Where do we go from here?

[Kanbei]

A New forwards coach --

A change in out half and new attack coach and a new on field leader group

McFarland is the head honcho!

Some questions

1. Some is accountable for extending McFarland- who?
2. Has McFarland lost the dressing room? If the answer is yes then he has to go.
3. With him signing such a long extension it has huge problems. He’s not going to resign as he won’t get pay off and by sounds of it he is stubborn. Ulster probably don’t have the money to pay him off the time he has left.
4. If we are stuck with him and the dressing room is lost then what is ahead of us?


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Don't all coaches have that 6 month get out clause that both sides can use at any point in the contract? How Erasmus left Munster and Kiss was only given 6 months when he was sacked.

[thecrouch]

The thing is even if he does go we'll struggle to get a replacement now, it's a bit late in the day to be shopping for coaches.

[CIMANFOREVER]

I dunno about Soper, I am wondering if the step up to attack coach was just a bridge too far for him.

Grant I don't think is the issue, the problem on Friday was the stupid tactics of deciding not to contest rucks and the bizarre selections. That's on McFarland.

Bell is obviously an issue.

Do you remember when McCloskey and Hume cut Clermont apart, that was Soper & Payne. Hume hasn’t been at the race’s since New Zealand but still getting picked. Selection for Friday knockout game was farcical, Gilroy not good enough to get a contract but made the bench, Jordie Murphy over Sheridan? 7 players of the 10 players going all made this must win knockout game
Total Madness IMHO

Gilroy has actually been playing well given the circumstances.

[CIMANFOREVER]

The thing is even if he does go we'll struggle to get a replacement now, it's a bit late in the day to be shopping for coaches.

The pathways open for Mark Mac

[Marco]

Good question. Rant coming….

General comment: Doing the same thing, again and again, and expecting a different outcome, insanity and all that, that’s Ulster Rugby. You have to start with honesty. The comments about us improving, coming second in the league, scoring more tries and points. Does anyone really believe that we’re improving? Of course not, so we’re either lying or we’re stupid. I don’t think it’s the latter so can only think that it’s the heads down, in the sand, ostrich like, strategy, just keeping a job to pay the mortgage.

Short term response: I’m a broken record, but when you’ve a half decent maul, why not kick to touch with your strong kickers, Cooney and Stockdale. Burns breaks a bone if he kicks a ball hard, can’t imagine what the forwards think when he steps up. Reading BelTel today, Bradley points out that we have the lowest penalties against in the league, yet when it matters, in the first knock out game in Europe, we ship 15, and in the first knock out game in the league, we ship 18. What, in the name of all that’s sacred, did the coaches do in the last three weeks to address what went wrong against Leinster, knowing full well that Friend and Wilkins will have the watched the video and would do the same on Friday evening? Only conclusion I have is that we can’t be honest with ourselves, we just hope that we’ll get the breaks and plough on doing that same old insane thing, again and again, whilst at the same time keeping an eye on the job adverts to get out of this mad house. Watched the game on TV again yesterday, and again just wondered why Dan doesn’t get his Brennan down to the pitch and start eye balling a few players, unacceptable lack of physicality from too many. And whilst no one can criticise AO’C for his commitment, he’s very limited, I’d have thrown the ball to Stewart to lead the pack from the start and put Sheridan on at lock. Also have to call out Cooney and Herring for daft penalties, really stupid, unforgivable for experienced players.

Medium term response: it has to be a clear out, otherwise we’re just putting lipstick on a corpse, plus Dan will be looking around so why wait.
Head coach: Is there no chance of getting McCall back? If not, there must be a lot of disillusioned but bloody good coaches from the Premiership that would jump at the chance to take over, and bring a bit of northern English grit to this place. Wonder also about Jeremy Davidson. There are options.

