Time for Tony to hand over the reins?

Curious that we assume the club are blameless when Tony has been valued and respected in every other club he has been at. At the end of last season his stock was sky high. Reports of Hudgell in the dugout? Didn't he do this when Justin was in charge and get in the changing room?

It’s because we’re losing. If we’d continued our pre-strop form, the club would have attracted flak for letting such an excellent coach go.

It’s telling the we already think of the club and Tony Smith as separate. After the way he delivered his announcement, wins were needed to stop the cracks from spreading.

When he arrived, it was a boost. He had a lot more prestige than other potential candidates linked with the role. Maybe we/the club should be more grateful, but it is not a good look for him to be the one implying that. Also, even from the very beginning it was worrying that he saw us, in part, as a vehicle to assuage his RL ennui. There was a misalignment between his boredom with percentage rugby and ours with being bullied in the middle of the park. Win and there’s no tension… lose and it feels like we’re a sketchpad for the cack ideas of somebody who has enjoyed success at rich clubs, again.

My *hypothesis* -it is more nuanced than TS having what the tribalists are calling a "dummy spit". He formed a strong unit with the players last term and they gave the best Rovers season in years. From a very low base. Things aren't great behind the scenes to the point even the club's brightest prospect is *unsettled*. Accountability for this position should be shared, not conveniently dumped at one scapegoat's door.

It should, although how is difficult to judge on the very limited information available. I don’t blame Tony Smith or that press conference for all of what has happened, although it feels like a major contributory factor to me. He also deserves plenty of credit for last season’s play-off win and the strong start to this year, plus the good signings he’s made.

The thing about convenience though is that it is convenient. We can’t sensibly put Smith on 40% gardening leave, Lakin on 25% and put our six most disappointing players on performance improvement plans. If things don’t improve, then the person most accountable will carry the can, and the rest will have to pull together to improve things behind the scenes. Do what’s best, and if it is the same as what’s right that is nice. It usually isn’t.

One misjudgement shouldn’t define his time at Rovers, but if some wins don’t come soon it will.

Well it didn’t disappoint.