I am plucking your quote Poynton amongst many over numerous threads, so its not personal. I may also might not be right but here's my opinion.

Considering the sporting worlds notoriety for clubs financial meltdowns and Wakefield Wildcats history of financial problems I can understand a certain degree of worry. I can understand frustrations with on field performances. I can understand frustrations with off field issues and queries that either have been resolved late or haven't been resolved at all for fans. As fans over the years it hasn't been extremely enjoyable. Good moments, but not many consistent periods of enjoyment.

Lets just recap and consider a few things about this season. The club was very close to another administration and every single fan worried about our existence. Michael, Chris, Kath and the other members have worked wonders to get us to a stage where we have a club and a badge to back. This is easily forgotten not by all, but by a lot of people. Expectations from fans range from modest to ludicrous. I'm good friends with most at the club but I won't like every single decision they make. I want to see progress and I want a successful club. I want a club to be proud of and this has waned over the years. But as players, coaches and owners come and go there's always the badge (The club). Can we as supporters continue to back the badge. Can we at least give the current owners and leadership team some backing so we have a badge to back? They are only human and need encouragement, support and patience when things aren't so good. I'm not saying you have to like everything or agree with every decision but try and empathise with the overall demands of running a rugby club. Any supporters true value are similar to friends. Are they around when times are tough? Can you count on them to help and support you when your'e down? Everyone wants to be around you when your on the up and achieving but if there not around when the going gets tough they aren't true friends nor supporters. They are just attendees.

Throughout the early diagnosis of the club, many issues were solved to enable us to remain in super league, become financially viable and at least attempt to avoid the drop (The main objective after financial security). Other issues keep popping up and there is the issue of the general running of a club on a day to day basis. Even when things are all going smoothly it can takes its toll. When things aren't going as planned it can be the devils job. It is disheartening for all connected to the club when things aren't going smoothly but that doesn't mean people don't care. In fact I think it's quite disrespectful people saying that.

I understand people would like to see better performances on the field. I do. I often constructively question the players performances as well as appreciate their efforts. Many have played well in a couple of games and then had off games. They haven't seemed to string 3/4 games together where every player has played well together. It's been sporadically when lets say for an example Anderson, Kirmond and Ryan have been hitting the straps, Scruts, Sammutt and Mcshane haven't and vice versa. I believe the players are good enough but they haven't been good enough considering their talents and abilities. Players dropped or out of position need to stay strong and work hard. Out of form players need to regain confidence and believe in their ability whilst working their socks off (you make your on luck), form players need to encourage and pull the other players into line whilst setting a marker for the others to follow. Most importantly they need to stick together and work as a team to achieve their goals. They will constantly get criticisms (some justified, some not), personal insults and unwarranted attention from people. Throughout this keep the bond, keep the camaraderie, keep the unity, keep the belief and keep grafting 100% and more often than not they will get their own and teams rewards!



Remember If we are financially stable and continue being so and we do avoid relegation, this is a major success and phase 1 completed. Phase 2 and onwards is open for negotiation with stadium/s, strengthening of community teams, back room staff and playing squads. All this takes time but if we are patient, we do support throughout the tough times and we do build up our reputation it can be done. I am thankful as a supporter at where we are today and to everyone who has contributed and been involved in getting us here. There is Work to be done and improvements to be made, but I have a club to support and I will support them!

On a final note I would like to see harmony, camaraderie and teamwork throughout all sections of the club over the coming years. History has shown us that at times supporters groups, stadium groups, youth funding streams/groups, volunteers, staff and other groups contribute massively. However this has been done intermittently at different times. Supporters/Staff Egos, disillusionment, people taken for granted, fall outs and other issues have meant that certain cogs have been run in isolation. This has been over a decade or more. Imagine if we can work together so that all these areas are going strong with everyone pulling in the right direction. This takes time, trust, honesty and a vision. It can be done and I hold hope that over time we can establish Wakefield Wildcats as not only a team to be proud off but a club to be proud of through its ethical, efficient and professional infrastructures.

backthebadge

I would say that 99% of those that turn up on Sunday do back the badge and are proud fans the trouble is they pay the money into the club.Those that want Agar out and grumble about performances are doing so because they see it as the only way forward.Its ok saying back the badge some of the players need to do the same as if they were I would say all of us could put up with a loss if the effort is on display.There are 18 men at this club the 18th man is still doing his part its time for the rest to stand up if that appears like I don't back the badge then so be it but I think you will find I only want the best for this club.Im/not/wont knock what MC or CB has done so far to get the club on an even footing.

I do back the badge, but the players need to do the same!

Agar out might be the way forward, it might not. I wouldn't want our board rushing into decisions about sacking managers if we were loaded but when we are not its even more important to attempt to make the right decision. Just out of interest. If we were to finish A 12 B 10 C 9 D 8 in the league this year would you if it was your choice retain or release Agar for each?

I want the players to back the badge obviously but if they do not I still will back the badge because I'm doing my bit. I appreciate there is a lot who do back the badge and are spending their money. That's appreciated. But I would say there is more that don't in our district then that do. 3330,000 residents and 3 pro teams. Money is tight and we compete with many other forms of entertainment but generally our fan base is poor. I understand it takes a lot of resilience to be a Wildcats fan. I don't dispute that.. It's not the easiest of train rides!!

