He has to speak to the press. There's only so much he can say. If you don't like reading it, don't.

He doesn't have to make silly quotes like this.

Sorry - that's exactly what he should be saying. What coach says anything else?

I'd love to see how some of the übercritics on here would fare if THEY had to face or engage with the press day in day out? I've managed to avoid it for most of my life, but on those rare occasions where I could not avoid it, its not been the easiest of experiences.

In fact, Bulliac may remember an occasion - it was the first match with Macca as head coach, at the HJ, and the sky cameras came up the terrace and collared he and I for comments. To my shame, having been caught on the hop I was too scared to talk in case I said the wrong thing (I was stood next to the aisle so I was nearest) and pushed them straight onto Bulliac - who spoke excellently, btw, and put me to shame and rightly so ).

Apart from me being a coward and dumping on Bulliac, that little event made me realise just how tricky it must be getting caught on the hop by the cameras. With some warning and time to think about what I am going to say, I'm OK; but without warning, I flap. Yet that surprises folk who know me who assume that, cos I can talk for England, I'd be fine! I think Bullseye (for example) will be very good at it, but I suspect many others would either react as I did or would say things that afterwards they wished they had not?

Maybe worth bearing in mind when seeing how people who we ASSUME are more comfortable handling the media sometimes react?

Sorry Red, can understand (and share) your frustration - but what would YOU have said instead? Serious question, cos I know you for being a serious and thoughtful poster. Other than style, I'm not sure how he could have said things that differently?

"Note to self...remember to stand near Paul's mum if there looks to be any risk of TV cameras collaring fans for comments..."

I would have said something on the lines of being apologetic for the first half of the season. Then say that as a club we are going to regroup and address our problems then in the second half of the season will try and be more consistent and hopefully try and regain the confidence of the supporters.

I`d guess that he knows perfectly well that actions speak louder than words but newspaper reporters expect words and as AF points out it`s probably in his contract to do media work.

Like I said before, and I apologise for repeating myself, I can understand anyone`s frustrations with the way things are but bagging a bloke for trying to be upbeat is a bit much.

The thing is though that he has absolutely no reason at all to be upbeat.

So would you have his press comments be as depressing and melancholy and obsessed with a single issue as your comments come across on here? How in your judgment would that help motivate either the team or the fans?

Red made a pretty good stab (IMO) at the gist of what he thought Macca should have said - although I think he'd have been slayed for being defeatist by the same people on here had he used "try" and "hopefully".

What would YOU have said?

What difference does [ithat[/i make? (getting back to The Smiths theme from the other day.)

The man is paid to coach an RL side and perhaps speak with the media. But a bit of honesty would not really go amiss once in a while would it not?

The fact of the matter is that the fans of BBRLFC are a damn sight more intelligent than the coach seems to think if he honestly expects us to swallow this latest effort at appeasing us.

For too long, according to McNamara we have "not been where he wants us to be" yet he still shows no signs of sorting it out, despite his weekly pledges that we will turn it around.

As for motivating the fans? Are you being serious? When we read the comments made from the "cult hero" Mr M Worrincy last week then WTF are we supposed to think? We take it easy against sides when we are pretty damn appalling ourselves? Why should people turn up and make the effort to watch the side when the players themselves seem pretty nonplussed with the whole idea?

And again, getting back to the Smiths and the prophetic words of Mr Morrissey and Marr, The Joke Isn't Funny Anymore.

Er, it would give your criticism some validity. You can't ask someone to change their behaviour without having some idea of what the new behaviour should be.