When you look back, you have to realise Cullen took us to a position to where we were one season away from winning a major trophy, that's not a bad achievement. IMO you have to give the man credit, because without his ambition in 2002 we wouldn't be here today. I'm sure everyone would have loved it if he had the ability to coach Wire to that CC win and it would have been the perfect fairytale, rags to riches story.

I think that's the main reason some of us stayed his side so long (on here anyway).

He's a very good coach and a real good bloke is Cull, were delighted to have him.

We've done this a million times before, it's difficult to find something to say about Cull that hasn't been said before. You churn out the same stuff, top man, passionate, blah blah.

I think we've all formed our ideas on him now and we're stuck to them. I think he was key to us staying in SL, the 2/6 is 2/4 for me as the other two were dead-rubber. Some folk, Wires 71 will say that's irrelevant, and I'd understand why, but to me, he got the points in the bank, we were safe, and if the players put the cue on the rack, then sort of 'so be it ... mission accomplished.'

If it was Cull top trumps, you'd be like ...

Effort : 10
Passion : 10
Attacking Coaching : 9
Defensive Coaching : 3
Media Savvyness : 9
Recruitment : 9
Tactical Awareness : 5
Youth Promotion

ETC

Overall : 7

Which was fine, fine in 2002, fine up until 2005. Then from 2006 Onwards, probably not fine really.

Do I think he'd do well in SL at another club ? Yeah, why not. If I was say, a Hull fan, I'd rather have Cull than Agar any day of the week.

No way 9....Cullen signed far too many players who didn't deliver what we expected from them, Sullivan, Reardon, Cardiss, Wilshere, Richie Barnett jnr, Stevens, Bracek. Also you could probably say Rauhihi, Johnson and Swann were overall not what we had hoped despite having their moments.

There are also quite a few Cullen signings, who were considered disappointments when Cullen was coach, but started to do well after Tony Smith took over - Monaghan, King, Louis Anderson. Simon Grix and Bridge also look better signings now than they did when Cullen was coach.

Best signing Cullen made was Martin Gleeson, he was the best centre in Britain and played the best form of his career with us under Cullen. Other good signings were Fa'afili, Leikvoll, Forshaw and Morley, and actually getting Wainwright back was a good signing as well.

Lima, Parker and Vinnie Anderson - mixed bag.
Kohe-Love and Sibbit - not as good as they were first time around.

Overall Cullen gets a 6 out of 10 for recruitment for me.

On this one I think you are doing Cullen a disservice. Riley, Cooper, Harrison were all brought through well by Cullen, he definitely took an interest in bringing through the young players and gave lots of players a chance. 7 out of 10 for me.

Is Grose a deliberate or mistaken omission?

forgot about Grose, where would you put him....probably in the good signings, although a bit of a mixed bag in the end, he had 2 good seasons, 1 outstanding season, 1 bad season and 1 average season

I reckon most coaches have a natural shelf-life whatever position they find themselves in. 5 years ish seems to be the average these days. In that time if you can leave the club in a better position than you joined it then overall its a success, and Cullen certainly did that at wire. Cullen had gone as far as he could true, but it's testimony to his achievements that (the ill-judged Lowes period apart), the new coach was in a position to win a trophy so quickly. If Smith had taken over Wire when Cullen did I doubt he would've achieved much more before being replaced.

Smith himself took Leeds from nearly men to GF Winners but it took a new coach to ensure they've taken that to the next step (3 in a row!).

I think Widnes will look to Cullen to have learned from experience at Wire, and possibly, in a five or so year period put them in a position to get back into Superleague and (maybe) consolidate a lower league position at which time he will have gone as far as he can before handing over to a new coach to take them to the next level. If that happens, he will have been a success.

At the same time, Wire, under Smith should expect to be competing reasonably regularly in Semis and the odd final etc, but shouldn't expect a Saints/Leeds style dominance until the next coach comes along.

Spot on!

I think Cullen was a success story overall and we all have to admit that he may have outstayed his welcome in many ways but he deserved the time because of how long he has served the club and how passionate he is about not only the club but the town!

The Lowes 08 season is deemed a success as well because we finished in the playoffs and although a few bad and really bad results occured we also beat big teams and finished above where we were when he took over.

Yet for me like in any sport doesnt this always or majority of the time happen in sport when a new guy comes in.. The players dig deeper to impress the new guy freshens thinsg up, thats all Lowes did.

Smith might win the GF with us but I wonder if he will be given as much time as Cullen if he doesnt bring home the Super League... I think he will on the merit of this years CC Win...

But what Trashcansinatra said I have to agree.

Only because he didn't stay.

I'm not saying I expect a period of dominance, I do expect Warrington to be involved in the 'business end' of competitions. I think Smith would be disappointed if we aren't punching with the big boys, and I think expects this from like, now.

Are you referring to his outstanding season as the one played at fullback?

I thought his first two seasons, at centre were just immense. If I am honest, I was never much of a fan of his at fullback, then when he dipped after being moved from fullback, I found him quite frustrating.