Silly is being polite!

No coach is going to think "x is a really good player but a few people on a messageboard don't rate him, so I best stay clear of picking him"

Well I know the previous incumbant of the England coaching position but doubt he'd listen to me on team selection issues

Ok .....I admit that my last comment regarding how you black and white's have contributed to why the best hooker in the Super League hasn't received international honours is somewhat ridiculous .......But, you black and whites have scapegoated Houghton over the previous years because of your incessant belief that you should be a top 4 team, and when you weren't a top 4 team the majority of you turned on the best hooker in the Super League and picked apart his game to find a reason why you weren't a top 4 team ........And now that you are a top 4 team, suddenly you all acknowledge that that the rest of the rugby league community have known for ages .......That is that Danny is the best hooker in our game today and is our national number one .......Fans are so fickle!

So you concede that your comment was ridiculous and then come up with even more claptrap?

Oh dear!

Why bring me into this?
DH has and always be a 100% player, however there where bits of his game that needed improving to be in that top bracket for 1st name down for international selection. I said what everyone else was saying, that his distribution was dropping off at times, his intensity wasn't as high toward the back end of a half, and yes a lot of the time that was because he was making up for others and for the last two seasons at least doing 80 minutes solid behind a poorly coached side.
He was far more effective when rotated with Heremia but at that time Roby was better and on the back of Clark's good season he was also seemingly better in attack at least during that season which was seen as more desirable for the England set up rather than the defensive monster that DH is.

This year he HAS improved, he is managing his efforts better, he's got fitter (As have a lot of the players which has been mentioned on this forum elsewhere), he's improved all round. Yes he has a much better pack, but despite that he's making the same number of tackles on average as he always has. And at this moment in time he's the best 'hooker' in SL by far.

For once it wasn't a dig, just two of the first two posters I thought of, take it as a compliment.

I do concede that my last point is ridiculous, didn't you read my last comment were I said so?

And, did I come out with more claptrap? .......Are you saying that you black and white's didn't question Danny Houghton's game when you were just an average team? ........Danny Houghton hasn't suddenly improved drastically, he is playing the same game that he always had .......The only difference is that he has better players around him ......But, you black and whites who picked apart his game in order to find a scapegoat when you were performing poorly and weren't that top 4 team that all of your fans delusionaly think your are simply because of your attendances is suddenly forgotten about because you are now a top 4 team ........Danny Houghton hasn't suddenly improved or changed his game .......All that has changed is the black and white fan's perception of him now that you are an actual top 4 team and not just a deluded team thinking that they should be a top 4 team simply because of your attendances.

These squabbling's aside .......Danny Houghton is the best hooker in the Super League and he should be our country's number one hooker regarding international honours .......Roby, McIlorum, Hodgson and Clark included.......Houghton is without a doubt the best English hooker by far!

Idiot!

You're just rambling now. You do realise that apart from the fact that not everyone on here criticised him, this board makes up about 1% of Hull's supporter base?



Ah, lost the argument so resort to personal insults, standard.

I'm not sure Houghton was ever really scapegoated. I can't ever recall anyone calling for him to be dropped for example.

I have criticised him in the past, some of it maybe a bit OTT due to way the whole team was performing. But hooker is a vital position, and Houghton had deficiencies in his game that imo went some way towards stifling our attack. I still rated him, the guy is and always has been a phenomenal athlete and professional. This year, a combination of his own improvement and the pack dominance has seen him play outstandingly well.

Martyn Sadler (editor of League Express) was on RH tonight and said he thought Gareth Ellis was clear front runner for MoS at this point - interesting external perspective. With Bateman potentially ruling himself out it narrows the field a bit. Think Stewart at Catalans has a massive chance personally, been brilliant for them thus far.