End of the road for Dan??

[UlsterNo9]

Yes.

McFarseland came in at a difficult time, he took us from a very low ebb to where we are now, and for that, thanks Dan.

We're now out of ideas.

2nd to Leinster (in a golden era) in the the URC is a realistic expectation, we haven't been to the big dance since they beat 2019/20 final. Time for fresh ideas.

Good teams evolve and progress, if we didn't win enough penalties to the corner resulting in a maul and drive try we had no plan B. We became complacent with that, or couldn't evolve.

[Dave]

Time to move on. Dan is contracted to 2025. Unless he gets another job, he won't go anywhere. Let's get behind him, Billy, Greg Jones and the boys.

[jean valjean]

We can't afford to get rid of Dan unless he decides to go, so we are stuck for another 2 seasons. All the other coaches have signed extensions or have just had a year in post. What can be done then? Dan certainly needs to come up with a new strategy as we have gone backwards this year despite what the league table may say. It's hard to pick out one area as it risks downplaying the others. Defence, attacking shape, ruck protection all need a massive improvement. I hope ewers and kitscoff come in like wrecking balls and don't feel the need to sugar coat perceived weaknesses, especially up front.

[Columbo]

The more I think about this the more dire our situation seems. Leinster lose Lancaster after a few brilliant years, replace him with Nienaber - 2 of the best coaches in world rugby - and we’re stuck with McFarland, Bell and Soper

I’ve come around to thinking that McFarland is actually a pretty poor fit for Ulster - we have no natural leaders or confidence in the squad, so the last thing we need is a little Hitler who is obsessed with asserting his dominance over everyone around him. (I heard that recently he was so obnoxious to a player that UR HR were concerned, and made him read out a statement ‘apologising’ at a team meeting). This approach would probably work at an English side, keeping a lid on a bunch of public schoolboys, but not here. We need someone like Pat Lam, to come in and do what he did at Connacht - build a great team spirit, get the players to back themselves and get them playing footy, as he would probably describe it

It’s hard to see how he can turn it round from here.

And then on top of that, our recruitment has hit a wall - seemingly we don’t have budget to fill out a squad, so we look like we’re going into next season a couple of injuries away from an academy tighthead being on the bench. Kitshoff and Ewers are good signings, but no matter how well they play, we’re probably not going to pick up an away win in Europe with Warwick or Wilson trying to pack down at 3. Not to mention similar lack of depth in second row and out-half.

As if that’s not enough, our age grade pathway seems to have given up the ghost. Or at the very least, it has hit a major dry patch. Ulster representation in this years Ireland squads has been pathetic. No we aren’t Leinster with their school system, but there is no way that our output should be so poor

And then, cherry on the cake, we have Petrie as CEO the La Rochelle debacle cost us a fortune, and possibly a home win which may have halted our slide a bit. Why is it that Ulster always appoints such absolute no-hopers? I heard recently that there were a few pretty accomplished local businessmen who had their hat in the ring but were over looked - in favour of first Logan and then Petrie, neither of whom had any meaningful experience of managing any kind of organisation

Shambles

[rumncoke]

Dan will go when the job satisfaction ceases at the moment he wins enough to consider he is a success and to a degree he is correct -- but the fact remains his success is based on a single PLAN A into the corner and maul

Ulster fans deserve better than playing badly to a Leinster format of winning. --playing badly -- 3 pods -then box kick when that fails we're in serious trouble because Billyboys' pass is weaker than Nun's p-ss

It's boring

[damianmcr]

I see Petrie is taking a break from social media after comments made to him. Funny enough he's not been active on it recently anyway. He's talking tom kite imo.

[Jackie Brown]

He's a bluffer.

Bryn and Dan should be the first out the door. Dan was good to begin with but he's done all he can. We've significantly regressed this season. Some of our youngsters who looked fantastic prospects have completely disappeared.

Would Leinster have squandered talent like Izzy, Stockdale, Lyttle, Hume and Lowry. Would they be regressing? I don't think so.

Bryn has always been rubbish at his role.

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

[BaggyTrousers]

Why, oh why?

A question I ask myself every time I look here.

