Agree with about 90% Baggy.BaggyTrousers wrote: ↑Fri May 12, 2023 2:06 pm Where we go from here, unfortunately is almost 6 months with no proper rugby.
Unless one is a FIRFUCs lacky , or like me, a fan of Saffer rugby and hoping to see them retaining the RWC, the next 6 months is of very little interest.
Some interesting thoughts from allcomers on this thread, however none of them are anywhere close to a solution never mind a complete solution.
The complete solution of course is to duplicate/replicate the Mexican system in its entirety, though in practical terms that is all but impossible, for very obvious reasons.
One of the less obvious is that whilst UR bugga’d about Mexico employed Dawson as CEO from , I think, 2003 and had a proper CEO, working diligently to better the organisation rather than having a clown like SLogan who wanted to be the story rather than to facilitate the story, his ludicrous crap about WD the most obvious nonsense but far from isolated. Not for him remaining behind the scenes improving the organisation.
I see his bullshite mirrored these days in the crapology of the extreme right in the USA, the notion that all you have to do to be the supreme being is to indoctrinate at every opportunity.
So that put us the greater part of a decade behind our closest rivals and nemesis.
Briefly, back with SLogan, I see the downturn in crowds and craic at Ravenhill as inextricably linked to SLogan’s 7 commandments of “How we behave”, a pile of nonsense that in my considered opinion turned off many decent raucous Ulster fans, who had no need of re-education, with the Sunday school teacher approach, an attempt to dictate through utter drivel.
For anyone with a shred of common sense, you must recognise that the gap to Mexico is unbridgeable, not simply for Ulster but for any Irish team, most certainly for the financially challenged Welsh Scots and Italians, thought thje depth in talent will likely mean SA can challenge on a regular basis.
The Mexicans have every single advantage, population, their schools system, the financial bonus of so many players in the Irish squad, great access to large sponsors, a vast pool of well-heeled potential benefactors and not least their “preferred” status with FIRFUCs.
Of course, in any given season it’s not impossible for someone to catch them on a bad day. Bulls did it in Dublin last year, Connacht in 2015 but in general terms, it will always be the exception rather than an expectation. They are literally in a different league to the rest of the URC teams.
Can things be better at Ulster? Of course, they can, however, it needs to be understood that what we are capable of will always only be small incremental steps.
People need to understand that, no Mark McCall will never be back, same as dozens of players that have moved on, most never to be heard of again, can anyone tell me how Sugar’s rugby career is going? Some like Dizzy go on to a good career but are few and far between, most potter about a wee while and then get a proper job.
And so, to YOUR future as an Ulster supporter. I have learned, admittedly late in life, that simply wishing for something does not make it so.
You can go one of two ways, you can decide on the “slings & arrows” approach, and decide to greet the twin imposters with as close to equanimity as your small particle of brain allows. To enjoy the good days, let go of the bad ones as quickly as possible, refrain from all delusions of grandeur that something is possible to match and overtake Mexico.
Or you can struggle against the wind that is hurling more than just water at you, you can strive for solutions where none exist. In reality, you will get just as much return from prayer, though I do understand those who claim the great benefit of inner peace via that route.
The die is cast people of Ulster, whatever Ulster do, Mexico will do more and better, without some enormous influx of semolians and a change in the FIRFUC structure of financing the provinces we haven’t a pot to pish in, no real way to challenge, never mind change our fate.
ACCEPTANCE of reality is a wonderful thing, feck false hope, feck people peddling unreasonable expectations, the fact is that everyone hereabouts would have settled for 2nd behind Mexico in the table and would have seen it as progress. Make that same off in mid-January and your hand would have been bitten off.
The chappie in the woodpile? The devastation everyone from Al O’Connor to me felt in that woeful first hour against Connacht. That knocks the notion of improvement squarely in the ballbeg.
My forecast for next season: More of the same with a high risk of rain.
Agree ref Leireland but top or close to the top of the chasing pack should be clearly within our gift to earn a right to a shot at the Kings. However 2nd means f*CK all if we fail at the first hurdle at "fortress" Ravers. The chasing pack of Stormers, Sharks Bulls Weegies Munster and Westies have a combination of either good coaches / internationals or both, but plenty of filler. We have few if any starting internationals due to Leireland's dominance, which should give us a settled squad especially in the international windows, but we are poorly coached imo. Like all of the pack above listed, we have some good, some dross, some injury prone etc. But significant weaknesses or injury ravaged in key areas- 10, lock, Back row, TH. Ewers and Kitschoff will shore it up but unless we have confidence in these coaches bringing through McNabney, Hopes etc and turning Sheridan from raw talent to starting lock, then we are going to struggle even in that chasing pack. I don't btw- Stewart and Sheridan will make it in spite of them.
In almost every recent knock out game we've shat the bed habitually, which is a mental block that we have not shaken and the renowned mentalist has not come close to sorting, despite the hype and 5 years.
A better coach or coaching team will get more from this squad and release some of the latent potential definitely present in glimpses. They have a fairly even squad with the weakness listed, but stability in international windows to get a squad cohesion and belligerent Ulster mindset. However, Fight for every inch, like SUFTUM, now sounds tired and stale. Coaches have a lifespan then nothing new to say.
Westies were smart and effective rather than superior. We had every right to expect to beat them, but none of us were surprised when we didn't. Outrage that we never really threw a punch at home in a QF and full path to the final, which is a reasonable expectation and aspiration when avoiding Leireland.
Time and time again we don't turn up- forget Leireland- I'm talking Weegies twice ( was at both) Connacht, etc. This is a team that fears being favourites which is one key to aspiring to the top table. That team was haunted when it took the pitch and visibly drained. Distilled down, we fail to win games that really matter.
That is the job of the coaching team and squad leaders- all of which consistently fail in the key test every time. The " kids" ironically, play and have played without fear- I fear they will go the same way as the rest and the generational weakness that haunts UR will continue.
Munster have overall weaker squad imo but when it matters, all the cliches we laugh at they deliver- guts, pashun, pride in the Jersey, stand up and fight- well, they do. And they will rattle Leireland.
Good luck to Westies- hope they do a number on Stormers who as Munster showed ( and did us a favour) can be got at. Just not by our little flowers.
Told you Turnips would rattle Leireland. Well done 