Attack coach: no idea, but I’d be offering David Humphreys the mother of all retainers to go and headhunt one. I know that’s Bryn’s job but…

Defence coach: Bell not the guy, and as much as I’d open the chequebook to get Sean Edwards after the WC (can you imagine him in the changing room at HT on Saturday!) it’s not gonna happen, but again I’d target someone ex rugby league, that is unsettled in the Premiership, has to be good possibilities.

Players: I believe that we do have the backs if we get the coaches and forwards sorted, although Hume has to get fit again, Balacoune’s hamstrings are worryingly flakey, and Lowry has to pretty soon learn to play a bit smarter, like Hugo Keenan does, or he’s just going to be permanently injured. Burns for the departure lounge, enough is enough, give him Sparkey’s job, and try Flannery, but get someone in there with a bit of strength and leadership. In the forwards, would love to know what happened with Toomaga Allen, a character and fan favourite, something rare at the minute. But given that it is what it is, we need a TH and the back row that needs strength. No idea if McCann or Marcus can be muscled up to European standards and I have my doubts, but worth trying again, we do need local lads in there. Sheridan does appear to be the plus this year, so build on that. What has happened Izuchukwu?

The crowd: A lot has been said about the change in atmosphere, and I agree, but equally, the crowd hasn’t gone away, and will come back when they see the players getting it right.I hadn’t heard noise like the last ten minutes of Friday for a long time, so the passion is still out there.

SUFTUM!

[So It Is]

A few points on Marco's post.

Stockdale is not a "strong" kicker imo. Yes he can boot it a fair distance but for every good kick he makes 3 or 4 crap ones.

I'm no sports scientist but if Hume hasn't been fit, and has been playing like a drain all season (he was alright on Friday tbf), then why is he getting picked? If he's hurt, let the lad recover so he can play well again. Genuinely baffling decisions.

On the crowd, I'm guessing watching a team mainly made up of Leinster/Saffer cast offs, playing average rugby, isn't condusive to get the crowd going. If they were mainly local lads in the pack, playing averagely but getting stuck in and giving it their best, then the crap results might be more digestible and the crowd might be more accepting?

[So It Is]

Also I think leadership is an issue.

Hendy is never there, and even if he is, he's not a grab the game by the scruff of the neck player any more.

AOC is a plodder that has been a great servant over the years, but not a towering player.

Herring is a good player but again, not a rally the troops type.

We need a captain. I'm not seeing one out there.

[jean valjean]

Can anyone else name a 10 who has the inability to kick a ball directly down the pitch? This is a major flaw in our gameplan especially if you are seeking to set up lineout mauls. How can you get the opposition to kick the ball out if you cannot give it to them in their 22. does anyone know if we even considered asking healy about coming north? As mentioned above stockdale can kick but is hit and miss which would never be tolerated at leinster and smacks of the mediocrity of our coaching regime. Repetition Repetition Repetition until he nails 9/10 every time.

[CIMANFOREVER]

My concern is late start to season due to RWC- Ulster will have few in the squad except Hendo for an injury swansong, Herring or Stewart and maybe McCloskey. No one else. Ship has sailed.
So some flattering early season results against teams stripped of internationals or the dross in the league. The cycle repeats with dishonest assessments of where we are etc etc

McF and crew have months to execute a plan but I've seen little to suggest they are capable of a cogent one

[HwoodMike2umate]

I am looking foward to next season.
But remember, it’s only a game and some folk take it far too seriously.

[So It Is]

I am looking foward to next season.
But remember, it’s only a game and some folk take it far too seriously.

I am also looking forward to next season.

But its not Qualifying 3 rugby.
Its a business, with paying customers and a livelihood for the players and staff. As a business, it needs to be accountable for the product it produces.

[promenader 2]

Keep reading about the crowd being flat and not getting behind the team. Sorry, but that's nonsense. On Friday night, the crowd tried to lift things. The people around us were shouting more than I've heard in a while. However, it's hard to keep up the enthusiasm when you're team is giving away stupid penalties every 5 minutes and the opposition is dominating possession. This Ulster team doesn't give its fans very much to get excited about, that's the truth. The referee did more to get the crowd going than the players.

