to point where I’ve lowered my expectations so as not be disappointed.
It’s just not worth getting all fired up, when the Club & players don’t seem to care about the fans anymore.

Can’t disagree Thrower,
Especially the Doust comment. I’m yet to receive a reply, let alone an acknowledgement from Johnston from several emails. He’s like the Loch Ness monster or for those old enough to remember, Marcel Marceau.
They just don’t give a flying f**k about the fans.
Just as long as memberships roll in.

 

[Wittenberg]

The reference to "clubman " was quite clever. Doesn't openly get personal but the point is strong and it also applies to all the other roles in the coaching ranks.

Surely there must be a chance that the Board is starting to look elsewhere for a coach next year ? ( we NEED to keep losing ) Whilst it is patiently obvious to all that they f**ked up resigning him , making a change is one way of redemption that the average joe supporter ( like the ones on facebook ) might forgive them and congratulate them on their actions. Also if Head, Hornby & Young had any brains they should cover their arses now.The only way is to white ant Mary and that would lead to a quicker demise.Mind you Dean Young's dad would have something to say about the Board putting his son in the unemployment line !

Perhaps i'm just dreaming ?

I think the rushed resigning so early in the year was designed to undercut the 'Sack Mary' movement. I think the view was that Groundhog Day surely couldn't happen again. They thought that they could take the pressure off Mary and themselves by getting it 'settled'. The problem now is that the contract will have to be paid out or honoured. Mary was apparently not signed on big money but the concept that the RedV can only be coached by those who know our 'culture' seems to be so ingrained that those in control refuse to accept reality.

 

[Wittenberg]

I work with a guy who played for the Australian Schoolboys and in the English Super League. He is close to Nichols and maintains that players across the NRL like Mary but feel he lacks tactical and strategic strength. In many ways the players see him as an old style coach, a coach of yesterday. Essentially he can manage men but can't direct a team. St George plays its best when we play ad lib football. As my friend said, STGI and the Warriors are so predictable, their essential game plan is always the same. When we rarely do something different, other sides are thrown. He said Norman going forward is our best hope. Apparently Corey has little time for coaches' plans if he doesn't think they are working. That was what got him into trouble at Parramatta.

 

[Crush]

We don't play anything , it's all one up crap, the only time we look ok is from broken play when they play outside Mary's game plan......

100% this. The one out stuff is boring the shit out of me as well as losing us games.
As much as it would suck to be a warriors fan at least they play some footy!

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Hazzbeen has hit the nail on the head in post 76 above.

Those clips show how polished we were in attack, and having a go from our own half and passes that stuck.
Now we seem to have lumbering forwards bashing and barging for 5 tackles ,if we hold the ball that long,and then some disorganised rubbish at the end of the set that usually involves a rushed or just plain SHIT kick with nobody following through.

Fair dinkum the amount of times our blokes throw shit passes that go to ground or run in to one another is abysmal ,it is like they train once a week.

Unfortunately bashing big guys at the line continuosly just isnt working and a pair of dumb centres doesnt help the back line which is one of the worst in my opinion.

Coalfields game plan.
That's all he knows.
We really have a part timer in charge.

 

[since77]

Can’t disagree Thrower,
Especially the Doust comment. I’m yet to receive a reply, let alone an acknowledgement from Johnston from several emails. He’s like the Loch Ness monster or for those old enough to remember, Marcel Marceau.
They just don’t give a flying f**k about the fans.
Just as long as memberships roll in.

Well that's the issue right there. A lot of us have been saying for years that the only way change will happen is if people stop giving the club easy money each year. Every membership purchased rewards the board for the crap they've dished up since the end of 2011. It's clear results on the field don't concern them. A financial hit will.

 

[RedVDave]

Soward is a legend on and off the field.

Genuine question to all League Unlimiteder's I knew of his beef with Price but genuinely didn't know he had any with Mary anyone know what the issue was? I'm quiet intrigued (Bracing myself for a barrage of because he knew he was a dope comments)

 

[2010]

At the very very least McIdiots contract should have had a performance clause, apparently not

 

[merahputih]

Soward is a legend on and off the field.

Genuine question to all League Unlimiteder's I knew of his beef with Price but genuinely didn't know he had any with Mary anyone know what the issue was? I'm quiet intrigued (Bracing myself for a barrage of because he knew he was a dope comments)

RVD, In a post on this thread recently I stated Soward had issues with Mary- I got the time line and the coach wrong: He certainly had issues with Price. As far as I know Jamie did not play under McGregor at least in 1st grade, in fact he had left and was at Penrith when Mary took over during the 2014 season. But Soward did say in the report that 'I have had Mary as coach', not sure what he meant and when and where this would have been.

 

[TruSaint]

RVD, In a post on this thread recently I stated Soward had issues with Mary- I got the time line and the coach wrong: He certainly had issues with Price. As far as I know Jamie did not play under McGregor at least in 1st grade, in fact he had left and was at Penrith when Mary took over during the 2014 season. But Soward did say in the report that 'I have had Mary as coach', not sure what he meant and when and where this would have been.

