Maynard: Show me you care
By Brian Dick, Coventry Telegraph
November 12 2009
PHIL Maynard has warned his misfiring Coventry players he expects a reaction to last Friday’s woeful home defeat to London Welsh. And he wants it this Saturday when the rugby director takes the Blue and Whites to Sharmans Cross Road to face a Bees team he once led to Powergen Cup glory. The Solihull outfit are without a Championship win this season but are targeting the visit of Cov as
their best opportunity.
And after a week of soul-searching and team-bonding Maynard has told his charges they must be up for the fight this weekend.
“London Welsh was easily our poorest performance of the season,” Maynard admitted. “The players and coaches have taken a long hard look at each other this week and there have been some pretty robust exchanges of views.
“That kind of performance on Friday night, in front of our own fans, was just not acceptable. We have to front up wherever we go but especially at home.”
Maynard asked all of his players to contact him individually over the weekend to inform him of their commitment – or otherwise – to the Cov jersey.
All of them did just that and he claims he is pleased with what he heard from squad leaders like Arthur Brenton who told him he wanted the captaincy back but accepted he had to first earn his place in the side.
And while the former Bees coach accepts this weekend’s local derby could be a banana-skin, it could also be the perfect opportunity to start putting things right.
“I am quietly confident we wills see a response on Saturday.
“The boys we have got are all good players but they have got to be a bit more ruthless when they take to the pitch.”
Maynard will have to juggle his back row resources with Aaron Carpenter away with the Canadian squad. That could force Jamie Millar back to No 8 or see Henno Venter step up from the bench.
Bees are struggling in the front row. Hooker Jack Preece injured ribs at Doncaster last Saturday and Russell Earnshaw is hoping back-up George Thomas recovers from a hand problem.
* FORMER Coventry hooker Andy Farrington died yesterday at the age of 52 after a battle with cancer.
Farrington played 239 times for Cov from 1978 to 1993, having joined them from Caludon Castle.
He also represented Warwickshire and Midland Counties, and went on to play for Broadstreet after leaving Coventry.
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woods, it's in the hipflask! (Steve Emms)
' COME ON COV '
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:11:12:16:35:17 by Jel of Solihull.
“The boys we have got are all good players but they have got to be a bit more ruthless when they take to the pitch.”
Maynard how many times have we heard this@#$%&this season.
You show us you care and just go. We dont want you or need the continuos bull you keep spreading.
Maynard, instead of using the pages of the media to get the players to show they care about the club, use it to get the club to show it cares about its employees - the players.
An absolute disgrace !
Because they've phoned him to commit themselves, he thinks he has achieved a panacea and that everything will be alright. How unbelievably innane, innocent and pathetic. This from a man with whom, as far as playing standards are concerned, the bucks stops. You would expect a leader of the local cubs and scout troops to do better.
But Andrew Greed clearly thinks he's a top man.
I hate being so negative. It's not in my nature, normally, but where is there anything to feel positive about?
The coach should be aware of this from the minute he takes control of the coaching job, and any players not committed should be out of the club.
I would rather be in a division lower with 100% committment from the right players, playing to get back into a higher division, rather than plod along not knowing where we will end up with a de-motivated playing team and coach
I am a new Cov fan and will see with interest over the coming weeks how we progress hopefully up the table.
I really don't think it is all to do with money, other clubs, in fact most clubs outside the premiership struggle financially and many of them continue to build and have self-belief
Mike
No wonder the results are not going our way
- by this comment i mean no offence to your team or the bees - hopefully you see 'were im comming from'
such a shame that a fine club like yours has this happen - i so much enjoyed my visit to see you, hopefully it will all be sorted by the time you get down to see us in Plymouth
All the best xx
Don't let anything get in the way of a good game of RugbyYou don't get paid a lot, you've got your salary cheque in your hand with "Payment Stopped" written across it & a letter from the bank titled "Advice of unpaid cheque". It's the 3rd time in a row you've been in this situation.
There was not enough funds in your account to pay the rent/mortgage & you can't stick to the diet you need to to play professional sport, so you rely on Mars bars & McD's.
Training sessions are poor and there's this guy in front of you asking you what you can do for your club & what sacrifices are you making !!!!!
Respect from the players...its right next to "resourceful" in the dictionary.
A game we need to win.
Big effort from Players and Supporters please.