how bad does it have to get before Radford is sacked?

Radford's struggled with the attacking side of our structure there can be no doubt. For me it's a mix of things that are the cause. In some ways Westerman's outstanding form for the first half of the season masked some of the attacking issues. He was performing the main play making role singlehandedly which meant that the lack of creativity in the halves was less obvious. We lost some narrow games due to poor individual errors. Add to this some poor quality core passing skills from the 'spine' in Houghton/Heremaia/Miller/Rankin and Horne which make us look amateur at times with ball in hand. That's not particularly a Radford related issue we've been shocking at this for a long time and it's a big reason why points have been hard to come by over recent years. Finally the total absence of anything approaching a SL standard kicking game since the departure of Holdsworth (his only real input but a vital one) has meant we haven't been able to create any pressure that way either.

Defensively our record is half decent but overall the pack should have been more dominant than it has been. That said we have in the main had enough field position in games to win them but it's the sometimes alarming low core skill standard together with at times a diabolical level of individual errors and a lack of attacking options that have seen us fall short. The suggestion that Radford would benefit from some assistance in the coaching department has merit and I would hope that Pearson will rectify this.

Radford has probably made a few too many personnel changes for games overall although I'm not really one for having massive sympathy for dropped players - if they were playing well enough individually they wouldn't be dropped. No one has been dropped for playing well - there will always be allegations of favouritism but without seeing the whole picture of how players train and what attitude they bring it's not easy to make well founded claims from the outside. There are one or two players who have been talked up by Radford that I do find it difficult to see his point of view about however.

Pearson has said he is sticking with Radford so it will be a surprise if he changes his mind although anything is possible. The idea that he has 'backed himself into a corner' is nonsense - he's made a decision that he appears to be sticking by to change the way the club works - young players brought in through our own systems in the main. That takes time and Radford looks as though he will be given it. Next season's signings will improve us without doubt - Sneyd has miles more class than any current half at the club and Pryce will hopefully aid the younger players coming through. We need more than that - personally I think a new first choice hooker would improve us but that's a bit controversial I guess. People can regurgitate the same points every week (with some merit) but Pearson seems to be sticking to his guns. The emergence of several young talents is promising but next season results will be even more important and Radford needs help to improve things IMO.