Quote: barham red "Ok in fear of doing exactly what you're criticising I'll put my POV in as an interested outsider.
I can understand the dispondency in your fan base if the Leeds game is anything to go by in terms of style of rugby and apparent tactical niaivety, but...
The general feeling is that Agar is not the man for the job and that may be correct but as a board they have to be deemed as being fair an sticking by their principals. They offered RA a contract extension and said they would back him and I assume expected an improvement in terms of results. He delivered that to some extent over the last season, your league position was vastly improved (the bar was low I know) and the failure at the first play off hurdle must have been a blow especially as it was to us but the improvement box was ticked.
Now if its a case of the brand of rugby being served up then that was never in RA's remit, and if it is the calls for Agar to be replaced by Noble make no sense, Noble was sacked by Wigan partly due to his boring safety first style of play. Would you prefer top end challenging ala Noble or playing the flashy stuff like cas and finishing lower down?
The problem is with FC is that a good fan base seems almost guaranteed, even on the back of 3 poor to average seasons 10K+ seems certain. A lot are saying they wont renew next year but TBH the club will sign a couple of Marquee players and everyone will be back on the bandwagon again cos your all fans and want to believe, we all do for our respective clubs.
So in short Nathan Browns comments mean nothin to the BoD, the fans are entiltled to opinions but the BoD wont listen unless it effects the sponsors or corporate backers. If they become disgruntled then there may be a change. This is probably the down fall of being self sufficient, clubs with a 'sugar daddy' are more apt to make quick decisions as the benefactor is usually a fan, not always a good thing tho'.'"
Mate you are as entitled to your say as the next person on here. I maybe got a little bit emotional, but thats sports fans for you. I do agree with what you say to a certain extent, but I do feel that things are changing now. We generally have been prepared to give Agar the benefit of the doubt. I was not happy with his appointment and I suspect I wasn't alone in that thought. But I have been prepared to ride out what was bound to be a transitional period.
Wembley was good, the injuries not so in 2008. Injuries again in 09 and then a mass clearout. Marquee players shipped in. Optimism increased and yes we improved, but christ from 12th to 6th for a club of our stature (financially) is really hardly difficult. Yes we could have beaten Leeds in the last game but for Radders sending off, but as I stated there were games last season when the players didn't turn up, tactics were appaling and generally we looked very unprofessional. 4th should have been wrapped up by the Leeds game.
I honestly feel that Agar will still be around in September regardless of results. No relegation, franchise in the bag why panic. BUT were I do take issue with you is if we do sign yet more marquee players.
Firstly with Agar in charge I can't see many rushing to us. The Aussie dollar is strong so its not that much of an incentive to be here. British players have traditionally been hard to attract and despite what Long has said it is clear that we are struggling to attract the players we chase. Ok that could be said of all clubs, but we seem to be struggling now. Just my perception I might add.
So I am at a loss as to where the marquee signings will come from in the first place.
But to go to your point, the faithful will return full of optimism I don't see it now. Many have already failed to renew passes. 1000 is the approximate number. Which from 9000 is still over 10% I can't work it out exactly. If we have another season of failure which it is strongly looking like we will then you can be sure another 10% will go. Suddenly the guaranteed 10k gates are looking harder to come by. Even with a marquee signing or two I don't think there is any guarantee that we will buy into it again. Fans will wait to see what actually happens on the pitch before leaping to splash the cash again.
Finally though Agar was part of the set up in 2005. We had success. In 2006 we kicked on and got to the GF with him as #2 again. From that high its been a disaster. We had so much potential then. Young players ready to take the world by storm. Kick on and dominate the top positions in SL. Those players have not developed. The squad has changed and the results have been with few exceptions poor. Wembley papered over the cracks a little and imo bought the club some time, but we are so far away from that now.
By the end of this season I suspect Horne, Long, Radders, Dowes, Fitz, Ogre, will all be gone. Manu, Briscoe, Moa may well be starting to get itchy feet. Thats half a squad with stacks of experience. Their replacements will have to step upto the plate and take us forward. Before we get them we have to be sure that the entire set up is ready and capable. Right now I fail to see that it is.
I hope I am wrong, but I and a growing band don't think I am as things stand.
PS for what its worth I am starting to think Mr Morgan has taken your lot as far as he can and that a new broom may well be needed for you to make the next level. Not trolling but I think its something you will soon start to consider. Ambitious clubs don't stand still. They morph, evolve and get stronger..........
