Quote: redeverready "Giving Mcnamara a 4 year deal then not acting quickly enough when fans were leaving in the droves because of the tosh been served up was a massive error. Topping that with the cheap season tickets still going ahead with it even after the sponsors who were going to cover short fall had second thoughts.'"
At the end of the day, the McNamara deal was probably the cheapest solution, and remember Macca had already built a decent reputation at the club, though, like most, I'd quibble at the length of the contract for a first time coach.
In the post Caisley era, remember we became very much a 'selling club' to make ends meet, and many 'expensive' people left, both from the team and backroom staff. All in all it was a difficult period which wasn't handled too well, though the people running the show had been dealt a poor hand.
Fans will always be fans though and just like today, a few will always moan because we aren't singing internationals any more. Back then we were losing internationals and it had many fans jumping up and down and shouting and blaming it all on the coach and chairman. To repeat myself they, both coach and chairman, were firefighting a financial crisis and trying, not particularly well, to keep heads above water on limited resources. All this with a backdrop of fans who just wanted Hape, Vainikolo et al replaced by players of similar stature. I blame Hood for some of it but don't condemn him, by any means.