Should Mark McCall remain as coach of Ulster?

[Rooster]

If you look at the team its really very average. Compared with Glaws we hardly have any better players than them across the park. Scrum half maybe and a couple in the forwards but they are better than us. And I think the same can be said for a lot of Magners league teams. To be brutally honest and I know hardly anyone will agree with me here we have a pretty poor team we should be in the bottom half of the league but the performances are still very poor. You cant say we have a good back line Trimble is a good centre but not up with Shanklin, Bod, D'Arcy or Regan King. Our pack is quite good but compared with Ospreys or Munster we cant compete. You can't win just through commitment anymore you have to be a better team and unfortunately we aren't.

Spot on backofthepack, other sides have moved on we have not.

[Tigergeezer]

It all looks rather like how Leicester got after RWC 2003, except for McCall, read Dean Richards. Eventually, Deano just had to go. It was badly handled by the club and left a lot of bad blood, but necessary in the end. Leicester had former players coming through in the shape of John Wells and subsequently Pat Howard, who were able to turn it back around. Is there anyone in or near the Ulster set-up who might do the same? If not, looking more widely might be the way (I doubt Shaun Edwards could be shaken free from Wasps for anything other than a national coaching job with Gatland, but he, or someone like him, would instil some fire). However it goes, I really hope Ulster handle it better than Tigers did - those were bad times.

[SteveLI]

I agree with Backofthepack's analysis, stark though it is, and would add that McCall probably created a rod for his back by raising expectations so high after the Celtic League win. If he is now to be a victim of that, this is a tough break for him, but it happens to coaches in all sports, from Sven in football to Duncan Fletcher in cricket.

I generally am in favour of an orderly process of change - let him see the season out and have a measured review at the end of the season. If things have not improved, then a change will obviously be in order but at least the new man will have the summer to have an input into the recruiting and get familiar with the players rather than being chucked straight in to a panic situation.

What frustrated me watching Friday's game was the freedom the Glaws back row had early on, was it a tactical error to play McCullough there rather than someone more familar with the defensive patterns of back row play? Alas, coaches do live and die by these decisions.

[Setanta]

First of all, is the question should McCall go or have we got a replacement? Secondly, I actually thought the team did show spirit and endeavour for a change. However, if, as Rory Best says the gameplan was to play defensively for the initial period, why did we go out so naively in full-blooded attack? Which was it? Thirdly, certain players have been mishandled over the last two years - Wallace, MacMillen, Maxwell. Fourthly, players playing out of position rather than playing the younger or less experienced player but at least in his position - loose or tight head, out-half or centre, centre, wing, or full-back, blind or openside? Fifthly, picking on form - from the little I read about and saw Danielli, Pollock and Caldwell were the early performers only to be dropped? Certain senior players having too large a say? Hey, I'm starting to think of another coach who's overstayed - 'familiarity breeds contempt'?

Ok, its Monday...? By the way, i watched Clermont against Llanelli - what a game - brilliant!!!

[blerta]

My impression from the Aquinas end of the terrace at ground level, was that for the first twenty minutes the team concentrated on attack. Possibly because in the past everyone has accused them of not doing this from the start of the game.

I feel Mark McCall should remain as coach and the whole set up get their heads together and sort out their mental attitude.

[Rooster]

R Mulligan poses and answers this question in todays snoozeletter

TIME TO SHUT UP OR PUT UP
By Richard Mulligan
News Letter rugby journalist, Richard Mulligan, gives his views on the current Ulster crisis.
There we have it. The solution to the current Ulster crisis. Mark McCall to go as Ulster head coach and the Province will suddenly start winning games again!
Catch yourselves on.

But what is the alternative? Jake White coached South Africa to a World Cup victory. Will he be able to come in and steer the ship any better.
For all that has been written - and for the record Alan Solomons has not been approached, nor anyone else - McCall's head on a chopping block is not the solution to the problem.
He has a marvellous work ethos behind the scenes and has done a lot of good for Ulster Rugby.
He can hardly be held responsible for two intercept tries and two other tries leaked by his team from their own mistakes.

[Fly Half]

Seems an easy question on the face of it. Get a new coach NOW!

However I'm going to vote that he stays, because I'm not convinced that another coach would do any better with the squad of players he has.

The biggest problem with McCall is that he hasn't found a successor to Humph. In short, Humph was played too much last season, that didn't do DH, PW or Ulster any favours.

McCall has given other young players chances and they have come into the side, but his thinking has been clouded regarding the 10 shirt.

Ulster scoured the world for a forwards coach and the best they came up with was Steve Williams (I'm not decrying him at all, he needs time to make an impression). The point is that there won't be too many candidates who are obviously better than McCall, so let's be careful about putting all Ulster's woes on his shoulders.

