I think the strngth of a SL squad depends on not how good the 10 best players are but on the quality of the next 10 players in the squad.

If you were to take the 10 best players out of the 2003 and look at whats left it would be players such as Naylor, Radford, Parker, Deacon, Pryce, Langley, Reardon, Gartner, Paul, Pratt. Compare them to Platt, Sherrife, Jeffries, Deacon, Kopczack, Cook, Worrincy, Godwin, Halley, Rinaldi and you can understand the difference in league position.

Clearly we had a lot more money to spend in 2003. But its also noticeable how much more reliable and consistent the "lesser" players were.

Of course compared to our best squads this lot don't come close, but if we compare the squad now to currently better performing squads at the likes of Quins, Hull KR, Huddersfield, Hull, Cas, Salford, Catalans and Wakefield I don't think we really match up badly depth-wise, and certainly shouldn't be languishing below them all in the table as we are at present.

I think a lot would say that we have stronger squads than many of those above us. Think about the likes of Wakey and Salford. We have "better" players than them and more depth - so what is going wrong?

John Kear is a better coach than McNamara.

And that was not meant in any kind of arrogant way, it was simply to suggest that on paper, our squad was probably stronger than them.

Not for the first time this season, I find myself wishing we played on paper...

I’ve always been sceptical about how much use bollockings from the coach have. The players know when they’re playing badly and need the problems identifying and solutions offering rather than a blasting.
Personally if I get a bollocking at work (rare event) I react badly to it. I dislike being shouted at and respond much better to calm words which offer valuable advice.
The players are adults too and I’m sure walking out in the second half with their ears ringing can only distract them further and make things worse.

Nobby always said that he liked to keep the half time talk to a minimum, speaking calmly and giving each player one or two things to remember for the second half. That way they go back out focused and determined to improve.

Bollocking players after the match is pointless too. The errors and weak areas of the game are obvious enough and they would no doubt cover these areas in training but unless the players and coach can understand one another and talk like adults you don’t have any chance of turning things around come the next matchday.

Paul Cullen was (allegedly) a shouter. Where did that get him?

Have you never seen Noble rollocking his teams at half time Sky footage?

[iIf[/i that is the case it would suggest the coach has lost the dressing room, or at least part of it and, without the unlikely event of all the players causing problems being out of contract, there is never any way back for a coach in those circumstances.

Everyone is different, everyone responds in different ways. Some no doubt would take a bollocking badly and take their bat (ball?) home, others would be fired up by it and aim to do better.
Some players need a quiet word and some pointers, some would take that as patronising.
I guess the point I'm making is that part of being a manager is knowing the best way to get the best out of your employees. Perhaps Macca needs to change his management style, perhaps he needs to try some bollockings, it might rouse one or two from their slumber.

I'm getting concerned that we seem to be agreeing more and more

A point I made after the Wigan game earlier this season. A point that came under close scrunity by some, and ridicule from others.

Maybe I was not too far off the mark after all.

When I think of a coach losing the dressing room it is usually a powerful player, with an ego to match, thinking they (& maybe do) know better - a Hanley or Farrell type. I don't think there are those characters at Bradford (Solomona being the only enigma), the natural leaders in Menzies & Morrison don't strike me as the type. The club captain certainly doesn't have the ability as a player, or as a captain, to lead a revolt. Maybe it would bring things to a head, & for the better, if there was.
It seems confidence, attitude & professionalism have all gradually deteriorated. While Mac might be universally liked by the players I am not sure how much he is respected as a coach/manager (different things). I think he has probably lost that.