The players at his disposal? He's not had a 1st choice backline to choose from all season. He's got quality in forwards so he's keeping it a forward battle...not fantastic to see, but the evidence it's worked is that we're at the top. We finished that game losing another 2 backs to injuries. I think what Cunningham has shown is that he's adaptable. He's still got a lot to learn no doubt but he's St.Helens through & through.

He's doing a top job so far imo

He,s a rookie coach given the job 1 year earlier than planned, he,s took us top of the league with most of our pivotal creative players injured and sat in the stands. To be a multi dimensional team you need a match plan with most of your influential players available.........we could probably say we have not had that at all this season.
Luckily, superleague standard is very poor these days so 1 or 2 losses isn,t a disaster this season as there are no consistent stand out teams.

1 - Why do St Helens RFC have a rookie coach?

2 - It's a poor poor competition. Being top means you're the least crap, not the best.

3 - When we have been poor when has he given good reasons instead of Press conference clichés?

4 - What's changed the following week?

5 - How's our discipline this season?

6 - Why do players who continually underperform or commit Hari Kari (à la LMS) keep getting picked?

Never ever ever a coach fit for St Helens. I love the guy and watched him all the way through his playing career and, hats off, he was a great player. That doesn't make him a great coach and people forget that this is effectively his SECOND stint in charge; good coaches improve teams quickly and sustainably and if last night wasn't a good example of what we SHOULD have then nothing else is.

I see in the paper this morning he is saying that we got what we deserved - fair enough. He then goes on to say that, paraphrased, the players weren't up for it. Let's just re-read that:

The. Players. Weren't. Up. For. It.

That's [uHIS JOB[/u - it's not acceptable for players not to be up for it. Never. Not acceptable. No excuses. Ever. That's [uHIS JOB[/u to make sure they are, at least, UP FOR IT, every week.

The only reason we are where we are is because the comp is terrible. Nothing else.

OK, if we remove the Rookie bit, can you name a current coach in super league who is significantly better than KC. I would,t say good coaches improve teams quickly, an experienced one with player stability would be more apt. I think most fans on here would agree he is doing a reasonable job under the circumstances and the first objective of a top 4 place is almost complete.
Probably next season is the best to judge KC when we get a repetitive of errors, poor tactics etc. Its been another difficult dissruptive season so far, so personally I would give him some slack, its very unlikely that you can become a good or great coach in 20 games.

A guy last night who lost half his team pre-season and has transformed them from also rans into a very effective unit. There's one. That's the standard we should be aiming for in a coach (and I am not suggesting we should have him, simply we deserve someone of that calibre).

Every great coach was a rookie once. Cunningham has been under the wing of a few different coaches. He's been groomed for the job for years. He knows the club from top to bottom, he's not just some Aussie who thinks a game against Wigan is just another 2 points. He knows what it means to the fans.

He's got us sat on top of the league (until Leeds play) whilst missing several key players throughout the season. They're playing with heart and character, and you single out LMS, well he's been playing brilliantly imo this season.

And now we're getting the league's so poor, no wonder we're top blah blah blah. Well he's damned either way isn't he? If he wins the league, well it's because it's a crap league but if he doesn't win it then he's a crap coach.

You're being incredibly negative, mate. You simply don't like Cunningham and nothing will shift your opinion of him. I can't really have a go because if I'm honest, I was exactly the same about Brown.

Its took about 6 years for Powell to reach that Standard, time at Leeds, in the championship, and now 2 years in at Cas. Give KC half that time 3 years to see how he develops because he's come to the "coal face" a lot earlier than Powell ever did. The only real concern at the moment is our discipline that needs corrected very quickly as it breeds lack of focus, attitude and creates extra defensive demand, I,m sure the coaching team are working on it, maybe playing our strength in the forwards contributes to it.

Most of the time the heart and character has been created with good team spirit this year, I,m putting that down to KC and Longy. On the subject of LMS I,ve currently got him and Alex as Club Player of the Season so far.

Some fair points but the last not strictly true. When I see his/his influence/tactics/motivation make a significant difference to [uhow we play and it's sustained[/u, then I'd be happy to hold my hands up. I actually WANT him to do well. Thing is I don't see it happening as we are regressing to the standard we were at during the year he and Rush were in charge - sterile, one dimensional rugby. We are the first to criticise our friends over the lump for not having a Plan B - can you honestly see ours if our pack don't get on top?

With no disrespect to Cas at all, we had virtually a full team out there last night and SHOULD have won that game. Regardless of opinions on individual players we had enough COLLECTIVE nous and experience to win that game and let's not forget we were winning for most of it. Cunningham's view of why we didn't was because HIS players weren't up for it. There's more to coaching than on the field - I find that statement embarrassing and he should be ashamed to come out and say it. I have no issue if we get beat fair and square as long as we lose trying and at least being creative - we have neither when our pack can't bully others.

Hence I think I can be forgiven for assuming that this is the 'Cunningham style'.

I'd die of boredom in that time. Sorry but I don't agree - if that's the price we have to pay for a 'rookie' coach then we shouldn't have one.

KC would be in his 3rd year next season, so personally I,m expecting better control of players and tactics next year. Also would like Longy to coach our attack for next season. I can see us going forward this year compared to the Wire under Smith and Agar. Regards to Powell, I think he has had about 13 years experience in some form of coaching capacity with 6 years as a head coach.

"Die of boredom"?

I'm confused. Did several of those "wonder tries" featured on the BBC during the last few weeks happen in some other universe?