it takes strength of character and courage to admit making a mistake, Pearson's was colossal, and it may cost us a SL place. A bit of humility and humble pie will be a small price to pay.

Completely agree. But is Pearson able or willing to perform the volte-face this will require?

I've said it previously but I think we can still build a "Club Hull" without the coach necessarily being from Hull. It's not like Leeds and Wigan have always had a local boy in charge is it? A good coach will still be able to develop the young local players and if that coach can create a profession, competitive, environment at the club then the passion and loyalty would sort itself out IMO.

Whatever happens, Pearson has egg on his face. It was a massive (some would say reckless) gamble appointing Radford, and we're now seeing what many of us assumed would be the outcome at the time of his appointment.

In my opinion, the earlier Pearson admits his error and takes steps to rectify the situation, the less eggy his countenance will appear.

Exactly. I'm all for building the club around a core of home-grown players - it's the only way to achieve sustained success with the salary cap situation and whatnot - but the birthplace of the coach is a long way down the list of criteria upon which his selection should be based.

You have to ask yourself, would things be any different under Gentle?

If the answers yes in a positive way then you've got the wrong man for the job

Yes if it is for the good of the club, AP has shown previously he has the strength of conviction to do what he thinks is right as Gentle was here for the long haul apparently.

Radford needed to work as an assistant for much longer than he has before becoming a Head Coach at this level or go out an join a championship club to learn the skills needed. I thought Darryl Powell was shafted at Leeds in a way as he put some good things in place that Tony Smith benefitted from but he went away and honed his skills at a lower level. Warrington also righted the wrong of appointing Lowes as Head Coach before he was ready by bringing Smith.

I'm not saying Radford wouldnt make a good head coach at some point but he needs to gain the experience first as he is nowhere near ready yet.

As for a building a team around a empathtic coach thats not what Wigan or Leeds have done, they have simply employed quality coaching set ups and build their teams around a core of home grown players through their academies. They now have coaches from the local area but they have both come in as Head Coaches to clubs that have a strong foundation and have both gained experience to take on the roles.

Oh, I completely agree that it was a very strange strategy to publicly declare, particularly considering the very small ball-pool currently available. I believe Pearson's head was turned by Radford's avaracious whisperings into his ear so didn't see the long sharp knife his playing staff plunged into Gentle's back egged on by his local hero.

Problem for Radford is he's now reaping what he's sown. The disloyalty he encouraged towards his former boss he is starting to see turned against him, if rumours of his losing the dressing room are to be believed. I think the outrage against Gentle started when he - rightly - dropped Yeaman. The players backed the player, unchecked by Gentle's assistant who should have backed the coach, is my belief. So why is Radford surprised that his constant swapping and changing accompanied by a running commentary in the media has not inspired the players to continued commitment to him?

It's plain to me that it's Radford's man-management that's at the bottom of this slump. Just as many predicted would happen given the rapid promotion of a player and mate to boss. The 'local' red herring has only compounded the unfolding disaster - the local 'glue' has become our undoing.

Some of us knew he was the wrong man as soon as he got the job.

In all honesty I do think we would have been better if Gentle was still the Head Coach.

Much better IMO, At least 3 more league wins and still in the cup IMO.

What, and still coaching by and large the same group of players who let him down in the Huddersfield game. What makes you think he would have been able to get them playing for him again.
It appears to be an institutional problem in our club, where player power rules.
Radford was said to have the full support of the squad. It hasn't taken long for that to change, apparently.
Yes we need a better coach, but who? Who would want to coach a squad that seems to behave like a petulant child when it doesn't get its way.

Nail on the head there Wormy.

Good post Chris,

There are proven NRL coaches who are currently unemployed, Flanagan,Elliott, Smith who
could make us into contenders -instead of pretenders, with the existing squad.

IF these coaches, could employ their own coaching structure, surely it would make more financial sense than, Pearson paying off players contracts.

You perfectly describe the cancer at our club. Yes, it was too late, sadly, for Gentle who could have continued to build a lasting legacy if not thwarted by the ambitions of his assistant and that inherent cancer. But you can't go back.

It's probably also too late for Radford who, being part of the culture, should have been forewarned and therefore armed, but, as many have before him, put too much trust in the loyalty of 'his' boys.

It's a really difficult one to solve and needs to undoubtedly involve a clearout of the players who have contributed to this. Unfortunately, this should have happened after Agar's tenure (conversely an example of the players protecting themselves by clamouring to keep the coach who gave them an easy life) never mind Gentle's, but didn't, and that's why it prevails still. I have no idea who the man is who can achieve this and, like you say, who would want to? Perhaps Tony Smith?