Think he was referring to Mary as part of the "coaching staff" , i.e ..Illawarra NSW Cup team in 2012 and 2013. You're correct though, he was never directly coached by Mary.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

I think the rushed resigning so early in the year was designed to undercut the 'Sack Mary' movement. I think the view was that Groundhog Day surely couldn't happen again. They thought that they could take the pressure off Mary and themselves by getting it 'settled'. The problem now is that the contract will have to be paid out or honoured. Mary was apparently not signed on big money but the concept that the RedV can only be coached by those who know our 'culture' seems to be so ingrained that those in control refuse to accept reality.

Nepotism to the most decrepit and corrupt degree.
So they bring Bennett in who had nothing to do with our "culture" and won a comp.
How can they stand in front of the long suffering fans and insist on this philosophy?
It just doesn't stack up.
They are not honest to start with.
They think the fans are idiot sheep that will just believe whatever the club tells them.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

I think the rushed resigning so early in the year was designed to undercut the 'Sack Mary' movement. I think the view was that Groundhog Day surely couldn't happen again. They thought that they could take the pressure off Mary and themselves by getting it 'settled'. The problem now is that the contract will have to be paid out or honoured. Mary was apparently not signed on big money but the concept that the RedV can only be coached by those who know our 'culture' seems to be so ingrained that those in control refuse to accept reality.

Nepotism to the most decrepit and corrupt degree.
So they bring Bennett in who had nothing to do with our "culture" and won a comp.
How can they stand in front of the long suffering fans and insist on this philosophy?
It just doesn't stack up.
They are not honest to start with.
They think the fans are idiot sheep that will just believe whatever the club tells them.

 

[Gareth67]

Yep , the maestro simply has no idea of the modern game , I suppose it’s nice to be liked but the man has a job to do and has failed miserably for far too many years now .

He should do the right thing and fall on his sword and if he cannot bring himself to make the ultimate sacrifice then at the very least do what both Peter Sterling and Jamie Soward have done - donate his brain to science so at the very least we will finally realize just what makes him tick .

 

[Dorsai]

My concerns, like many here, is we get rid of McIdiot, only to inherit anther old boy. Barrett, young, Hornby, who knows. It should be in the minutes that no explayer, unless they have won a minimum of 5 premierships elsewhere, should be considered for the job.
And like any broom, a new coach gets to pick his staff. All staff under the old coach leave with the old coach, unless the new coach decides otherwise.
I personally, would love McIdiot’s job. Name me another job where my stats meant squat, my performances were not questioned, and I got renewed each year regardless of results. Dream job. I think though, to be honest,, i would feel guilty and want to put in an effort.

 

[muzby]

I hear we have signed Marketo as a forwards assistant coach..

Apparently what he lacks in size he makes up for in footy smarts..

 

[hewi]

Yep , the maestro simply has no idea of the modern game , I suppose it’s nice to be liked but the man has a job to do and has failed miserably for far too many years now .

He should do the right thing and fall on his sword and if he cannot bring himself to make the ultimate sacrifice then at the very least do what both Peter Sterling and Jamie Soward have done - donate his brain to science so at the very least we will finally realize just what makes him tick .

You are drawing a long bow assuming that he has a brain.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Yep , the maestro simply has no idea of the modern game , I suppose it’s nice to be liked but the man has a job to do and has failed miserably for far too many years now .

He should do the right thing and fall on his sword and if he cannot bring himself to make the ultimate sacrifice then at the very least do what both Peter Sterling and Jamie Soward have done - donate his brain to science so at the very least we will finally realize just what makes him tick .

Honestly, who cares if he's a good bloke.
He is not honest and either is the board and CEO.
We need a coach with balls that will make selections based on form.

 

[muzby]

He is not honest and either is the board and CEO.

Why?

 

[merahputih]

Yep , the maestro simply has no idea of the modern game , I suppose it’s nice to be liked but the man has a job to do and has failed miserably for far too many years now .

He should do the right thing and fall on his sword and if he cannot bring himself to make the ultimate sacrifice then at the very least do what both Peter Sterling and Jamie Soward have done - donate his brain to science so at the very least we will finally realize just what makes him tick .

An imaginary extract from a fictitious autobiography by Paul McGregor written some time in the future: 'I was well liked at The Dragons club. I got on well with players and management and especially sports journos, they treated me like one of the boys. I rewarded loyalty and overlooked poor performance in the interests of harmony and peace in the playing group. I take great pride that this loyalty was rewarded and not one shred of criticism was ever leveled at me by management or in the media after I was appointed Dragons coach in 2014. This approach was not without its detractors. A small, rowdy group of so called 'fans' made it their life's mission to bring me down, using social media posts to pour scorn on my coaching credentials. There was even a dedicated 'Sack Mcgregor' thread on one forum, full of the vilest criticisms and accusations imaginable. Many of the contributors seemed unhinged and obsessed with 'results' (whatever that meant). It eventually reached over one million posts and an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.

I am proud of my thirty two years as coach of the Mighty Dragons. It would have been nice to win a premiership or two during that time or even finish in the top eight now and again- sure, but the friendships and good times are what counted, not to mention the generous remuneration from a loyal management. I am humbled that my statue outside the Steelers Club gives me a daily reminder of those golden years.