We all guessed it would be longer than a month - now confirmed www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 08,00.html

We all guessed it would be longer than a month - now confirmed www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 08,00.html

The guy's been diagnosed as ill and I have sympathy for him. However, if he's ill enough to be off sick for weeks on end should he not do the honorable thing like Phil Bailey and offer to leave in the best interests of himself and the club? It's a very unfortunate situation but it just leaves the club in total limbo in such an important year with a franchise licence at stake and it being the last year at the Willows.

The clubs pushed the boat out this year with new signings and they probably don't have the money to pay him off and replace him due to his unfortunate illness. Maybe I'm different to others but if it was me in his situation it would be on my conscience all the time and a worry I could do without if I was ill.

Perhaps if he resigned it would help take some pressure off him and allow him to recover more quickly without the added pressure he may be feeling about letting down a lot of people at an important time. Personally I think the club have been very fair and loyal to him, had he been at other clubs I think he would have been sacked two years ago.

I just hope this doesn't drag on to the detriment of our club, Shaun McRae's health and the game of rugby league. A possible solution could be the club offering to pay him half of his remaining contract which I think expires in September. Let's face it the guy won't be short of a few quid considering all the years he's coached and all the Sky Sports work he's done.

Mcrae will not walk away, this is going to be his last job and he defo wont walk away from it, bailey has walked away cleverley as people will look on to him with respect now and from what i have heard he plans on coaching now so will not want to burn any bridges with any clubs and be looked upon as a guy who ripped off a club. mcrae will not walk trust me

What must the illness be costing him in lost earnings as a summeriser on Sky Sports? Match summerisers are paid per game, they're not on a fixed salary or contract. A long term illness could open the door for another summeriser to come in and do a great job, preventing McRae from returning to Sky when or if his health improves. Let's face it John Wells talks sense and is getting great raps from many at the moment, and he's English.

I'm sure he must feel that he's got more years ahead of him as a tv summeriser than a head coach but who knows? Sky Sports policy at the moment seems to be about freshening things up with younger faces. (As seen in football) Out of sight, out of mind as the saying goes. It's in SM's long term interests to recover quickly and get back in that TV box if that's were he thinks his future is.

So next time that your off sick from work will you pack your job in and say goodbye to any income at all? He has just as much right to be off sick as an injured player. Would you say the same if it was Patten or Holdsworth?

I think you'll find the answer is no.

I'm sell employed I can't rely on someone paying my wages if i'm ill. However, if I was an employee due to retire in 6 months time and I was ill and well off enough, I think I would seriously consider taking early retirement. If I knew a lot of people were relying on me and a replacement for me was not possible whilst I was still on the payroll, I'd give it some serious thought if it meant relieving some stress and helping my recovery.

It depends on the illness. We don't know the condition Shaun has and we've all wished him a speedy recovery.

However, let's postulate that it's a stress related illness. That's not the kind of thing that gets much sympathy in sport. It's the health equivalent of Steve McClaren putting up an umbrella on the touchline when it's raining. It's expected that you have to grin and bear the conditions. Sad but true.

Like Andy Gregory standing in the rain in his suit ?
we all saw how 3-4 years coaching Salford did to Andy

Shaun's had as he states 16 years being a top flight Rugby League Coach , with that comes stress and that must take it's toll ?

He was always a popular Commentator / Broadcaster and a pleasure to listen to, but he seemed a different man behind the mike or infront of the camera for SKY than when in charge of our team and being grilled by the press over our results.

Whatever the issue I do wish him a speedy recovery , but that the right steps are taken for both club's sake & the individual to ensure his long term health & happiness, not just the remaining 6 months of his contract.
In my experience with work colleagues / family where stress is a contributory factor to illness there is rarely a ' quick fix ' there usually a longer term rehabilitation involved , a return to the job with a different outlook or a different role. job altogether.

Precisely why I'm studying the subject I am. Rather distressingly, there's a growing number of athletes and coaches suffering the disabling effects of mental illness, yet little research has been conducted into the effects of sport on an individual's mental health.

JUST TO REITERATE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT MR Mc IS SUFFERING WITH! My comment is a general point.

Michael Yardy has had to leave the world cup because of illness (depression), sportsman/coaches are under an awful lot of pressure and it must take its toll! Not saying Mcrae is depressed but the pressure he was under must of been horrible and some of the abuse off some of the numbties in the shed was a disgrace.

The worrying thing is though if it is stress and he is quite fragile if he did come back and we went back to playing like we did against saints then the calls for his sacking and the pressure on him will be greater than ever. Again if it is stress then both the club and Shaun need to have a long think about what's best for his long term health

Nice to see that you are so concerned about his health, ([sizeconsidering your avatar[/size)

Assuming it is stress as many seem to think (I've not heard one single comment to deny it is) it's extremely unlikely he will want to return to a high pressure job.

If this is the situation and the cause of his illness is related to his job would it not be in the clubs best interests to offer him another 'less stressful' position within the club until his contract expires? His condition may not be improving if he thinks he has to return to the head coach role and it may help his recovery if he thinks he won't have to face the same pressures as before.

Would this not be better for him and the club? Just an idea.

What like in the club shop?
or we know he can talk for England so how about a club selling role into the run up to the new stadium.

I wasn't thinking about a role he may find derogatory considering his current position. I was thinking about him helping out with the marketing/promotional side of the new stadium and perhaps being a 'meeta and greeta' to sponsors on matchdays. I'm sure the club would welcome some extra help on this side.