Very well put ..RW.. I totally agree

To echo many on here I'd rather he'd gone and played elsewhere for a while. He has no track record as a coach. He would maybe make a decent defensive coach, but you wouldn't want him teaching our future young hookers passing or attacking from the play the ball.

I actually think he suffers from a lack of desire to push himself to be better. He's had plenty of chances to move on to bigger clubs and potentially fulfil his dream of playing for GB. Yet he passes all those over to stay at Salford and be a big fish in a small pond. That for me shows that he has a lack of drive and determination, to strive to be the best he can be. Is that the kind of person you want coaching our players?

Was it a lack of desire that kept him at Salford or the fact that he felt such an affinity to the club that he never wanted to play for anyone else even when the bigger clubs were sniffing after him? Could it not just be that Salford are "his club" like Le Tissier at Southampton, Totti at Roma etc?

Hes well on the verge on making 1000 tackles this season, considering he doesnt play as many minutes. Thats amazing

The fact that no one else wanted him possibly had something to do(please show me the proof to prove otherwise) with it and also the huge pay rise he got which made him the highest earner at the club.

I thought we at least would have been linked with a replacement by now?? Quite worrying really because there arent that many out there

I'm uncertain why some contributors are unhappy for Malc to have a go at this.
Who's to say if he'll fail or succeed before he's even given it a go. ??
It's often been reported that he trains as hard as any other member of the squad. Surely that's a good thing isn't it ?
He's put 100% into his playing career at Salford, and if he gives as much at a coaching role, then it may just work.
If he'd put in the same amount of tackles as all the other players week in week out for the last 10 or so years, we may have lost a whole load more games.
Sure, his 'skill' levels aren't the highest, but neither were those of Karl Harrison, and he seems to have a good reputation.
I for one feel that Alker and Alan Hunte would make a great young coaching team, but that may be a couple of years from now.
And I'm neither pro nor anti Alker. He comes after Lee, Edwards and Hulme in my list of recent hookers we've had, but there's no doubting his commitment.

Have to say I agree with that.

Although didn't Hulme play Loose forward for us?

JJ I agree with you on every point that you have made and as you imply, if every player,coach and spectator put as much into the club as Malcolm has over his career then we would be in as much better state than we are at present

Ave it ! Of course your right, Hulme was at loose, I was thinking of him mainly at acting halfback !
Although I'm sure he covered for Edwards now and again ?

ITS LIGHTER ON THE BACK POCKET

PR, please tell me which of the 4 things listed below Malcolm Alker has done to you. ). Has he made mistakes? (Jacksonville). Yes, show me a human being that hasn't. However, if the best you can come up with to describe him is "he's been a loyal servant" then I think you're being a tincy wincy bit harsh. IMO, Malc has been as good as we've had in the last 20 years and as fans we should appreciate the MANY great performances that Malc has given us over the years and not try to belittle his status amongst Salford's greatest players. He has stood out head and shoulders above the vast majority of his team-mates over his career at Salford and his longevity, passion, commitment etc etc is good enough for me to (in my own little world) give him "legendary" status .

Now (rant over), whether he can cut it at the top level in coaching is another matter. He should certainly command respect from other players and his knowledge of the game should be up there with the best of them. However, being a good/great player doesn't necessarily equate to being a good/great Coach/Manager (Bryan Robson anyone?). I think he deserves a chance though and if it doesn't work out then we should thank Malc for years of great service and wish him all the best in his future career. If it does work out I'll be more than chuffed as Malc is part of the Salford family and it would be fantastic to see him stay at the club.

Holding off on this topic for a while however a few choice opinions thrown in has caused me to add my two penneth worth Love him or hate him, 163 consecutive appearances should make Stuart Littler a Salford legend in anyone's book :Others/NA.JPG