Let me explain the facts of life:

• Poorly resourced financially compared to most teams in France, certainly Leinster, maybe others, I don’t have figures.
• Poorly resourced in terms of rugby infrastructure compared to all big teams in France, Some in England, again Leinster, maybe even in terms Embra & Weegies given there are only 2 teams in Sco’lund.
• Poorly supported by our Union, the FIRFUCs, who allow Connacht limitless NIQs, Mexicnuts, who are the favoured child, and impecunious Munster, their project at establishing a “2nd power” that cannot be allowed to fail. (In fairness, when they made that choice Ulster weren’t at the races, not all down to being mere Nordies)
• Then lets’ bring a little logic to bear, lets include the Saffers as “Europeans” given they play in the ERC, there are roughly 70 professional teams in the countries that compete in the HC & PP, then the individual leagues. The HC currently has a mere 4 teams capable of winning and that may be generous to SarrieBasturds, SR, ST & Mexico the others. The PP is entirely unpredictable but almost always one of Europes top 10/12 clubs, not good enough to win the HC will win it. The leagues, 2/3 teams in each broadly capable of winning it in any given season.
• Even Mexico as witnessed last year & again yesterday to my great delight struggle to play semi-finals & finals 4 weeks running so must prioritise and blow the lesser prize, the league – though Stade Rochelais don’t share that priority.


If you have been following diligently it will have dawned on you that Ulster are not currently and in the foreseeable future are unlikely to be a trophy winning team.

So what are realistic expectations and how do current expectations compare to 5 years ago when SLogan, Kiss & the Liar Gibbes left us at a low ebb which I though would take many years to emerge from?

What is realistic NOW, but wasn’t 5 years ago, when we were “Shambles Ulster”, when we were that sneering crooked-baked gobshite BOD’s “Basket Case Ulster”, is that we can and do expect to finish in positions 2-4 in the URC, to realistically expect to make semi or final, to make the last 8/16 in the HC.

As things stand, anything more than that is Fantasyland 2.0 just as unrealistic as that mongrel SLogan’s “World Domination” bullshite for which I’d still rather like to give him a massive boot in the scrotum.

It is as unrealistic as the horseshite The Silver Tongued Aussie sold, as unrealistic as the Twitching Wreck of a Man Kiss purveyed before being permanently assign brightly coloured clownshoes, which I trust he still wears.

For all many here seem to disapprove, I’ve yet to here Daniel McFarland attempt any similar verbal tosh, any selling the dream, beyond the ambition to win something.

If you have 50% of a “wit” minimum try this exercise:

1. Cast your mind back 5 years to what Ulster were & how they played. Think of how our players handled the ball, pre-Soper skills, how the pack sashayed left then right then left & right ad nauseum before dropping the ball before Dan & latterly Grant made the maul a weapon. Just 2 examples, but each demonstrates the difference then & now.
2. Understand that the chances of any team winning a trophy outside of the top 1 or 2 teams in each pro league are infinitesimally small (even then it’s most likely to be the PP) and think, is that where Ulster are? Then think, what is the likelihood in all the circumstances of what is needed to be one of those top 1 OR 2 teams in each league.

For those not perpetually afflicted with stupidity, you are now in a better position to judge if we are the disaster you think we are or if in fact, we are just another decent team, like a Munster, a Northampton, a Lyon or a Clermont, a Stade Francais or even a Sharks, SA or Manchester, doesn’t much matter, who have good days and bad days, very very occasional great days.

Oh look, some of you got it.

So my thanks to those including Bryn, Dan etc who have returned Ulster to respectability.

Dreams are fine, leave fantasy to fantasists.

Maybe see you next year.

[Dave]

Why, oh why?

A question I ask myself every time I look here.

Let me explain the facts of life:

• Poorly resourced financially compared to most teams in France, certainly Leinster, maybe others, I don’t have figures.
• Poorly resourced in terms of rugby infrastructure compared to all big teams in France, Some in England, again Leinster, maybe even in terms Embra & Weegies given there are only 2 teams in Sco’lund.
• Poorly supported by our Union, the FIRFUCs, who allow Connacht limitless NIQs, Mexicnuts, who are the favoured child, and impecunious Munster, their project at establishing a “2nd power” that cannot be allowed to fail. (In fairness, when they made that choice Ulster weren’t at the races, not all down to being mere Nordies)
• Then lets’ bring a little logic to bear, lets include the Saffers as “Europeans” given they play in the ERC, there are roughly 70 professional teams in the countries that compete in the HC & PP, then the individual leagues. The HC currently has a mere 4 teams capable of winning and that may be generous to SarrieBasturds, SR, ST & Mexico the others. The PP is entirely unpredictable but almost always one of Europes top 10/12 clubs, not good enough to win the HC will win it. The leagues, 2/3 teams in each broadly capable of winning it in any given season.
• Even Mexico as witnessed last year & again yesterday to my great delight struggle to play semi-finals & finals 4 weeks running so must prioritise and blow the lesser prize, the league – though Stade Rochelais don’t share that priority.


