Tribute to Smithy

[pazzaeel]

Lets not forget the situation we were in this time 10 years ago. smithy has turned this club around.

lets not forget this.

 

[Jake the snake]

Yep that's true we are professional at choking.

 

[ParraAds]

0 premierships. Thanks heaps Brian.

 

[pazzaeel]

at least we got into a position where we were able to choke.

 

[eelz47]

thanks brian

 

[Utey]

The bloke turned this club around. But the way it was handled we only put ourselves into this mess. Thankyou Smithy.

 

[pk76]

Lets not forget the situation we were in this time 10 years ago. smithy has turned this club around.

lets not forget this.

Agree.

 

[Parrasque]

just for you brian

thanks for all the premierships you won us

 

[forward pass]

No matter what your opinion of Smithy is - this is a pretty sad way for it to end !!

 

[Hurriflatch]

Hindmarsh
Grothe
T.Smith
Widders
Moimoi
Tahu
Lyon
Cayless
Vella
Morrison
Robinson
Marsh
Taia
Hayne
Inu
J.Williams
T.Williams
Afamasaga
Hauraki
Cordoba
Tsoulos
Riddell
Petersen
Burt
McKinnon
Hodgson
Ben Smith

None of these players would've come to Parramatta without the systems put in place by Brian Smith.

 

[jason taylor]

at least he didnt get a wooden spoon

 

[Hurriflatch]

not forgetting

Drew
Vaealiki
Kelly
Schifcofske

etc etc etc

Yes his last year was very bad and he didn't actually win a comp but look at where the club was before Brian came along.

Parramatta would've won at least 5 wooden spoons without Smith

 

[Suitman]

Lets not forget the situation we were in this time 10 years ago. smithy has turned this club around.

lets not forget this.

I think we are lower on the ladder now than we were when he came. ;-)

I don't mean that BTW.
I'm glad he came, always was, always will be.
I'm also glad that he has moved on.

Suity

 

[Eelectrica]

Smithy did his best while he was coach. He brought a number of quality players to the club, also managed to turn some players who others would have given up on into quality players. Guess I'm think Fuifui here.
He did a lot of good while here, and Hagan next year will have a lot of talented players to work with.

 

[cram]

Well as a Knights supporter I am wondering what Brian Smith will be like at our club. I am confident he will be succesful in setting up systems like some have said here.

I really wonder how much blame should be levelled at Smith for the current situation Parra finds themselves in.

Fitzgerald made sure you kept him for ten years and he also made the decision to announce that Smith would not continue on with the club at the beginning of the season.

 

[parralight]

Hindmarsh
Grothe
T.Smith
Widders
Moimoi
Tahu
Lyon
Cayless
Vella
Morrison
Robinson
Marsh
Taia
Hayne
Inu
J.Williams
T.Williams
Afamasaga
Hauraki
Cordoba
Tsoulos
Riddell
Petersen
Burt
McKinnon
Hodgson
Ben Smith

None of these players would've come to Parramatta without the systems put in place by Brian Smith.

Says who ????

Remember there were polls that said that Brian was the coach that the players would LEAST want to play under.

 

[Hurriflatch]

I also recall players saying that Smith was the smartest coach they've ever had.

I just wonder in those polls how many of the players actually played under Smith

 

[Bigfella]

Hurri, you are wasting your time.

Some of these people believe they are responsible for discovering those same players, because they watched them in Flegg or Premier League.

These are the same people who think it is a good day for a club sacking the only man between now and October who would have been likely to string a series of wins together in the second half of a season - one fact which his coaching record arnarguably demonstrates he has the ability to do.

This is a sad end for a man with enormous passion and dignity.

I hurt as much as anyone seeing us lose. But I take no joy in this.

The types of posts appearing since the news broke suggest to me that this will cause a lot of hurt and other negative emotions.

I think the real reason Parramatta have 0 premierships since 1986 (ie before BS was even coaching first grade) is the divisive, cannabilistic attitude of supporters. At the first sign of pressure we turn on ourselves. We seem to rejoice in attacking our own.

As the only coach who has got us to the semi finals since 1986 (let alone a grand final and two minor premierships in the most competitive era of rugby league) I wish Brian all the best.

He is probably better off not coaching a side with supporters who behave like they have since he stood down.

 

[Nickeel]

Brian Smith

Parramatta 1997-2006
1997 - 3rd (ARL), 1998 - 4th, 1999 - 2nd, 2000 - 7th, 2001 - 1st/Runner-up, 2002 - 6th, 2003 - 9th, 2004 - 12th, 2005 - 1st/Preliminary finalist, 2006 - resigned after round 10 with team 13th on 15 team ladder.

Say what you want about his inability to win premierships, but we have still travelled pretty well with Smithy at the helm.

Anyone saying good riddance cannot remember back only as far as last year.

I think it is for the best that he is going, as a change is what is needed before the season cannot even mathematically be salvaged. But he has been dicked around by Fitzgerald, who himself must go.

Nick

 

[Parra Guru]

Thanks Brian.

Although I'm not your biggest fan, I'm grateful for your work at the Eels.