Saints Forum - Playing/Coaching Questions
By Wilma Thomson
February 27 2013
In readiness for the Season Ticket Holders Forum to be held on Thursday, 28th February, COYS were asked by the Club to provide the 10 questions they wished the panel to answer regarding playing/coaching. To this end, 52 questions were put forward by contributors on the message board or via email. The Editors met to combine those 52 into 10!! The phrase, “squeeze a quart into a pint pot” springs to mind but we think we’ve done the best we can to get as many of your questions in there. Apologies to anyone who may believe their question is not there – it may well be just worded slightly differently.
Four Editors will be there to put your questions to the panel on Thursday evening – David Lowrence, Tim Empson, Jonathan Stockham and Wilma Thomson. The panel will have had the questions for a few days to allow them time to prepare.
Our mission is not to try to catch any of the panel out on the night, simply to work with them to help rebuild the relationship between players, coaches, the board of the plc and the supporters of this fine, local rugby club. Our hope is you get the answers you are so keen to hear.
The Questions
1. After the HE cup final season, it was generally acknowledged that certain players had played too many games and the coaches were therefore looking to develop the squad and achieve greater depth and squad 'rotation'. How well do the coaching team feel this has gone, particularly given that we have senior squad players that rarely (if ever) have senior game time - are there players in the squad the coaches do not trust? Why are some players seen as undroppables?
2. In the past two seasons there have been some embarrassing performances with a distinct lack of effort, application and aggression. It's not losing, it's the manner of the loss. Is this fitness, ability or the top two inches? Northampton Saints are one of the top six sides in England, and seem to be frustratingly close to recognised success, but can’t make that final step. We should be capable of beating anybody, such as the Ulster away match earlier this year. Does the club use sports psychologists to help ‘get us over the line’, or if not are they thinking about using this approach in the future?
3. When the coaching set up was changed mid season with the termination of Paul Grayson's contract, the supporters were left wondering if the right person had left as losses have increased since. Could we have a clearer definition of responsibilities and lines of authority within the current coaching team for this season and next and if Paul Grayson was doing 3 jobs and that was seen as possibly too many and in the light that other clubs seem to have many more coaching staff, is Alex King going to be stretched?
4. Strong rumours abound that there is a rift between players and coaching staff with players wishing to leave just to get away from the Saints. Others who have left or are leaving have already commented on playing elsewhere with smiles on their faces or having more freedom to play what is in front of them without the fear of being dropped. What is happening in the changing room that is fuelling these rumours and comments?
5. In the gap between one game and the next (bearing in mind that this may not be seven days, and the team will either be coming off a win or a loss) how does the weekly schedule and process change to fit circumstances? For instance do the players' contracts stipulate that they must be available after the match, or to be called in on a Sunday. Are the players ever called in on a rest day after a bad loss and how does the weeks routine change in the balance between fitness, skills training, video analytics and who leads the game planning after watching the next opponents?
6. Without specifically naming players, can the panel confirm that all players the Club wants to retain for the future are now in contract, that those whose contracts will not be renewed are fully aware of the fact and how does this impact on team selection for the remainder of the season? Which member of management actually deals with contract negotiations and completions and in order to ensure that we retain the right people, describe the processes whereby the performance of players, coaches and managers are reviewed and fed back and that young players are mentored to be the best they can?
7. Fly half, generally accepted as a pivotal position within any team, has been a subject of much discussion between the supporters and the media with no one player tying the position down for many years now. What are the clubs plans to introduce some stability and depth of talent in this crucial position to help us towards some silverware?
8. The backline have not fired this season with players out of form and no apparent game plan, line breaks or set moves. We have been unable to capitalise when the forwards have dominated. Will this be improved before Alex King’s arrival and why do we kick away so much possession?
9. What is said to the players and coaches by the ref pre match and how do we react or prepare for that? Some teams appear to know or play the ref better than us. i.e. JP Doyle in the LV last year. Why do we concede so many penalties?
10. Since you have been DOR at Saints, our team has played a forward-orientated game based on an effective set piece, physicality at the breakdown, relentless carrying ‘round the corner’ and not very much else. Although this only requires a few minutes of analysis for opponents to fully understand it, the team has undoubtedly enjoyed success for a period because they were very good at it. When did the coaches first realise that this limited game plan was no longer adequate to compete at the top end of the Premiership or in the Heineken Cup? Does the appointment of Alex King signal a change in approach? What will been done to ensure that there is more than one gameplan in evidence, when required as when we do not dominate up front against top sides, we have no "plan B" and cannot adapt our game plan. Why is this?
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Just dont let them duck any of the Questions!!!
That question implies "why don't we win every week". What do you expect them to say?
If you didn't ask anything, please wait for the answers tomorrow night.
Well done.
If I remember correctly the OFFY, SSC and COYSDC were each preparing 10 questions. So after opening address and with 30 questions to be read out and answered then a open question session and closing comment it is probably going to be an about midnight finish, so if discussion was allowed most folks would miss the tigs let alone the Irish game!
Well done though editors with compiling a list that covers most,if not all of everyone's concerns.