If you have been following diligently it will have dawned on you that Ulster are not currently and in the foreseeable future are unlikely to be a trophy winning team.

So what are realistic expectations and how do current expectations compare to 5 years ago when SLogan, Kiss & the Liar Gibbes left us at a low ebb which I though would take many years to emerge from?

What is realistic NOW, but wasn’t 5 years ago, when we were “Shambles Ulster”, when we were that sneering crooked-baked gobshite BOD’s “Basket Case Ulster”, is that we can and do expect to finish in positions 2-4 in the URC, to realistically expect to make semi or final, to make the last 8/16 in the HC.

As things stand, anything more than that is Fantasyland 2.0 just as unrealistic as that mongrel SLogan’s “World Domination” bullshite for which I’d still rather like to give him a massive boot in the scrotum.

It is as unrealistic as the horseshite The Silver Tongued Aussie sold, as unrealistic as the Twitching Wreck of a Man Kiss purveyed before being permanently assign brightly coloured clownshoes, which I trust he still wears.

For all many here seem to disapprove, I’ve yet to here Daniel McFarland attempt any similar verbal tosh, any selling the dream, beyond the ambition to win something.

If you have 50% of a “wit” minimum try this exercise:

1. Cast your mind back 5 years to what Ulster were & how they played. Think of how our players handled the ball, pre-Soper skills, how the pack sashayed left then right then left & right ad nauseum before dropping the ball before Dan & latterly Grant made the maul a weapon. Just 2 examples, but each demonstrates the difference then & now.
2. Understand that the chances of any team winning a trophy outside of the top 1 or 2 teams in each pro league are infinitesimally small (even then it’s most likely to be the PP) and think, is that where Ulster are? Then think, what is the likelihood in all the circumstances of what is needed to be one of those top 1 OR 2 teams in each league.

For those not perpetually afflicted with stupidity, you are now in a better position to judge if we are the disaster you think we are or if in fact, we are just another decent team, like a Munster, a Northampton, a Lyon or a Clermont, a Stade Francais or even a Sharks, SA or Manchester, doesn’t much matter, who have good days and bad days, very very occasional great days.

Oh look, some of you got it.

So my thanks to those including Bryn, Dan etc who have returned Ulster to respectability.

Dreams are fine, leave fantasy to fantasists.

Maybe see you next year.

All of this is true but we lost to Connacht at home in a quarter final. In the words of Liz Truss (re: cheese). That. Is. A. Disgrace.

[solidarity]

I agree, to an extent, Dave. As you say, Baggy is pretty spot on except that, for a decent team such as Ulster, we will be near the top of the league and have the odd great result, but we will also have the odd disaster. That's just life for a decent team. It's not a disgrace, just life for a team like us.

[Dave]

I agree, to an extent, Dave. As you say, Baggy is pretty spot on except that, for a decent team such as Ulster, we will be near the top of the league and have the odd great result, but we will also have the odd disaster. That's just life for a decent team. It's not a disgrace, just life for a team like us.

We are having disasters every year, sadly. It's hard to watch players missing tackles in such a clutch match. That isn't a lack of talent.

[solidarity]

I agree, to an extent, Dave. As you say, Baggy is pretty spot on except that, for a decent team such as Ulster, we will be near the top of the league and have the odd great result, but we will also have the odd disaster. That's just life for a decent team. It's not a disgrace, just life for a team like us.

We are having disasters every year, sadly. It's hard to watch players missing tackles in such a clutch match. That isn't a lack of talent.

Sadly there's no magic bullet. But why oh why does nothing ever seem to happen? Surely we on this forum aren't the only folk whose eyes are open. The issues are not hard to identify.

[nonplussed]

maybe we're not good enough, our structures arent good enough, the coaching isnt good enough... but more importantly any Ulster side has lacked serious barsteward for years, no street smarts, no proper doirty ballixes to lead us into battle, our Barista based culture is too nice... we are soft and have been for aeons.

[solidarity]

maybe we're not good enough, our structures arent good enough, the coaching isnt good enough... but more importantly any Ulster side has lacked serious barsteward for years, no street smarts, no proper doirty ballixes to lead us into battle, our Barista based culture is too nice... we are soft and have been for aeons.

Yep. Eggzacklery. Too nice. Too grammarschooly?

[mid ulster maestro]

Trevor Brennan forwards coach. Problem solved.