Report - McLaughlin to be shown the door at UR

[Harold7]

Someone mentioned Conor O'Shea as a possible option yesterday. Well they said it was an RTE panelist so I assume it was O'Shea and not Frankie Sheahen or George Hook they were talking about!

O'Shea at the top with Sexton and Doak as forwards and backs coaches?

The only problem with that is whether O'Shea's role at Harlequins is really all that different to Humph's with us?

[Snipe Watson]

DOR means different things in different situations.

[mikerob]

Yeah, O'Shea's job title is "Director of rugby" and seems to be in charge of the people doing the actual coaching which include a head coach (John Kingston) + some assistant coaches + physios and the like.

[ColinM]

Ultimately i dont think there is room for Humph and OShea if Humphs current role is retained.

[Scranner]

If McL wants to/needs to leave, fair play to him. If UR don't renew his contract because they want something bigger and better, then past appointments would indicate that this is a lottery at best. This is rugby, not feckin football. McL's record speaks for itself. From the laughing stock of European rugby to a force to be reckoned with in 3 years. Who is to say that McL has no more to offer. If he wants the job, I say he should keep it. Invest the money saved in a top flight team of assistants.

You write with the authority of one who knows the inner workings of the Ulster squad, but do you?

Posters who give the impression that they actually "know"

There is no question that McGlock has done a good job and that some of what he achieved was built on what Matt Williams had done before him.
This was only a surprise to those who have not been listening to the chatter for the last few months and as someone suggested earlier, apply Occam's razor. McGlock has known this was coming for some time and the reasons why.
Humph must make best use of his resources and McGlock is a resource. This is a clear and simple operational decision.

I am merely expressing my opinion. I don’t write with any more authority than most of the other gobsh*tes on this board. If I gave the impression that I “knew”, I certainly didn’t intend to. I just want to do what most of us want –to participate in this thread with being castigated by the self appointed board police.

yes, that's right, his record speaks for itself. his team underperformed at welford road and cost his employer a valuable home qf.

luckily the people in charge of Ulster Rugby have memories longer than the last two games. he's a good coach but it's time to take a risk.

Disappointing as it may have been to call it underperformance it over-reaction. Anyway, that's one game and its significance has been dealt with in earlier posts. If the team under-performed consistently you might have an argument but they don't. Apart from the blip before and just after RWC, Ulster have performed really well this season. Look at the expectation after the HEC draw was announced. Did anyone truly expect to progress from there? Who in previous years would have looked at the prospect of a ¼ in Munster and thought, “We can do this?”
Just my opinion, Snipe (well chosen name) – no question of giving the impression that I know more than I do. Hope you allow me that!!

[BaggyTrousers]

yes, that's right, his record speaks for itself. his team underperformed at welford road and cost his employer a valuable home qf.

Ulster points against Leicester were 5-4 so no different than if Ulster had got an away LBP and won at home denying Leicester a LBP. The TBP ended up compensating for no LBP.

The difference between 1st and 2nd in the group was the 5-5 against Clermont which comes down to a bit of a lottery involving tries scored and points difference as to who is 1st.

One more penalty at home against Clermont that would have denied them a LBP was ultimately of more significance than the result at Welford Road.

Oh, keep up MR - every word you say is true but you miss the point that some people have an agenda based on previous less than clever, some including me would say stupid utterances.

[BaggyTrousers]

Stinging rebuke there Snipe and perhaps with some justification, you were a tad harsh methinks. Anyway, moderation is not your job or mine, theres a new sheriff in town Snipe. Goes by the name of RHH

[Rooster]

yes, that's right, his record speaks for itself. his team underperformed at welford road and cost his employer a valuable home qf.

Ulster points against Leicester were 5-4 so no different than if Ulster had got an away LBP and won at home denying Leicester a LBP. The TBP ended up compensating for no LBP.

The difference between 1st and 2nd in the group was the 5-5 against Clermont which comes down to a bit of a lottery involving tries scored and points difference as to who is 1st.

One more penalty at home against Clermont that would have denied them a LBP was ultimately of more significance than the result at Welford Road.

Oh, keep up MR - every word you say is true but you miss the point that some people have an agenda based on previous less than clever, some including me would say stupid utterances.

And if all comes down to it sure the 7 points blind Dave gave Clermont at home cost us a home quarter as well

[big mervyn]

There is a degree of insight and measured debate on this board that is not apparent to me among the casual fans out there.

The timing of this and the nature of the press release has certainly created a potential poisoned chalice for BMcL's successor especially if we go on to greater things this season.

Going to be big pressure from the press and fans next season if we don't hit the ground running in September.

[Troglodyte]

Ooooooohhh! 1st of february and some people are a tad touchy this morning - it's let's take a pop at snipe day!!!!

All he did ffs was ask someone who posted if they had an inside track - what was the big deal!

On second thoughts, you're right - snipe - you're way out of order, keep your moderation to yourself and leave the board for others to do

[Mac]

There is a degree of insight and measured debate on this board that is not apparent to me among the casual fans out there.

The timing of this and the nature of the press release has certainly created a potential poisoned chalice for BMcL's successor especially if we go on to greater things this season.

Going to be big pressure from the press and fans next season if we don't hit the ground running in September.

Going to be more pressure if the wheels come off now!!!!

[Snipe Watson]

I am merely expressing my opinion. I don’t write with any more authority than most of the other gobsh*tes on this board. If I gave the impression that I “knew”, I certainly didn’t intend to. I just want to do what most of us want –to participate in this thread with being castigated by the self appointed board police.
Snipe (well chosen name) – no question of giving the impression that I know more than I do. Hope you allow me that!!

You missed my pointand I missed yours. We are all stating a mixture what we think and some of what we know. I didn't mean to be so harsh, but on reading it again I have to admit it was very harsh and I apologise it was OTT.

[BR]

I still do not see a world class coach coming in to be second fiddle to DH and not recruiting the boys club ie Doak, Bell, et al....again I hope I am wrong and the right decision is made

Is it not the case though that DH acts as a facilitator at the moment and would continue to do so. IT's not clear how a process like the recruitment of new players has worked with DH and BMcL, but i seem to remember that DH's role was to use his status and connections in the game to attract players that perhaps BMcL (not having the same profile) could not have done. I imagine that BMcL was thoroughly involved in identifying which areas of the team needed to be strengthening and drawing up a list of targets before DH went out into the wide world to do the deals.

IF the stories are true and BMcL is on the way out for a more high profile head coach, them working with DH might well strengthen our hand at attracting talent. A higher profile coach with better contacts could just mean that they'll identify players more specifically for DH to go out and acquire, and the profile of the coach might make DH's job of getting them to Belfast easier.

Not wishing to speak for YM, but I know he's a busy man. I believe it is YM's opinion that DH oversteps the role you describe above and strays into the territory that is nominally BMcL's.

The difference between 1st and 2nd in the group was the 5-5 against Clermont which comes down to a bit of a lottery involving tries scored and points difference as to who is 1st.

One more penalty at home against Clermont that would have denied them a LBP was ultimately of more significance than the result at Welford Road.

I remember saying at the time that I'd be happy if we were in a position for ASM's losing bp to come back to haunt us, so I can't really complain that it did.

[AyeYerMa]

Is there any "leak" though?

[Scranner]

You missed my pointand I missed yours. We are all stating a mixture what we think and some of what we know. I didn't mean to be so harsh, but on reading it again I have to admit it was very harsh and I apologise it was OTT.

Apology accepted unreservedly though I'm still not sure what point I missed.