I'd say more like .....rlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/anderson/thunderbirds/gallery/images/340/hood.jpgrl

Bradford are paying the price for not investing in youth and simply relying on replacing all their stars with players from other clubs. That talent soon died out and they couldn't afford to keep it up due to the salary cap. Hence the decline and McNamara has had to build a squad from scratch pretty much. I mean seriously, how many Bradford lads who played in them invincible sides of previous years came through their academy? Bradford are slowly getting back on track. Sam Burgess was a player they really could have done with keeping hold of, but there was nothing they could really do about it. Jamie Langley is the only other one still at the club. They have some promising juniors who are pushing through and some who have yet to play in the Burgess twins and Cain Southernwood (who is playing for England at the moment). So there is hope for the future. I just think Bradford need a top class coach who has a proven track record of bring young kids through and getting the best out of his team. John Kear is a very good coach in terms of motivating a side and bringing out the best in them. I'm not sure what his track record on youth development is like. My point is they don't need to bring a coach who has won loads of trophies at other clubs, like Wigan used to do and them fail because the sides were built for them. They need someone who can bring out the best with what they have and bring through their promising juniors.

As for Steve McNamara, I think he's an alright Super League head coach, but England could have done much better and should have done. I don't see why the coach has to be British. Fabio Capello is a good example of getting the best in football and, on them same lines, Steve McClaren is a good example of how just going down the British root is not the best route to take. I think the RFL wanted something that doesn't exist - a top class British coach. Opting for a full-time coach is another bizarre route. New Zealand & Australia both don't have a full-time coach. Neither do New South Wales. The notion that you need to employ an international coach whose full time is ridiculous because it takes them out of the day to day training methods of Rugby League. I support the international side/game and I'll back Steve McNamara, but I think it will end in disaster and I will be surprised if Steve see's out his contract.

IIRC Jamie Langley was pinched from Huddersfield...but I think the point remains they put too much time in imported stars, a bit like Wigan did until a year or two ago.

I agree entirely. Now the focus has finally switched to youth development and we are reaping the benefits. Lee Mossop and Sam Tomkins both recently signed five year deals. Joel Tomkins is penned down on a long-term contract too. Liam Farrell, Ben Davies and Johnny Walker have all made their debuts under Michael MaGuire. We also have around 8-9 players out on dual registration. This is the exact approach clubs should be taking if they want to succeed in this era with the constraints of the Salary Cap.

You getting mixed up with Chris Bridge? Langers is still 26 and is on his testimonial year with Bulls.

And some of us get slated on RAB by the "Nobby wuz God" brigade for pointing out what has been said on here...that in the Caisley/Noble era the Bulls consistently bought-in talent rather than majoring on in-house development. Compare and contrast e.g. Leeds over that period. End result was that by the end of that era, club had run out of money (due also in part to a disastrous buying-in of a certain Mr Harris) and the youth pipeline was shot to bollox.

So yes indeed, up to the day Noble went the observations are spot-on IMO.

OK, as well as Langley we still have Halley and Koppy who came through the academy, as well as the returned Sykes and Reardon who were Bulls academy products, so there are a FEW home-grown. But, until recently, not enough.

Since then, under Macca, the strategy has been entirely different. For several years now, very considerable effort has been refocused into youth development. We've hardly seen many big-name signings - although those we did sign, like Morrison and Beaver and Orford were crucial, but more quite a few (all-too-expensive) journeymen signings to fill the several-year gap until the new crop start coming through. Those folk who slated Macca for his signing strategy generally do not appreciate the severe financial constraints within which he had to work. Of course, hordes of Bulls "fans" grew impatient, and all too often failed to see the realities of the situation. Too many still don't.

What have we seen back end of last year and so far this year? A good number of debutants (or as good as) from the academy - Donaldson, Whitehead, Olbison, Addy, Wardle, Crookes (returned after ACL repair) so far. A pair of Burgii, Southernwood (OK we nicked him...) and several others on the verge. Donno (before his injury) and especially Whitehead have been looking outstanding. The new strategy - the same as all sensible clubs are or should now be following - is starting to bear fruit. Give it another year or so, and you'll see a very different look to the first team squad.

Along with this, the club have cut back on player spend this year - we are well below the cap - to enable them to invest in the brand new training and development facilities off Wakefield Road. I've been there. The facility is outstanding. And one of the main reasons for the investment is to enhance the youth development programme even further - not least, because the location is ideal for part-time young players to get to, especially after-hours.

When the history books come to be written, a more balanced assessment of Macca's reign will say that on his watch the club hauled itself back from the brink of oblivion, and through a lot of hard work built up a potent and enduring youth development pipeline. And his legacy to Bradford will be the big crop of stars of the future, for the first time developed in-house, and sustainable and enduring youth development.

Bingo

I would say that looks more like Stevo but I can see a resemblance

Sounds like dejavu with Daryl Powell.

Can't see the Bulls following that success though.

Probably right given that Bulls haven't got a Caddick to steady the ship financially, the Bulls also have a ground that swallows up cash like there's no tomorrow and have substantial other outgoings following an ill fated signing not so long back.

However some success isn't out of the question. Right now keeping in the top half of the table is a decent enough achievement, despite what some "know-nowts" might say.

Similar to Saints. Gone are the days of a squad having 10 big name signings in it. Aside from the more established players, we've got the likes of Clough in our backrow with Ashurst and Dixon behind him as well as McGennis who's also made his debut the other week and in the backs we have Wheeler, Lomax, Armstong, Dean & Foster. We also have a couple milling aout under he radar like Gaskell, Frodsham and Emmitt.
Who knows whether any of these will be stars, but they'll (most anyway) make SL standard players, and when you see these guys giving their all for their club, it sure beats paying over the odds for some also-ran ocker.

We couldn't even cover the handicap tonight.

McNamara Out!

Richard Tetes are out in force now are they not!!