Tribute to Smithy

[booeycollector]

just for you brian

thanks for all the premierships you won us

Thats poor form. Brian did a good job. Best of luck Brian I would still love to see you win a comp.

 

[parralight]

Thats poor form. Brian did a good job. Best of luck Brian I would still love to see you win a comp.

Agreed.

 

[PB]

nah, serious - this one thread was made for ppl to post their happy goodbyes in - anyone who wants to be lame and do otherwise should move on elsewhere

Agree whole heartedly.

Ten years of doing his absolute best at our club, he deserved a better farewell than this. I hope there are 25 players sitting at home tonight having a good hard look at themselves, as harsh as it is to say right now but they have let him down.

I didn't always agree with his decisions (i remember when he started Jason Smith off the bench a few times), but he won me over with his passion and giving me something to cheer about. And I would comfortably say over the last ten years he has cared more about the Eels, than many of the gimp "supporters" that have disrespected him.

God bless you BS, enjoy a brief rest and good luck with the Knights.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

I was lucky enough to be at the 5:30 and 7:30 Press Conferences.

I was lucky enough to say my goodbyes to Brian in Person. No matter what you think of his policies, and if you think his mind wasn't on the job this year,
Seeing Brian and the emotion he showed after that press conference was something I may never forget, Brian was close to tears, but he said it, he had run his race and doesn't think he has the answers to turn the club around now.

I shook his hand, thanked him and wished him well, and said he would be missed. Tyler was there with me and I am sure he will say something as well.

I can also say that He was discussed at the Board meeting and something nice will come of that as well.

Good luck Brian and see you in December.

 

[Stagger eel]

One thing I'll never forget is that he steered us to our first finals campaign in 10 years, and one of the best moments of my life was seeing them run out onto what was then the SFS to take on Newcastle, despite having a depleted side we fell after a healthy lead but the feeling I had walking away from that game after not seeing them in a semi final for a decade was unreal.

Thanyou Brian for all the work and effort you put into this club and despite falling short of gf a win you, imo, still had the ability to turn the ordinary footballer into a great first grader, you'll always be the top of the pops in that department.

 

[dazeely]

Agree whole heartedly.

Ten years of doing his absolute best at our club, he deserved a better farewell than this. I hope there are 25 players sitting at home tonight having a good hard look at themselves, as harsh as it is to say right now but they have let him down.

I didn't always agree with his decisions (i remember when he started Jason Smith off the bench a few times), but he won me over with his passion and giving me something to cheer about. And I would comfortably say over the last ten years he has cared more about the Eels, than many of the gimp "supporters" that have disrespected him.

God bless you BS, enjoy a brief rest and good luck with the Knights.

well said. cut the bloke some slack ffs. he deserves it.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

Think back to GF week 2001 and then tell me that you don't owe Brian Smith anything. Funny how you all kissed his arse then when the gravy train was rolling along but now that it's gone you're all happy to cut off his head. Whingers the lot of ya.

He did more for this Club than ANY poster here at this forum. Say what you want - without Smith we wouldn't be in a position to complain about choking cause we wouldn't be winning Minor Premierships and making GF Qualifiers or GFs themselves.

But, hey, it's all typical Parra fan dribble - bandwagoning at it's best.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

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.

Exactly. Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Daneel]

Thanks Brian, for your dedicated service.

 

[Sean7]

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.

Yep, so many great players and no premierships (not even a decent fight for one in the end). What's wrong with this picture?

He did make the club competitive, but nothing more in the end. You can talk about minor premierships all you want, but if you don't do something with them they mean zilch. We never even competed when it came to the crunch. That's the honest truth.

Good luck to him now and I do feel sorry for him with the way it's ended, but it's time. The way the team has choked so times is as much to blame for our current predicament as the way Fitz handled the issue.

He was no more the right coach for us this year than he would've been next year, so why wait? That's not a shot at Brian.

 

[Eelementary]

I wish Brian Smith all the best.

However, I do wish he didn't walk away from us...Especially not when Taylor is leaving at season's end, and Sharp has already left.

But Brian - all the best, mate.

