Picking up on Karetaker and Wire71 posts within another thread about recruitment

IF - and it's a big IF - the recruitment is primarily down to the coach, which Wire coaches have a good history of recruiting the right players and getting them to play well?
(as opposed to promoting juniors from within).
And in SL which coaches have a good history of recruitment?

For Wire I struggle to think of one.
TS was one of the worst (from memory) - suprisingly.
PC - a mixed bunch. For every Gleeson (the good parts) there was a Cardiss.
DP - a mixed bunch - good Vaughan, bad Dudson (although I thought he was an OK signing at the time).

In SL, maybe Rowley, McNamara, Watson?
I think a fair number (but not all) of the Saints and Wigan coaches got their recruitment right but the key factor there was that it was a limited number they were recruiting because of their 'in house promotion'.
That shows the real advantage of having a strong youth system.
You know what you'll get. They know what you want - developed over years.

Thoughts?

Definiately not

The other factor is that the top clubs that win leagues will likely attract the better player.

Imagine being a sought after Aussie prop and having the choice of say Wigan or Salford and the money is the same.

Well Cullen built the squad TS took over the problem was the rumours suggested it was just one long jolly boys outing. He sorted that out to a degree. After that and overall recruitment was scratchy from all. We got the odd nugget Waterhouse, Solomona J Monaghan but never what you would call a squad/team that was a team. Ofc these are just my views and others will differ

The big difference with the squad now is we showing faith in youngsters which clubs like saints,Wigan and Leeds have done for years. Hate to say this but I think it will take a few years for this to fully work but am so happy with how it’s going now.

One last thing for me regarding recruitment can we just stop with jobs for the boys. We still have links to the Cullen era and until that is fully eradicated from the club that culture will still exist. Although it’s a step in right direction with DoR and current coaching staff is massively making a difference to that.

So players recruited under Powell we seem to be having a Daja vu moment and that they have improved with Burgess.

It could be argued the DoR was "jobs for the boys" ?

I think it’s clear to see that there is no more young players clinging on to a bus exhaust system and he already had a job within the club, just loading him up with a greater responsibility, taking some burden off the coaching staff.
So I don’t think you’d find much support with your argument.

I have no idea about the first bit and I never said it was my argument.

But I would probably suggest the club didn't look far and wide and interview many candidates for DoR before appointing Chambers.

I assume Wires71 was suggesting that the fact that we gave the DoR to Chambers - someone with a long history with the club - could be considered a 'jobs for the boys' mentality.

I call it time served apprenticeship.

I do understand the point about Chambers. It’s always been the RL way just to play safe and pick people you know, we had a whole gang of people, no doubt we’re qualified but we’ll never know if they were the best candidate. People like Thurstfield, Rudd, Thornley, Vinny Webb and Dave Elliot for example. Some have gone on to big jobs in sport, Elliot is head of education at the RFL and Webb has gone through the grades at the RFL before leaving the sport to go to the Olympic cycling team and beyond. Some were appointed on merit, despite being close to the club, but some have not gone on to progress once the association with the club ended.

Chambers shouldn’t be discarded because of his long-standing affiliation with the club. Hearing him speak over the years he has always been values led, and I’m sure nobody is as frustrated as him by the lack of trust in youth over the years. Considering we bought in John Bastian at a cost, Phil Jones came with a reputation, alongside bringing in heads of talent ID, Peter Farrell, without seeing much return on that investment.

Chambers is here, and the feel for the youth production and exposure has improved light years this year. May be down to Burgess, may be down to the economic climate and we want to keep money in the bank rather than buying in fringe players, but whatever is happening right now, I want it to continue in that direction.

Cullen put together a quality squad, it just took Smith to kick them up the butt and get them hitting form.

Vinny Webb is a name I’ve not heard for 35 years or more.
Worked with him at TI New World, AKA Richmonds.

Dr Webb I believe. Doctorate in elite performance. If memory serves, he left us about the same time as Cull, with Rich Marshall coming in to replace him. Smart man. Coined the phrase “if you can touch it, you can catch it” which will ring in the ears of anyone who played for him. PTSD.

I worked at New World too....MANY moons ago

He played for GB BARLA , skipper I think with tape round his head and ears.
Took a few Bob off him at poker when o was dealt 4 aces!

I hope you didn't count your money whilst sitting at the table, there'll be time enough for counting.....