Quote: Rooster Booster "This is for everyone that didn't rate him, or indeed may have.
What's changed in Mac for him to have victories under his belt?
Do things like this show he could coach all along? Does it show there's only so much you can do with a team you have?
I'm generally interested in what people think.'"
Mac had my backing 100% when it came to motivation of players. He was gruff and tough, pulled very few punches and spoke his mind, which I appreciated.
He was hamstrung by the number of English players that would come south for him and by his lack of expertise/knowledge in the Aussie market. He could see the kids coming through and understood it would take maybe another 10 years....and he was frustrated that it was 10 years he didn't have.
He hated losing and that's why he seemed reluctant to leave Harlequins RL, but his family had to come first and rightly so.
As for now and at Leeds. I believed that he was a great motivator but not a brilliant tactician and not a lot has changed in that opinion. for the first 3 seasons, his team struggled and only when they played like the 'Leeds of old' in games they were in danger of losing did it all come good. The difference between him and a coach that has "lost the players" is that even though it seemed he was coaching them badly and they had to revert to old style to win, he had their 100% support. That's his USP.
Surround him with good tacticians and he will deliver 17 guys who will go that extra mile.......
I think he is a good coach......I think he will make a great coach in time, so long as you give him the back-up staff he needs.
I'd have him back at London in a heartbeat!