From a supporter on the terraces I could accept that so called "unexpected", but not from someone been in the game as long as Hetherington and with the knowledge he has.

Wigan were not that great last year, not at all. Wigan will improve much more next year, because of the additions they have made.

Saints saw that coming and have improved their squad dramatically for next season, that despite matching Wigan all the way this year.

We did not need a poor performance in a cup final and not reaching the GF to see that we needed to make changes. You only had to watch the other 30 games throughout the season to see that.

2009 was a decline was it? Deary me today. TVOC showed your statement was innacurate and you justify it by proclaiming a season topping the table and winning an unprecedented 3rd consecutive GF is a season in decline.

Please extrapolate on this? As chief exec Hetherington presided over a club turning the biggest profit in the league, from the biggest turnover in the league. He secured a very successful coach who had presided over 2 GF wins, provided that coach with a squad that virtually all on here, without the benefit of hindsight, described as the "best", "greatest" or "strongest" ever.

The chief execs Job was done and done very well. It is not his job to interfere with team selection or tactics and nor should it be. So, what would you advocate GH should have done as the season progressed when it "should have been known" that changes needed to be made?

For the 2010 season GH must get a 10 out of 10.

Maybe the quote you did from me should have been on a different thread, I was just commenting to a deviation to the thread. The fact that BR had commented that he thinks the Wembley loss and performance against Wigan may have changed his plans for 2011. Which I was saying, he should have realised it before then.

A chief execs job is not the here and now, its much more than that, it should always include the future as paramount to any decisions. 2011 will show whether Hetherington did his job in 2010.

Your 10 out of 10 should be for 2009.

Lets give GH a bit of credit here. Last year was a poor one but that happens, you cant win every year. But he has looked at what needs doing and has started to address it.

We brought in a batch of taleneted youngsters mid way through the season and have started the clear out early and he hasn't been afraid to either promote from within or go out and buy the best young talent.

Form is temporary and class is permanent - its just what your definition of temporary is

We did?

Clarkson apart, who might they be then?

These are the ratings I think you have got wrong:

McGuire - 10 - The shining light of a long, hard season. I really don't think he could have done any more for the cause.

Senior - 6 - A good outlet in attack but increasingly passive in defence.

Delaney - 5 - Surely we can attract a better centre to fill our overseas quota. Delaney is self admittedly a "defensive centre" when what we need is a strike player in this position.

Burrow - 5 - Gone backwards from previous seasons, a more traditional half-back with a good kicking game could take some pressure of Sinfield and free up McGuire to concentrate on his strengths. I think he is a luxury player and although I've loved watching him over the years I think his best days are behind him. I think we need to have an eye out for someone to take his position.

Bailey - 5 - Dire. Embarassing, I support everyone who pulls on the shirt but Bailey sometimes makes this hard for me.

Ablett - 5 - Clarkson has showed he is better than Ablett already and apart from making other players less paranoid about their own receeding hairlines compared to him I don't think he brings a lot to the team. On a serious note I think we'd be better off developing other talents than sticking with Ablett.

It's pretty much unanimously agreed we need a centre but I think in addition we could do with another second rower and need to keep an eye out for any quality half backs on the market. I'd love to see two new quality centres at Headingley next year but I think we will only get one and have to put up with Delaney and Keith spending time in the second row (where I worry that he is going to struggle).

Go on just say it .... you know you want to.

__________

If point scoring is going to be used as a key indicator then 2005 was the pinnacle (to this point) for Leeds in the SL era with an improbable 1424, when you compare that to Championship winning years of 2004 (1187), 2007 (914), 2008 (1039), 2009 (932) and yet 2005 isn't remembered all that fondly by comparison.

And remember, don't over-analyse it, just accept it.

Not me, I'm too humble. It would be crass to broadcast my greatness. Besides, there's no need. My superior intelligence radiates through each of my posts.

Just too humble. That's my only fault.

We're marking him for 2010 though and not 2011 or 2009.

In 2010 he secured a 1st class coach, on the back of 2 GF wins, gave that coach a squad many on here deemed to be the "Best", "greatest" or "Strongest" of all time. He also presided over a club with the league's highest turnover and profit.

That is why I think he merits a 10 out of 10 for 2010.

Presumably you shared those 'Best, Greatest, Strongest ever' views (I didn't as it happens) as this is your score, rather than a surrogate score, to our great leader?

I wasn't talking about the first team

I'll tell you later.

He's probably referring to Stevie Ward et al, from the local amateur clubs. But then this is nothing new. Every club does it every season.