I left Fridays home defeat and after reflecting on our loss I was left with a devastating sense of Déjà vu.

It brought me to the conclusion that the last quarter of this season is a mirror image of our 2007 campaign when we were relegated.

The only difference I could see is our coach who I wouldn't totally regard as a scapegoat as being close to several players I hear he cant motivate or coach in the slightest.

Going back to why I feel were in the same position as 2007. We have players leaving, some to play in lower leagues, some simply at the end of there contracts and some going to play were they think the grass is greener. This being our main problem, as in 2007 when relegation was insight and even going back to earlier defeats our team was in auto-pilot and until something drastic happened (the sacking of Karl) no one responded. Albeit those who were leaving i.e Robo just didn't care in the slightest an this was obvious on the pitch.

If we look at our wins this season we have Leeds, Saints, Bradford, Hull and Huddersfield under our belts and it seems to me that on those occasions our team played with pride and a sense of togetherness and just simply played as a team... Surely its obvious if we have the players to overcome teams like that and there stepping up there games on the big occasions then there just not pulling there fingers out the rest of the time ?! this is to be said for the selected players not giving there all every week.

This combined with poor coaching skills & lack of motivation has been our biggest downfall IMO

To keep this short & sweet :/ I Feel sorry for the players there giving nothing short of 100% effort week in week out who are surrounded by players and certain coaching staff who arent rearly interested and are just there for the pay packet. Its nothing short of disrespect to Mr Wilkinson and I feel a massive clean-out nothing less will start to turn things around

good post.im really hoping there will be a few changes in the last few games to give a few young lads waiting in the wings there chance to show how much theyd love to pull on a reds jersey,young walton especialy!!id love to know what warranted his drop into the reserves after imo 3 impressive performances,if ste"fairy"nash can get a place on the bench so can our big north eastern friend!!!!hit the foooooooooka

Exactly. Its as if he's is playing a team he has to. Not a team he needs to. A team he thinks the Salford faithful want to see and not a team that will perform.

I honestly believe that he takes very little notice of a players performance during the training week and he simply looks at a piece of paper on match selection day with players names and positions /preferred positions written on a piece of paper and plans accordingly!

I also think Simms has a big influence on this as its he who sources most of these under performing imports.

I'm right in saying you play players based on performance. Not name, transfer fee etc etc. Right ?

I listen to a few players in a run up to a game and its mentioned that they cant believe such an such are not playing. Its as if he's scared if he does play the young, the ones who dont have " SL experience" (as he likes to mention so much in interviews) then if a loss comes in a game were hes playing them then his true colours will be shown as a coach.

As a freind has as his Scarlet Turkey moto.

Keep playing the youth Shaun, Have Faith, they are our Future...

P.S The abuse hurling at players and coaching staff I think is disgusting and as mentioned in other posts will simply never help the matter. and using the excuse "its alcohol fueled" is even worse and I for one would like to see this clamped down on by the club. By all means voice your constructive criticism but dont insult or abuse people..

I think your post is sensibly written, well constructed garbage.

How on earth can you suggest that McRae is "scared" of playing the young ones with no SL experience when Myler, Adamson, Turner, Ratchford, McGillvray, Goulding, Sidlow, Jewitt and even Nash have all had plenty of game time this season?!

Which "under-performing imports" is Simms meant to have sourced?

Which of our players is being played based on their transfer fee? (in fact, which of our players even had a transfer fee?!)

Who is that the players you're mates with think should be in the squad, who isn't being selected?

I don't particularly disagree with your original comment about deja vu, and applaud your last paragraph about some of our fans' behaviour, but much of the content in between seems to lack thought and factual basis.

When I say lack of SL experience I'm simply quoting McCrae.

And when I refer to young ones with lack of SL exp I dont take into account the likes of Adamson who made his debut nealry 3 years ago in 2006 against Wakey. I dont see the likes of Adamson, Turner & Ratchford who made there debuts around this time as youngsters. The likes of Andrew Thornly, Lewis Palfrey, Jack Spencer, Jason Walton (4 app of 22 if your wondering) these are the youngsters I refer to when saying he's scared of playing youngsters with lack of exp - and these are players I hear through other players are training and progressing well.
Like I said I'm quoting Mr McCrae himself from Fridays interview after the game when saying he's having to play players with lack of SL exp - I hope thats factual enough for you.

And you think Nash (6 app of 22) McGillvray (6 app of 22) have had have had plenty of game time ?

In terms of failed imports I refer to Smith, Henry, & IMO Cashmere

And with regards to transfer fee. Please accept my apologies I meant to say Salary Packet. I hope this clears up any the lack of factual content in my previous post.

How can McRae have said in an interview that he's having to play young players with no experience of SL (possibly as an excuse for poor performances?) but then still get accused of being afraid to play them? Surely if he IS playing them, it proves he's NOT scared of doing so?!

The players I listed (that you apparently don't count) are proof that he WILL play youngsters who are deemed good enough, regardless of SL experience. Prior to this season hardly any of our young players SL experience, now several do.

Of the players you suggest deserve a call-up I can understand some but wonder who you would drop? Drop Swain for Spencer, Mal Alker for his brother, or Myler for Palfrey? I could understand dropping Smith to accommodate Ratchford at standoff, then putting Walton in the centres, but it is obvious the at McRae wants to persevere with Smith for the time being. Whilst I don't wholly agree with that, I would still rather see Ratchford playing out of position than not at all.

Otherwise I can see little or no reason to play any of those youngsters at this point. Have any of the players you are mates with volunteered to give up their first team spot to accommodate these youngsters?

I do think Nash and McGillvray (who has actually played 8 times) have had plenty of game time (Nash played in almost 30% of our SL games this year, and McGillvray almost 40%).

And finally, I can't agree that Cashmere or particularly Henry have been poor this year, nor that either deserve to be dropped for a young player with no SL experience.

Deja vu indeed, how many coaches do we need to sack at Salford before we find one the players are happy to work with, having forced Harrison out are they now working on his successor then?

I'm no huge fan of McRae myself but can't help wondering were these coaching/motivational shortcomings evident at Saints when he was taking them to the SL title & Challenge Cup? Were they evident in Gateshead's only SL season as they finished high up the table. Were they then still in evidence in a Hull FC side that improved year on year? Perhaps they were, but perhaps their players were just a little bit more professional & decided that they would try & achieve that bit extra rather than throwing one in every week & then blaming the coach for everything.

I've worked under some poor motivational managers in my time, you know what I did? I motivated myself, it's not rocket science is it? I have no doubt though that in this case the players will eventually win again as it's easier to replace a coach than replace a whole team isn't it.

I have always been self motivated since my ten years in teh civil service when poor management was the flavour of the decade, whereas my team enjoyed coming to work, (most actually followed me to the TEC) others in the office didn't. So I know a good motivator is a must in many jobs, but also staff who what to be motovated and also can motivate themselves are brilliant assetts in any team. Do we lack both here at Salford or just one?

Does mean McRae is the new Brent?

reference to the youngsters i personally dont think they are doing that much in the reserves, possibly only palfrey looks the best out of the lot,
spencer is too slow and doesnt even start in the reserves some of the time
the others are average