[Setanta]

Referring back to my earlier post I had also thought Barker added a bit of grunt and played well but he has now gone to Castres,(and good luck to him) presumably because MMcC thought Del Fava and Caldwell negated any urgent requirement for him? At the same time he has continued to try and make a blindside out of McCullough and an openside out of Neil Best? And I always thought Rugby was a simple game!!

[darkside lightside]

I'm not sure that anyone is blaming everything on McCall, or thinks that if he leaves Ulster will start winning (daft strawman argument from Mulligan - I haven't seen the rest of the article but the beginning of it tends to confirm the suspicion that Ulster's local rugby hacks are uncritical stooges)

He is however responsible for developing the players, coherent tactical approaches to games, and for defensive systems - and if there's evidence out there that he's achieved any of that in the last 12 months, it's news to me.

I don't doubt his work ethic or commitment for a second, and can't say whether the problem is inexperience, lack of knowledge, bad luck or whatever - but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and results and performances over a pretty long period of time show that whatever he is trying is not working.

Obviously if he does go (and I think he will in the relatively near future, barring a stunning reversal in fortune) things are unlikely to turn around just like that. I was in favour of giving McCall more time after an uncertain start a few years ago, when some people were starting to call for his head, and would be in favour of first making sure that any new coach is given time to make changes as necessary.

[bells123]

Having just read Mulligan's full article, it really is the most pathetic piece of snivelling, sycophantic journalism I have ever read. The man should be ashamed of himself. Talk about seeing it as you'd wish it to be, not as it really is. Disgraceful. I'm all for people putting forward serious arguments for Mark to remain as head coach. But to simply say, 'catch yourselves on, we're not going to get jake white as coach' is just plain stupid, as no-one with any sense would realistically expect white to come to ulster, or for us to be able to afford him. But how does he then conclude that because we can't get jake white, or eddie jones, that somehow that's it, McCall must stay? Its just baffling. The next poll will be should richard mulligan remain as rugby correspondent for the newsletter? Yes or No!

[Rooster]

I'm not sure that anyone is blaming everything on McCall, or thinks that if he leaves Ulster will start winning (daft strawman argument from Mulligan - I haven't seen the rest of the article but the beginning of it tends to confirm the suspicion that Ulster's local rugby hacks are uncritical stooges)

Sorry I forgot the link for complete article.

[HwoodMike2umate]

I'm 99% certain i misread the poll ? as "resign" not "remain" and therefore voted No in error so maybe u shud adjust the poll result accordingly.

I thought the voting Ulster public had a rite 2 no.

[backofthepack]

I think we should write off this season. Stop trying to get results because we won't win the league or get through in Europe so use this year to develop the Pollock's, McCrea's and the younger generation. Drop Harrison and Humph and Justin Fitzpatrick and play the young lads because we're going nowhere right now and that will stay the same unless we get better players or improve the ones we have. Declan Fitzpatrick could be an Irish international in a few years and he needs proper game time to improve. Pollock is the same. Dawson isn't an awful lot better than him so give him a run and we'll see the improvement next year.

[Gary]

Today's debate is much more constructive and objective than before. Maybe we have all settled down a bit after Friday!

Mulligan is certainly making some fair points - posing similiar doubts as I have done. I'll keep stressing that it's important to get the right solution - and if that means leaving the appointment of a new coach until the Summer, when presumably there will be a wider choice, then so be it.

I like B of the P's idea of concentrating for now on bringing the kids on. Let's face it, we're as likely to get Heiny Cup qualification with them as with the team we have at the moment.

[Bart S]

So Gary, are you suggesting that MMc stays on until the end of the season, with UR looking for a new coach in the meantime for next season, or are you suggesting that he stays in place until the end of the season and then a decision is made.

If it is the former, then don't you think that this will be a bit disingenuous to MMc? (ie saying, we've already decided you're going at the end of the season, but we want you to carry on until then and it doesn't matter how you perform, you're out). Hardly likely to motiviate him or raise his moral.

If it is the latter, then how can he be asked to play the youngsters, when his job depends upon the results achieved? If he plays the youngsters, then some allowance has to be made in terms of results, which gets us nowhere (ie he can't be sacked because he hasn't been able to chosse the best players, so how can he be judged).

Finally, if we wait until the summer, then all the out of contract players will have amde their minds up about their futures. I can't see many of the ones we'd want to keep hanging around to find out what UR may or may not do over the summer.

Ps. That article in the News Letter was a joke. Don't get rid of McCall because Jake White and Eddie Jones won't come. If that's the case, then Mark has a job for life and there's no point in even debating this!