Moving Forward
By Lindsay Clayton
December 18 2013
After having a bit of an outburst after the game on Thursday I started to think about why I feel the way I do and how to justify it.
I am not trying to tell people what to think. Just let you know where I am coming from. Also this site needs an article soon or the board will die over Christmas when I am on the piste!
I have always been anti negativity. I can't see how it is in the least bit constructive. Just because I choose not to reflect on the many things that are not right with our beloved team doesn't mean that I don't see them. Anyone who has been at a game with me would attest to that. I just don't hurl it at the players constantly throughout the game from the anonymity of the stands or rattle off a few choice words online either. (Well maybe on the odd occasion, nobody's perfect!)
The players don't deliberately get it wrong, drop the ball, pass poorly or fall off tackles. They do what the can. The coaching staff have to take what they lads are doing well and use it to push out the errors. It may be that I want to see it, but I do believe that there are clear signs that many in the squad are getting the message, but equally there are some that are clearly not.
In patches on Thursday we played well. The lineout and scrum functioned consistently, we stole ball on their lineout and forced a yellow card for their Biarritz loose head. We scored 3 tries, 2 from open play that came from good rugby. The defensive processes forced Biarritz back into their own half and our line speed was good. The bits in between these phases of good play have been the blight of the Warriors for a good few seasons.
To only concentrate on the negatives in any dressing room in the land ain't going to improve play any time soon and that is a fact. Any coach worth their salt finds a way to use the positive things to eradicate the poor passing, bad decision making and general lacklustre play.Constructiveness is the only way to build and permanently alter thought processes under pressure.
I am in no doubt that the wrong decisions of the past 4 to 5 years are the foundation of our current ills, knee jerk after knee jerk and resulting in the iterative degrading of the playing squad, both in quality and fitness levels. If we don't find a way of stopping that then we have no future. We have tried papering over the cracks with big name signings and we all know how that turned out. So it is back to basics and building a team from the bottom up, which is not going to be an easy ride for supporters, players and coaching staff alike.
Dean Ryan is man to hold his nerve, in my opinion, and after listening him on the 3rd December I have to say he spoke the most common sense, about the past ills of the Warriors, I have ever heard.
He and the other senior staff at the Warriors seem determined to stop being wholly reactionary in their decision processes. Much more measured and thought out, resulting in a very good appointment in Nick Johnston to oversee the conditioning of the squad. Given that he is responsible for the current fitness levels of the Northampton Saints speaks volumes.
So those who expect, and demand, change now will be very disappointed. There will be no deviation from the plan for at least 2 or 3 more seasons, which I think is a good thing. This comprehensive change in culture takes time, which is what we have heard before, but many of us believe that this coaching set up is far better placed to actually produce the goods. So ready yourselves for the drop and rather than see it as a disaster, see it as a new beginning. A place from where the Warriors squad we have all been waiting for will at last emerge. And it will be achieved by focusing on what can be done, not on what can't.
Have a Very Merry Christmas and let's hope for a succesful New Year!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:01:08:20:49:57 by Powick Eastander.
We have heard a lot of twaddle from DoR's in the past, but I think that a line in the sand has been drawn and we now, whatever happens in the next few months, sink or swim with what we have in terms of a coaching team. On paper they look as good as most in the AP so I think we should be optimistic in the long run. Stranger things have happened and the poster that predicted a relegation decider in the last game of the season may not be too far out.
I echo your sentiments and belief, "what does not kill us will only make us better". Lets regroup and come back stonger ( & fitter) than previously.
Simples!
Bridgnorth Baloo
Why does improving short term jeopardise improvement long term? Surely the reverse is true as now we are almost certainly relegated in humiliating fashion we will lose income, we have no guarantee of promotion and frankly can't see too many being keen to play for us after this season.
It's a complete disaster, and is doing us massive harm in both the short term and long term.
Warriors Rugby Supporters Club We aren't very fit and don't look like we are playing to any sort of plan. Both of these things could and should be improved.
I don't see why we need to burn the house down. It's madness. Who knows what will be left of our support base or our reputation to recruit after this seasons debacle.
The way we are headed we will sink into the Championship and not return.
Can you name for me one thing that has actually improved this season?
" SEMPER BELLATOR "
And LI have a different starting point than us. They still had their academy..
The house needs a great deal of renovation from the bottom up so starting afresh is needed. No more ineffectual tinkering. I agree that if this doesn't work nothing will.
If we are not looking like promotion this time next year then I will concede that this process is a failure, but not until then.
Warriors Rugby Supporters Club Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:01:05:12:12:10 by Powick Eastander.
It is also a new experience for the coaching team and one that on current evidence thy are finding it difficult to cope with.
We really need a player or two to make game changing contributions. In the Brain era we had Gillies as the best lineout operator in the league and Sanderson as a standout captain and openside. Who do we have now in that class that can influence the team? For me captaincy is still a big issue four years after Pat retired.
We have little alternative but to trust in DR give the team our support, it is going to be a difficult 18 months.
I'm honestly not sure where we go from the current mess. Having made the commitment with DR I don't think we can change again, but on the other hand his first season has been an utter utter disaster. There is no other way to describe what has happened. I'm really concerned that DR is talking a great story but doesn't have the wherewithall or the financial support to turn things around.
I agree it's relatively early to judge, but it's an inescapable fact we should have expected more. I have a deep sense of foreboding that we are going to join Bristol as premiership has beens and struggle to get back up.
At the moment support is frankly an act of blind faith that things will get better.