There seems to be a lot of uncertainty about this season, which is fair enough. There are definitely questions about how we'll play, and how other teams react. I can't see us challenging Sts any better than the GF last year, but hopefully we'll have a better forward platform to try to play off. The major question mark for me isn't the centres if Newman and MacDonald are fit, but the halfbacks. At least we're likely to be entertaining under Smith - something that can't be said for long periods under McDermott and then Agar.

I'm not so sure about Saints for this year. Lets see how well Wellens fairs when we get down to the buisiness end of the season

Powell survived last year on the back of ' wait till I get my own players. No I dont think it will ge him nor Rohan Smith

Couldn’t agree more Simmo .
The blokes great , younger and bigger and better squad.
Looking at championship players ,not players looking for last pay cheque .

wowzers... first to get sack ??? There is no way in gods green earth Smith gets the sack at any point this season (unless we are rock bottom by July ), he has plenty of credit in the bank. The man has only been here half a season. He has a fair bit to do yet to get us regularly competing for the GF but he has worked wonders so far.

Powell for me gets the sack this year unless they get top 5.

given the Chairman's volatility, not a bad shout this.....no other chairman has changed the club's name on a whim, although I remember on getting sacked live on Sky tv....

Got to be Powell for me - was given a free pass last year, due to team not being his own, blah, blah, blah......
I think Rohan Smith will get the same free pass this year

Cunningham got a staggering amount of time before he got sacked, so I expect Wello to get the same, although seems like he's be deputising for someone for half a century at Stains and England etc.

Wire fan here.

Powell is clearly the man with The Sword of Damocles hanging over his head. He was brought in to shake up the team but nobody, himself included, expected things to go as badly as they did. He's assembled his own squad, he's got max salary cap and training facilities second to non at his disposal. He has to show that he's turned things around within the first 6 games (and he's going to have to do that without McGuire and Dudson) otherwise he'll be out.

McNamara looks to be getting close to the end of his shelf life but I think that he'll make it to the end of the season.

There simply aren't that many quality coaches available so the only way that there will be any mid season depatures is if a club finds itself in such a dire situation that 'things couldn't get any worse'.

Agreed. Has to deliver Powell and quickly. I think you'll go ok tbh but will fall reasonably short in the end. A lot could depend on injuries. I like the look of your pack but there's one or two gambles in there.

Agreed, pack (when all available) look like they could tear up a few teams.

Discipline is going to have to be spot on and there are a few in there that are accustomed to the 'ol red mist and brainfart.

Leeds manager!

Jesse Marsch has already gone mate

I don't think Smith will be at risk at all this year. It feels like he - and some of the squad - were a bit complacent to be honest, treating the pre-season games as a bit of a mess about. If you do that you're always going to struggle against teams that have already upped their intensity. Smith looked really annoyed at the post match conference, and also a bit bemused (which is more worrying).

Hopefully this will jolt everyone into focusing on winning games rather than playing musical chairs with players.

I saw his demeanor during the press conference as a good sign. He clearly knows that things need to change quickly and whatever tonights plan was just didn't work.

It's better for him to start looking for solutions now rather than bury his head in the sand and convince himself that it was just bad luck, due to injuries, week 1 jitters or any other excuse.

He said as much that the problem was lack of intensity and intent. Doesn't matter what gameplan you have if the team collectively is off the pace. You're right in that it is fixable, but the Hull game is really shaping up as important to get back on track as Sts the week after is a likely loss.