I wonder if Lumb might get a run this week.

Excellent posting, BA has been a welcome signing, improved our defensive pattern tenfold, unfortunately there is a limit to what a coach can achieve with a substandard squad.

No-one wants to accept mediocrity. We do, however, have to accept reality, something a lot of Leeds fans are struggling with. Even if it were possible to sack everyone deemed unworthy of the current HKR and Wigan teams, we would be unlikely to replace them all with exactly the right players needed in one season. And like it or not, the chances are that they would need time to gel. There is no pathway to instant success - just look how HKR have built up gradually over the seasons.

What I want to see is sustained improvement, and that hasn't happened, which is a big disappointment for a club like Leeds. The only realistic way forward is a combination of a) investment in the best junior talent coming through, b) replacing players coming off contract with better players from outside or within, c) improving the way the current squad is coached and trained, and d) finding ways to move on contracted players not performing to standard, without damaging the club's reputation as a destination for top players.

It's maybe too early to pick the bones of this season. Looking back, the sweeping changes to the spine and the messaging coming from the club raised the expectations of fans and media to unrealistic levels. We knew that the forwards needed strengthening but I for one was hoping for the likes of Gannon and Holroyd to really come to the fore and establish themselves as real 'bolters', not to mention the likes of Hudson. Whatever team we have next year, I think setting more modest and realistic goals would be sensible, while improving as much as possible.

Excellent post.

c) is the quickest to achieve, b) can be achieved over the next couple of years, quicker [iif[/i d) can be achieved. Unfortunately a) will take much longer to filter through to the first team and will not benefit from BA's influence and is dependent on Blease ensuring that the club as a whole ensures continued investment and development of young players.