Quote: The Saint "A really odd situation . A new coach in usually sees a degree of stability in most cases . A complete nose dive is quiet serious given the team you have . You clearly need some personal to build but that team has enough to be in the 4/5th area of the table . Given your performances ,You are still 2 point off the playoffs so all is not lost . I don’t believe the club was so lacking In ambition that it feels ok to write off this season in order to re build for next . Powell was always going to be a gamble . A strange appointment in my view given the investment for success on the pitch . My view is a quality coach would have that squad competing and so I think it would be in your interest to start looking and get shut before it’s to late'"
The very nature of his task - to change the culture into a winning mentality - means he's going to have to get rid of players who aren't prepared to buy in to this. If players were willing, then we wouldn't have nose dived. Some of them aren't buying into this, therefore a nose dive is to be expected.
The choice is:
We stick with the players, who've underperformed now for 3 coaches over 6/7/8 years, and get another coach in, hoping they'll respond to that coach.
Or
We recognise that these players are the problem and we put trust in a coach who has a track record for improving players, a track record for building a good brand of rugby and culture, and has the balls to sort it.
Bar the young players coming through, most of our players have gotten worse, or at best, stayed the same and not improved.