The teams performances in 2005, 2006 and most of 2007 do not support that argument. Furthermore, having a side that is talented and settled is a world away from winning enough games to take the hub cap. It simply could not have happended without some input from the coach.

Did you actually read his post? I only ask because your first sentence would suggest you didn't. He actually clearly said last 2 seasons, which is 2009, and 2010.

I was only commenting on the last 2 seasons. But I agree there must have been some positive input by the coach(es). But he only had to keep oiling the wheels, so to speak, as we had a very talented group of players at the top of their game. If he is so good why are the players unhappy with him?

But I am more concerned about the decline in the quality and style of rugby which was evident in the 2009 season and was very noticable this season. IMO had it not been for the individual brilliance of McGuire we would have finished 6th or 7th and would have been a truer reflection of the overall team performance, tactics and technical skills shown this year. Are you happy with that poistion?

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I read the post, there were two points contained within it. The first being that McLennan under prepared the team at the start of two seasons and the second being that his success is devalued by the work done before him by others, along with the quality of the team.

I happen to agree with the first point but, the second I cannot agree with at all. If this team was capable of winning a league title without the input of the coach then, they should have done in 2005 and could have repeated the feet in 2006. However, in the latter year, they were not even close.

Each to their own as they say but, in my experience, no team can achieve what Leeds have done over the last three seasons by reliance on the dedication, skill and application of the players alone. Were that not to be the case, Wigan would have shown up a whole lot better before now.

Losing the dressing room at the end of a disappointing season is immaterial IMO (assuming this to be fact). Plenty of time to get things back on track. Think back to TS's reign in 05 & 06 when similar rumours were rife, then fast track to the end of 2007. No evidence of dressing room dissent by then. The most important thing is that the team gets back into the habit of winning. If that happens they'll all be mates again.

What did John Monie once say, 'My grandmother could coach this team to be champions.'

and

Graeme Lowe, 'I'm 46 and I've had triple heart bypass surgery but I could still manage to play international rugby union.'

__________

Coach McClennan was given the tools but he still had to make them work similar to Coach Smith when he took over in 2004. Both coaches ran out of luck in year three of their time in charge. Let's wait and see what year four will bring.

My favourite Graeme Lowe quote was after he was asked if British players had improved their fitness to match the Australians:
"Skill wins matches, not fitness".

If he was talking about Wigan in the early Nineties, he was probably right. Clearly, not too many of his other teams were capable of coaching themselves.



I can't find a lot wrong with this statement. It rings very true to me!

Maybe he lost the dressing room during the season and if so that would have had a negative effect on the team performance. It all depends on the reasons which may not be immaterial.

There have been a few speculative claims of this nature over the season.

But no-one has come with any meat to back it up.

I ignore speculation.

I think some people are jumping to conclusions about McClennan having "lost the dressing room" and McClennan's skills as a head coach simply because we didn't win anything this year.

As has been said these same rumours were mentioned about Smith in 05, 06 and for a large part of 07.
I've spoken to several players over the last few months and not 1 has said anything even remotely close to criticising McClennan and everytime I've seen the first team train together they always appear to get along well with McClennan.

To suggest that the 08 and 09 wins were not due in significant part to the head coach at the time is harsh on McClennan in my opinion. Since the same must then be said of Tony Smith in 2004.

For me the parrallels between Smith's tenure and McClennan are striking. Smith won the GF in his first season in charge, as did McClennan. Smith, in my opinion, would have won the GF and possibly the CC in 2005 were in not for some unfortunate injuries and Bradford's salary cap breach. Then the 3rd year in charge, which in my opinion Smith's 3rd year (2006) feels incredibly similar to McClennan's 3rd year in charge.
Hopefully McClennan's 4th year will mirror Smith's.

The 2006 playoff defeat to Wire at HQ may be worth remembering at this point, especially for the fickle Rhinos supporters.