[StandUp]

Keep reading about the crowd being flat and not getting behind the team. Sorry, but that's nonsense. On Friday night, the crowd tried to lift things. The people around us were shouting more than I've heard in a while. However, it's hard to keep up the enthusiasm when you're team is giving away stupid penalties every 5 minutes and the opposition is dominating possession. This Ulster team doesn't give its fans very much to get excited about, that's the truth. The referee did more to get the crowd going than the players.

Was the same on the terrace tbh. Crowd were trying to cheer on the team but there’s only so much you can do.
The crowd were possibly a little quieter than in previous years but they were still singing.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Keep reading about the crowd being flat and not getting behind the team. Sorry, but that's nonsense. On Friday night, the crowd tried to lift things. The people around us were shouting more than I've heard in a while. However, it's hard to keep up the enthusiasm when you're team is giving away stupid penalties every 5 minutes and the opposition is dominating possession. This Ulster team doesn't give its fans very much to get excited about, that's the truth. The referee did more to get the crowd going than the players.

Was the same on the terrace tbh. Crowd were trying to cheer on the team but there’s only so much you can do.
The crowd were possibly a little quieter than in previous years but they were still singing.

Given the shyte served up, the supporters more than did their bit, regardless of what Jackman says ( bad crowd? Wtf?) We weren't why Ulster capitulated

[SUFTUM_19]

next season is the defining one for Dan McF.

It’s easy to forget where we were when he arrived, we were a basket case that had hit rock bottom, and there is no doubt Dan has taken us out of that rut and improved us. The big question is has he reached his ceiling? I would say there’s been an improvement season on season since he got here, but this season has been the exception - yes, 2nd in the league is a good achievement but we’ve fluffed our lines when it’s really counted. Was last season the peak?

Looking back last season was our best chance at silverware, we had backs in form, a settled back row, and were 1 point off beating Toulouse in Europe and an 87th minute conversion away from a URC home final (which I think we would’ve won). We also beat Leinster, Northampton and Clermont both home and away. This year we wouldn’t have got the same results.

McFarland has taken us as a regressing team out a bigger rut before, and I think he’s earned the right to try again next season, providing he hasn’t lost the dressing room. Not long ago when everyone was delighted at his contract extension. However, next season is defining, we are regressing and if he cannot take us to that next level and we continue that decline/stay where we are, then I think he’ll be gone by the end of the season.

We need to back a few of the fringe lads next season for the sake of our squad depth. Give Reid and Wilson a go in the front row, more time to Izzy and Sheridan, have a look at McLoughlin, McNabney, Crothers etc over the likes of Matty Rea and Jones.

Burns gets a hard time, last season against Munster at home we fell apart without him - but maybe that is the problem, we are too reliant on players who are not top drawer. He is a decent player who gives his all, but he is limited and has zero competition. We know what he can do, so why not give Flannery a lash and see what he’s like. Dan doesn’t like having a replacement 10 on the bench, but I feel like sometimes it’s needed to inject a bit of spark. Mads has been very poorly treated this season, he was excellent against La Rochelle away and has barely had a look in since. Rob Lyttle and Marcus Rea have also been massively mismanaged which is a concern, the fact we’ve lost our best finisher at 26 is worrying, we can’t let the same happen to our best (and possibly only) turnover threat.

The big thing we need to sort out is our attack - it’s hard to know whether it’s a loss in form from Burns, Hume, Lowry, Baloucoune (to a certain extent) or Payne/Peel’s exit, or both, but it’s looked non-existent this season. If we can utilise our backs effectively and add that to our maul game (which has been excellent this season), that will go a long way in ensuring we have more than one way of trying to win a game, which at present I don’t think we have, and this is why we become unstuck against the better teams.

McFarland is certainly on very thin ice, next season is make or break.