You could take the population numbers of any Town/City and see the same percentage not supporting the local club as some wont be into RL to start with. You only need look at who supports what football clubs and for what its worth its not my game so didn't go watch Wakefield football club play.I work with lads from Bradford who support Leeds utd and some from leeds who follow Liverpool.
As for Agar I don't see him taking the club forward to be honest its ok throwing the ball about side to side but we don't make as much ground as we should plus even towards the end of his first season 7 wins on the trot we were fortunate as we still let some real soft scores in against us more so outwide.I think part of his problem is he wants to be best mates with the players this is probably why all those that have played for him think hes a good coach.The other thing is just might be his assistant Webster aint a defensive coach as well and he could do with a good defensive assistant to get the right balance.Would I let Agar go well it looks like I would due to poor defensive structures letting things down then again its not my money (though revenue will suffer with walk up fans if this continues) so out of my hands.Unless I won that lotto then things would have to change but I wont hold my breath on that one.

Its going to be tough this Sunday and we are unlucky that Warrington seem to have picked up form as we play
them but I'm quite looking forward to Sundays game.
It was always going to be a tough season, I've not been too happy with some of the 'goings on' on and off the field
but lets see what sort of response we get from the players on Sunday and make some noise at BV.

Les - Regarding the defensive structures, is it not acceptable that in the modern game teams can put a score on you pretty quickly if you're not at your best?

We cannot expect to be at our best every week, there is going to be inconsistent results because we are a struggling team....as I posted on another thread yesterday, other teams in and around us are equally as bad defensively..

In fact, if you break down our season you could look at it and say against the current top 5 we've conceded 241 points in 6 games at an average of 40.16 per game....but against the rest have conceded 155 points in 7 games at an average of 22.14 pts....when you consider there was one really, really poor one in amongst the 2nd lot....the Hull KR away (44 points) then I don't think our problems are as deep as some people make out? I think we have definitely showed enough in our defensive structures against most teams we should be giving a game to suggest there is plenty more wins in us yet....

Brilliant post by the way Mick Amos....totally agree...

Sorry but I think your figures highlight the fact that we DO have a serious defensive problem.
For me, discipline was a big issue earlier in the season but I'm a loss now to pinpoint what is wrong. The players should be made to adopt the attitude of the Wigan youngsters against Leeds. That's the enthusiasm you need to win games!

I know I'm a Wire and I don't totally understand what's going on at Wakey but the interviews and the game on Sunday it appears you have a select few players who can be bothered and the rest give up as soon as the score line goes against them. Agars post match interview came across as though he was way in over him head and he hasn't a clu what he's going to do about it. I think you need a tough manager who isn't scared of letting players know the craic.

I'm not saying this to troll in anyway, it's just my opinion from an outsider looking in. I'd say if you come into form like Cas have done this season, playing with passion and working for each other, yeah you might still be on the end of a few hidings bit it would come. A bit like London, they're getting tonked but you are slowly seeing improvements and scorelines becoming more respectable.

Constructive criticism and I agree.

Why would we think you are trolling.

All fair points and coming from an outsider are maybe more valid than some views on here.

Excellent post by the op.
However, as paying customers, many fans feel that they should be able to question team selection and attitude (particularly on an open forum) and these issues stem directly from the Head Coach who is responsible for motivation and tactics.
On a number of occasions this season there have been some bizarre personnel and positional selections and in some of these instances we have been mickey poor.
Therefore people are right to question what Mr Agar is thinking.
Of course, we all need to remember where the club was, just a few months ago and we should all support the club and there is a debt of gratitude owed to MC and his team and perhaps on occasion some comments should be slightly less harsh but the results in games like KR (away) and Cas (home) shouldn't just be brushed aside as "a bad day at the office".
Lot's of our supporters have to work hard all week to be able to afford to watch Wakefield at the weekend and 100% effort is a minimum requirement.

Absolutely bang on! Even fans from other teams can see what's going wrong. In all my years of watching Trinity I can't remember getting tonked as many times as we do - and that's in the days when we only had a team made up of journeymen and young lads. This lot on paper are supposedly more than decent, Sammut, Scruton, Anderson, Godinet, Ryan, Kirmond, Smith, Walshaw, Tautai all really good players, that's more than half a team. A good coach to get them playing regularly like one and we would be mid table not one struggling and 'hoping' to win matches as our leader said in the post match v Cas.

Excellent post Moving on but I wish the words of the OP, Mick, had been spoken by Mr Carter.

The post-match interview after the magic weekend debacle is what really worried me. Agar sounded absolutely clueless. Would you be inspired by this:

“We’ve had two or three weeks of heading in the right direction but when we have too many people that aren’t at the top of their game then we have got that in us,” said Agar of a second derby defeat of the year.

“I thought the start of the game was very, very important for us. Castleford do start games exceptionally well and have done all season and I thought once we were in the grind in the first few sets we then throw a really soft, loose pass in our own ten, try a chip and chase and kick a ball out on the full. It probably set the tone for us. We felt at half-time we were dealing with a shell shocked team.

“We felt that two or three of Castleford’s tries we handed them to them on a plate. They were clinical and they’re a good side, a really good side. We didn’t have enough answer or response to the guys in the middle. The amount of offloads they got and Daryl Clark was particularly threatening off the back of that. We practised for it, trained for it but at the coalface you’ve got to make your tackles better than we did.”