Nothing wrong with healthy discussion Gareth. The concerns of fans are all well and good from an uninformed stand point, like i said though its the name calling and calls for the axe after 5 minutes in the job which i find to be poor form.

Having seen Tony Smiths interviews i thought he had a strange manor in front of the camera, though never 'slagged him off', after speaking to him on a few occassions and recieving some mentoring i found him fascinating to listen to. As with McDermott I like what they have to say about the game from grass routes all the way to the top, some real insightful thoughts on the game, coaching and current players.

I formed my opinions from these encounters and not blowing my trumpet of course, but from also having a great deal of coaching experience from school and club level through to Scholarship and Yorkshire. Furthermore i thought McLennan was a really nice guy, but coaching wise from my opinion and those at the club he was somewhat lacking.

Are you on about my point about McClennan?

If so they are not views, they are fact.

Not at all, i know them to be fact also.

Just re read what you posted originally. Thought it was aimed at me

Too defensive these days

Seth wrote:No, however, as i said, opinions are very different from the utter tripe that was posted on here. Mine are just opinions though ones formed from seeing the coaches run sessions, being involved in their sessions and from talking to them, not from simply watching from the stands.

I know he won't do this (speak up) himself because he isn't that way inclined, but over the last ten years Leicester Rhino has played with, for, and against some of the brightest up and coming coaches and players, from NL3 down, players who in some cases have gone on to play to championship level and some whom are now on scholarships at Super League clubs. He has played against teams coached by current and ex Superleague players and has been instrumental in the development of one of the success stories of Rugby League in the last decade.

I would even go so far as to say that his personality, his demeanour and his playing skill has been a major factor in the recruitment, retention, and development of the game in the Midlands, not just in Nottingham, but from Gloucester, to Shropshire, to Birmingham , Coventry, Leamington, Derby and Sheffield.

If Leicester Rhino is of the opinion that BMc is not a coach of the highest calibre, I would be inclined to respect that opinion because he is not given to wasting his breathe spouting hyperbole and self agrandising claptrap.

Rant over.

after reading keith senior's book he mentions that when Mcdermott left leeds to take over at quins some fans questioned smith and how he was coaching the team and that it was brian doing all the coaching all along, i'm not brians biggest fan but it's amazing how fans can change their minds about a coach in three short years. i'm not going to say he's the next wayne bennett but i suppose he deserves some credit for getting us to the 2 major finals on offer with the so called "worst" leeds squad in quite a while?

I've got faith in McDermott. Dismissing his abilities at this stage is akin to writing off a player at 23 or 24. And the player's ability to improve is likely to be limited at some stage by his physical capabilities; a coach's isn't.

On another thread I mentioned that I thought McDermott wasn't as bad as I had earlier feared.

I had gone from ...
"Not looking good, strange selections, we are playing badly ... but I guess we'll have to let him see the season out"
to
"We are playing a lot better but, for me, the jury is still out on whether he actually is any good."

I am still positioned on that second view, I still suspect the players have learned to play around his coaching rather than with with it.
I really do hope I'm wrong.

For me, the jury was still out on McClennan ... right up until he left.
I'm still not convinced about him.
Either way.

As would I though I would not be inclined to simply accept or agree it because of where it came from. I usually like to form my own opinions, even when they clash with the opinions of people I count as friends or people I consider knowledgeable. I've disagreed with one such person on here already, Seth, and have also disagreed with Leicester Rhino (who I consider knowledgeable) on another thread today. I'd like to think that as grown ups we can live with differences of opinion.

Nope, you've got the market on that well and truly sewn up!

Not done any finger related problems for 2+ years now. Biscuit clavicle is another matter