And THANK YOU.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Of the 10 years Brian was coach of Parramatta, we only missed the finals twice, one of those was only just outside the 8. Now thats a great record at Parramatta, before Smith came to the club we were struggling, we were more likely to get the wooden spoon than make the finals. Luckily the Gold Coast and Cowboys were worse during those times, but not once did we make the finals after 1986. When Smith came to club he had the Canterbury 4, who came before BS, but had a different game plan. I was over the moon seeing Parramatta playing in September for the first time in a long time, and whilst we lost it was full credit to Smith taking Parramatta to the finals. Then we came oh so close to making the Grand Final. 1998 we beat the eventual premiers, no-one expected Parramatta to be in that sort of postion, and ok we lost to Canterbury in that semi final but once again Smith did well to take Parramatta into that position, the same thing happened the next two years.

I think the problem with Smith was he never tasted premiership success, he took Parramatta to the top but couldnt get over that final hurdle. Its something he shouldve learned when he was at St George in 92 and 93.

Nevertheless, he made Parramatta become a force, and brought a lot of talent, like the list that was mentioned.

Who could ever forget making the Grand Final in 2001, it was our first since 1986. Brian Smith did a lot of things Parramatta last acheived in 1986, apart from a premiership of course.

He's done well for the last 10 years, its a shame he couldnt get Parramatta over that line. I think we should owe it to Smithy.

 

[Slimy Eel]

All the brainless gutless f**ks who wanna think they are big brave boys behind their keyboards - please go off to one of the other brian bashing threads and post your mindless stupidity.

Is there not a thread about personal attacks on other Eels fans http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=136376 Are we not entitled to our opinion with out insulting language as above from a fellow Eel supporter? Regardless of the thread title.Play the ball not the man. By the way thanks Brian for doing your best but good riddens

 

[Ron Jeremy]

The mere thought of Parramatta playing in a semi final in 1995 seemed unrealistic to me. I would think to myself while watching our side get smashed by all sides in what seemed like one of the longest winters i've ever experienced of " what would it be like to be in a Semi's game again" or better still 'Grand final'.

I would often just think "shup up, it will never happen".

Brian came to Parramatta and got immediate results in 1997, although we crashed that year, our depleted sides in those games where inspirational and just seeing Parra back in the big arena was good enough for me.

Since then Parra have only missed the semni's twice and made a GF, sure we chocked, but hey, it had to be Brians fault.

I think Brian had to go in saying all of this, the media pressure was taking a toll on the club and 10 years without a premiership no matter if it was brians fault or not, i think we needed to see a change.

Brian you have made Parra a proud club once again and the envy of many other clubs.

Best of luck, just don't poach our players otherwise i'll give you a Hitler lol

 

[Slimy Eel]

Best of luck Brian I would still love to see you win a comp.

Can't agree with this line of thinking.What if the comp he wins is against Parramatta, I'm sure all Eels fans would have a worm glowing feeling :sarcasm:

 

[El Diablo]

Smith will never win a GF

 

[number8]

All the best Smitty.

A great coach that I have a lot of respect for. I too would like to wish him well & all the very best in Newcastle. While hope that the Eels kick their arse, I will harbour a soft spot for the Knights next year.

Can't wait for Eels v Knights 2007 though, I imagine the coaching would come to the fore in these games. And while I very much hope they don't, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Brian dished up a new brand of dissapointment to his Eels critics.

I gotta say, of the two, I think he is the better coach! Regardless of his Grand Final shortfalls.

 

[Unreal V]

To all those who posted negative comments about Brian Smith, this thread was meant to be a tribute; yes you have a right to voice your opinion but this is not the thread; show both the bloke and his supporters some consideration, he at least deserves that much.

 

[fish eel]

One thing I'll never forget is that he steered us to our first finals campaign in 10 years, and one of the best moments of my life was seeing them run out onto what was then the SFS to take on Newcastle, despite having a depleted side we fell after a healthy lead but the feeling I had walking away from that game after not seeing them in a semi final for a decade was unreal.

Absolutley agree.

He coped alot for the collapses in those two finals and the dogs one. But in '97, we were ravaged by injury in the lead up and during those respective matches.

In '98, the backline we had on paper had no right to get that far.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Yeah 1998, how we managed to almost get there with Schifscokse, Carige, Lovell, Kelly, Whearat, is unbelievable, but I believe we got there on the back the forwards. Dean Pay, Jarrod McCracken, Jim Dymock, Jason Smith, Nathan Cayless, and I think Hindmarsh was playing back then as well.

Also who could forget 2000, no one gave us a chance when he young guys like Marsh, Lyon, Richards, Cayless brothers, Hindmarsh brothers, and we were up against a Roosters side who had done well all year, and we smashed them 32-6.