rlhttp://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/343/071/773/sack-keiron-cunningham-from-saints-rlfcrl

Astonishing, incredible, appalling.... even by Saints fans' dismal standards... surely this is a wind up? Even Saints fans wouldn't launch a petition about one of the greatest players to have ever played for their club, a true Saints legend... would they....? I mean there's even a statue of him outside Trailer Park, isn't there? (I know it looks more like Andy Farrell, but that's not the point, it is supposed to be Cunningham, I think...)

You couldn't make it up.

Think we should start a petition to keep him there

It's such an awkward situation because of his legendary status at the club. This is the equivilant of us having Radlinski as boss and us wanting rid. I'd hope we'd never get to a situation like that with somebody starting a petition but it only takes one lunatic.

The one thing I would say about Cunningham is he's been let down a little with the investment in the team. I doubt he's hand picked the signings over the last couple of years but they've been awful. He seems limited as a coach but you look around that side for players to break a game open for him ala Manfredi, Williams, Tomkins etc and they're very thin on the ground. There's an astonishing lack of pace in that team and by that I mean both in speed across the ground and the speed in which they move the ball at.

I was never sure how Cunningham was qualified to walk into a head coach job at a club like St Helens.

We all know, or should, that being a past great player counts for squat on its own, and that coaching skills are quite different. But clearly St Helens were so carried away by the wonder of KC - it was the same hero-worship that drove them to erect of statue of him while he was still playing (an act of Rocky-esque ludicrousness) - that they lost sight of this.

He hasn't been helped by poor signings, but he clearly needed to serve a much longer apprenticeship during which time he'd either come good or prove that he wasn't up to it.

Now they've got this embarrassing situation on their hands.

Spot on... Ludicrous decision....

I would have signed it 10 years ago.

Whilst I think it's pathetic for fans to do this, 47 signatures so far (and incredibly disloyal to such a club legend), KC has to take personal responsibility for accepting the job in the first place. What made the club think he was good enough as a coach to appoint him and why did KC think he was good enough or experienced enough to take the club forward? It's ok blaming recruitment but the club and KC have to shoulder much of the responsibility.
I still think they'll finish top 4 though but is back to the debate on the poor overall standard of the league in general.

I feel sorry for him. He's never going to be a favourite son in Wigan for obvious reasons, but he comes across as a decent respectful guy. Quite clearly out of his depth though and that won't change any time soon, so it's a difficult next move for McManus.

Do they persevere with crossed fingers that suddenly it'll click or do they take that difficult decision? Talking to some sensible Saints fans post-game on Friday, they didn't agree with me that he is unsackable and thought judgement will be passed sooner rather than later.

Who would they go for? If I was McManus I'd be searching my call book for Daniel Anderson's number.

Correction : Saints have at least fourty seven imbecilic fans. The vast majority see it as the cringeworthy petulance that it is. That said, Cunningham's appointment was a mistake and extending his contract was an even bigger mistake.

See this season out see how he does, if Saints have a poor season give him the option to walk.

Is the statue coming down if he goes?

This problem is indemic in the British game. We have this obsession that great players make great coaches and can do it without learning their trade. A coach needs to work his way up from the youth teams to first team involvement to assistant. IMO he should then be assistant to at least 2 head coaches before (if ready) making the step up.

I see what you did there....