Lets just hope that the panel don't behave like the General Council of that body in that era
Oh and can some one in the open forum bit - raise the matter of a repeat - report back - regular contact such as this.This must not be allowed to be a one off.
''And the answer to questions 7 , ii , 13, 15, 22, and 29 is err -no.
Next item ?''
There was mention by Chris W of a possible regular (quarterly?) fans panel meeting the board and management. I'll try to make sure we get an answer to that one way or another.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:02:28:10:45:12 by thetambourineman.
Quote:X-Block Dave
Where can we find a list of the 'non-match' questions?
Dave - The non-match category belongs to the Saints Supporters Club. We hosted the thread to allow people to pose questions for them on this message board. We can't speak on their behalf as to whether or not they wish to make their 10 questions public on here. COYS going public with their list of questions was a decision taken by the Eds.
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Terrace 'B' next to Mav, Shaddo, AB, Jeremy and Spud.
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Who goes first or are the questions asked alternately?
Many thanks.
“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”
Benjamin Franklin
Tetleys Block F E143
“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”
Benjamin Franklin
Tetleys Block F E143
Q3...would have been interesting if asked
- do we need a specialist Defence coach (all the top teams do)
- will we still be understaffed when AK joins?
i'd be amazed if you get straight answers re PG and neither is it something we should be pursuing. TMI.
Q4...don't imagine you'll get much more than a very dead bat here.
Q5...question is meaningless waffle. answer is "we use all modern methods i.e. all of the above". If they have any sense the chair will let them ramble on and on and on on this one to eat up the clock.
Q6...Renewals etc - you won't get much joy here. better QQ would be "will recruitment actually aim to improve saints Best Starting XV next year as we appear to be getting less competitive with the top teams over the last 3 years or so." or "would it be desirable for morale to keep the DOR out of the direct negotiation of renewals (while leaving him in control of the decisions)"
Q7...Fly Half .....Mon Dieu!
Q8...
a. Will AK be given new players to improve the backs performance or not?
b. "While we are not ignorant of the fact that you can't run effectively from poor possession, will AK be dealing with the breakdown and ball carrying either alone or with other coaches as we have kicked a great deal this year due to poor ball from the breakdown." ?
the truth is we kick from our own half ; so do the All Blacks but their kicking game at least creates pressure.
9 do the stats say we get penalised more than others?
Q10...Do you beat your wife? why do you beat your wife? does your wife deserve to be beaten? What do you think you're trying to achieve by beating your wife? do you think you have some right to beat your wife? when did you last change your socks?did you put a clean tie on when you went to church last sunday? did you go to church last sunday?did you wipe your feet before you came in the door? why not? what was the sermon about?When did you last beat your wife?have you brushed your hair? do you realise your flies are open?
sheesh.
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input from all directions , horses designed by committees except this is a horse designed by a committee following the instructions of a crowd who were outside the room all shouting through different megaphones each convinced they alone have the answer.
Quote:Broonie
impossible job, wilma.
input from all directions , horses designed by committees except this is a horse designed by a committee following the instructions of a crowd who were outside the room all shouting through different megaphones each convinced they alone have the answer.
I understand that Broonie and we've tried to do the best we could with what we had. However, with your comments above you just wipe away all that work in one fell swoop.
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Why did you not put the same energy into submitting constructive questions when you had the chance?
the trouble is that it ends up becoming mainly confrontational, particularly when you have so many different agenda to represent that it ends up as "and don't say that, and don't try the other , and take it as written that there's no plan B and now give us the answer and and and and etc". which was what i was trying to illustrate with Q10.
rather than compelling them to retreat behind a smokescreen, asking them an inoffensive but slightly loaded question might entice them onto discussing a topic which might then be developed. anything too confrontational runs the risk of one side being justifiably reticent while the other side falls over each other demanding answers.
and maybe prepare a few supplementals like some i suggested above if it looks like the initial questions above are actually going to be longer than their answers (or more informative)
I would be really interested to know if, in net terms, they are actually going to try for a recruitment season which will improve our chances head to head with Tigers, Saracens and Quins next year or is it going to be smoke & mirrors.
I guess the real question to which we all want the right answer (with reasons and examples attached) is "please don't tell me you're going to carry on doing the same thing but expecting a different outcome as that way madness lies?", but how you get to that in an acceptable way is always a puzzle.The answer is probably that if they are serious about the whole exercise, they will make sure they answer that question in as forthcoming a way as they reasonably can , whether you actually ask the question or not. if the questions attract narrow , legalistic answers, then you would probably have got answers like that whatever questions you asked.
Everyone please rest assured that we do not intend being confrontational and are very much of the view that we want to work with the club rebuilding. Please read my opening paragraphs in the article above.
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I am disappointed in your late and negative response.
You were asked both in print and verbally to contribute.
YOU chose not to.
Thanks for your support - I will wear it always!
David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously
Lets not get upset, lets try and get some straight answers.
I'll say it again, no-one was out to catch anyone out.
If you get the chance to listen to the podcast, it will be worth your while to allow you to make up your own minds.
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Good Grief!