How do you know he did not take this approach - but clamped down as performances slumped? Also you are in danger of describing Cooper as a Jamie Peacock or Adrian Morley. Which he is certainly not.

If Cooper and Hill were as good as you seem to suggest then they were easily silenced by Hull KR last playoff game.

I normally agree with your [iserious[/i points Sally, but on this issue I cannot.

This club has repeatedly failed to produce a side that sticks together as a team when it's most needed. The club has recognised this, and Powell is the man with the plan to turn things around. He's a big believer in leadership across the team. Everyone needs to be a leader in their own right. This was hammered home in the very first meeting, and Powell clearly stated he expects everyone to buy into this philosophy.

I spent a couple of years teaching leadership skills to pilots in the middle east. There are lots of quotes we used to borrow, from many famous leaders, but the one I think is most applicable to Warrington at the moment is this'Until they are home, no man is left behind', not [i'You're the highly decorated Captain, so you can bunk off to safety and leave the footsoldiers exposed[/i'... Powell wants this in every little detail, right down to not letting the senior players choose to sit next to their mates at lunch. They set the leadership standard, and if they can't do that by staying for a full training session bringing on the likes of Wrench and Thewlis then that's tough. The coach has changed and the player roles have changed. They either adapt or choose another coach to work under.

I have no doubts Cooper is not a Bratty Prima Donna, but since we've repeatedly failed to fix the leaders problem, I'm happy for him to try his early finishes elsewhere and let Powell build a team where every player sees his wingman as an equal. I hope I'm not quoting Tom effing Cruise there...

EDIT: I've just remembered the humility quote that Powell borrows from the All Blacks: 'Sweep the Sheds'. It's in the book 'Legacy', written by some business journalist I think?

What message does that give to younger players?! That rugby isn't the priority for senior players and that Warrington doesn't need their full commitment? No wonder players don't seem to have pride in the shirt.

Senior players need to set a good example. It's becoming increasingly clear that Cooper didn't on the training ground.

Can you imagine Roby, Peacock or Sinfield asking to leave training early for such a reason? They wouldn’t even ask (even if they had an unlikely business) and that’s the difference. No matter what they’d achieved in the game even late in their careers they’d know the importance of setting an example. Completely behind Powell here, it’s exactly what we need.

I’ve also been to companies house to register Currie King and Williams Ltd.

Lots of great leadership and management seminars here but if we want to create a winning culture we could start by looking at Wigan. They certainly know how to beat us in Grand Finals.

Cooper will get to experience their winning culture at least.

Maybe but he's the best player to have come out of Warrington's Academy system since Harris and Sculthorpe in the 90s and the first since those two who has left us for a bigger club rather than a downgrade.

Technical note

He's walking into one, not being asked to help start one.

If the reasons for Cooper's release are true and you'd rather him stay, what would you do differently than Powell to change the culture of no leaders? Who would you keep, who would you sign, and who would be the first few to go?

Of the current squad and those we know of that are coming who is going to lead them around the field. I honestly don’t see a leader based on what I have seen, we all know the last leader we had was Briers and we have had nobody since. Almost feels like they are scared of taking the role on in fear of ???

The fear is the pressure of being a Warrington player and the demands for success. Whilst this is something that can’t change, the way the players handle it [ican[/i be changed.

I think Powell wants the right characters in the team to enable that to happen. You or I may not think those choices are correct based on their perceived status, but I’ll bet the likes of McShane and co weren’t seen seen as leaders when they were signed. Someone more qualified than us obviously saw something steely that we didn’t. And hopefully those characters combined with a few genuine star-quality types will help us instil a new mindset and go a bit further than we have previously.

Don`t forget that a poster who usually knows the inside track on the club`s signings, mentioned Luke Gale.

As a short term signing while Dean develops maybe he is what we need?

He will definitely lead us round the park, but hasn`t done much since he left Cas for Leeds and now Hull.

Thoughts?

On a 1 year deal i'd be fine with Gale, he can lead the team around whilst Williams can do his own thing ie runni g game.
I think whoever posted about it said he was a back up for if we can't get Dufty. Indicating Dufty is being signed for the halves.......if we do actually sign him?

Mate. He’s 34.

Yes he said this was a back up option to Duffy not coming. And yeh Gale is vocal.

Maybe so but he can lead a team around, only thing leading our team around the pitch is whizzy rascal.

I apologise to DallasMead I always thought Mike Cooper was 33 years old.