Yes, Tony is going to have to oversee quite an overhaul of the playing squad in the next few years but he isn't unique in that as the quality and number of overseas players diminish and the dual-reg system beds in.

Saints have already started and, despite what their fans might think after Friday, are still a work in progress.
Hull have had big changes in the last 18 months and are still some way from challenging for grand finals
Wigan have lost a lot of players since last year in crucial areas

We are enjoying an unprecedented period of success in the modern history of the club and what is needed now is a steady hand and evolution, note revolution.

The question I'd ask is, who else would you trust with the clubs future?

There is a firm commitment from the club to develop the team from within so the team won't be re-built by signing players. The only issue I have with that is that the changes to the academy age groupings has become disconnected and has caused a potential problem with development.

No doubt though that the team for next season and even more so 2015 will look very different.

I can see where you are coming from in respect of Smith leaving and knowing when to leave, but I would be surprised if he left as soon as 2014. There is a two/three year re-phasing job to be done here, which I would be surprised if he didn't see through. Once concluded, I could then see him moving on to his next challenge

If anyone thinks The Lord Tony Smith Is daft enough to wait until the end of the season to go looking for players then they need a good telling off! He will have started this recruitment and I can't wait for a new exciting era. However, lets continue to embrace this great team and to be happy. Long season this.

Stupid post

The signing of Hill, House and Ratchford was outstanding. I can not remember the last time we scored 100 percent in the off season game of musical chairs. So from his past and current track record you would expect TS to be more than capable of picking talent. But the task still looks quite daunting. Within the next two years it is quite likely that we will lose; Briers, Morley, J and M Monas, House, Higham, Hodgson, Carvell and Woody. We should have some youngsters coming through to soften the blow, but those 9 players have provided stability, decision making / leadership, and of course top quality performances. So it will be an interesting 2 year period.

I wouldn't want Smith gone. Think of how far we've come. I remember being at that away game against (then) Quins in 2009 just after he took over, embarassed as anything as they dumped all over us and we couldn't complete a set properly for the life of us- that is what he's taken us from. That's some feat, even with Simon Moran's help.

Good honest post.
I'll be surprised if Smith is still at Wire in 2015.

Smith has signed a contract till the 2015 season I believe.

Even given the fact that the infrastructure and finances are in place now for the first time since I've been following Wire in the 70's, TS is by far the best coach we've had since then.

Cull and Johnson are the only other two I'd rate.
Cull isn't really on the same level but is a decent bloke and is a decent coach.
Johnson was always constrained by the lack of finance and organization behind the scenes, but he and Griffiths worked well together, although I always questioned Johnno's motivational abilties

Murphy was a little bit before my era but his record speaks for itself, and then I gues you'd have to go back to the glorious 50's.....

Quote: Rogues Gallery "Good honest post. I'll be surprised if Smith is still at Wire in 2015.'" Really: www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... on-to-2015 so you reckon he's going to be sacked or walk out himself?

Quote: Rogues Gallery "Good honest post. I'll be surprised if Smith is still at Wire in 2015.'" Really: www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... on-to-2015 so you reckon he's going to be sacked or walk out himself?

I would imagine the whole point of signing the extension will be to see through a transition to a new and successful team. He will see that as his new challenge, or perhaps the completion of his job at the HJ. If he left now he would always have viewed it as a job half done.

I sincerely hope he sees his contract out because there's a certain amount of unfinished business in terms of winning SL, but also because I'm struggling to think of anyone I'd want at the moment.

Also, having played a huge part in the rejuvenation of some of the careers of the players at the club, many of whom hadn't tasted major success until his arrival I'd also be worried about the effect a sudden departure would have on the players confidence.

Sorry by signings I think that should have been made clear that signing youth players counted aswell like Riley and Cooper and Harrison...and Joel Monaghan was hardly a Tony Smith "signing" was he he was quite clearly available due to his indiscretion, had he not done it he'd still be with Canberra.

Anyway maybe Alex ferguson could chime in here then, and like he accused Rafa of being a lucky manager riding on the success of what others have built...maybe Tony Smith is a lucky manager.???

He followed in the footsteps of two young inexperienced coaches in Darryl Powell and Paul Cullen that had achieved a reasonable level and both assembled talented squads...........maybe it was an easy job to take them to the next level...?

When he took over huddersfield who were in nowhere near the position of the cashed up Rhinos and Wolves he took them to a different league as well....the one below Superleague.....and his International Career wasnt a sparkler either..... lucky manager hmmm ......maybe that Fergie knows a thing or two.


and you say he left leeds with a better squad than cullen left Warrington....? Smith took over Leeds while Darryl powell had his squad top of the league..........talk about being handed a bag of golden plums...
Cullen took over warrington from the worst ever coach in Warringtons history and the short lived david plange and was staring down the barrell of a first ever relegation..........i think if you take the starting points of each coach into consideration then dick measuring squads left behind is a bit fruitless.

anyway time will tell