Season over - McLaughlin and Doak out!!! Or maybe not. oops!

[ardsrugbyards]

Big-al i totally agree

Kyri, Humphreys and Danielli all where the down fall in last nights game, Brady is better than the Greek, Jackson should have took over from the out of form Humph and Danielli should be playing for the ravens until his contract runs out (some of his supporters say he has the odd good game when?????)

[Rooster]

Gannonman - Jackson was on the bench because we needed 10 cover. You can argue he should have got a run out but contrary to your wishes Dungannon come below Ulster in the pecking order. Players will be part of the Ulster match day squad who wont end up playing. It may annoy the clubs but in a word...tough !

I see gannonmans point though in this, Paddy sat on his Brennan last night and now won't play today either, surely it would be sensible to have him play at least half a match with Dungannon today ? Quite simple as if he was home last night or early this morning and Fitzy was told during the week Paddy on bench and if he does not play 20 mins we will have him home for you on Saturday, even easier at home matches, at least that way he gets game time does a bit of kicking under pressure and generally keeps a bit of form, ok there is a risk of injury but as many injuries happen in training as in matches anyway.

[mariachi]

I think McLaughlin has done enough for Ulster rugby to be given the opportunity to see out the season. Since he took over, he's steadied the ship, brought through a glut of new young players who'll be mainstays of the team for another 10 years and brought Ulster to the quarter final of the Heineken Cup for the first time in more than a decade. Given that, he shouldn't be jettisoned after just three months of a season.

I do however think that under McLaughlin, Ulster will go no further than the did last year. I'd actively seek a new head coach for next season but wouldn't blindly remove McLaughlin from his post until we're sure there's somebody better lined up.

Likewise I doubt Ulster would be capable of picking up a better backs coach mid season than the coach they already have. The only person I can think of is Eddie O'Sullivan on a consultancy basis but he'd surely want the head coach job down the line. For that reason alone, I wouldn't remove Doak from his post just yet.

[Jackie Brown]

Don't shoot me, but I would take Eddie O'Sullivan over the current muppets.

[BR]

Was thinking something similar JB

[scrum5]

Don't shoot me, but I would take Eddie O'Sullivan over the current muppets

Crosshairs.png (43.7 KiB) Viewed 281 times

Only joking Jackie

[Bart S]

I think McLaughlin has done enough for Ulster rugby to be given the opportunity to see out the season. Since he took over, he's steadied the ship, brought through a glut of new young players who'll be mainstays of the team for another 10 years and brought Ulster to the quarter final of the Heineken Cup for the first time in more than a decade. Given that, he shouldn't be jettisoned after just three months of a season.

I do however think that under McLaughlin, Ulster will go no further than the did last year. I'd actively seek a new head coach for next season but wouldn't blindly remove McLaughlin from his post until we're sure there's somebody better lined up.

Likewise I doubt Ulster would be capable of picking up a better backs coach mid season than the coach they already have. The only person I can think of is Eddie O'Sullivan on a consultancy basis but he'd surely want the head coach job down the line. For that reason alone, I wouldn't remove Doak from his post just yet.

Mariachi - your 1st 2 paragraphs on here sum up perfectly my own views on McGlock. Was not a fan of his appointment and I do think his achievements last season need to be looked at in the context of a)edging through in a lot of very close games which we could easily have lost and put a different gloss on the season and b)the quality of players afforded to him vs McCall and Williams previously.

HOWEVER, his achievements do have to be recognised given what came before this and he certainly deserves a longer go given this. Also, if you look at who were likely to be Ulster's "key players" before the start of this season then I would have identified Afoa, Best, Muller, Ferris, Pienaar and Payne. How much have we seen of these guys this season so far?

It's clear we've gone down a strategy of using our avalable funds to recruit some big name players, with savings made elsewhere, resulting in less squad depth and the current overall coaching unit we have. There are limited funds and ultimatlely it says to me that if we have some luck and players stay fit/are available, we have the abilitiy to be right up there, but if that doesn't happen, we have limited playing resources and coaching experience/ideas to turn things around.

I have questioned whether we can go further with McGlock and personally I do think he will ever get us "world domination," or even close to it. We do have a core of good players and they should be able to bring out the best in a fair few others. I'd certainly hope that we are at least thinking about the coaching set up for next season.

[tommya]

Stand Up Fot The Ulstermen, we have and continue to but now it is time for The Ulstermen to stand up and put in the performances the supporters deserve !!!!!

[jackthelad]

Don't shoot me, but I would take Eddie O'Sullivan over the current muppets.

I'd even take Kidney.

[scrum5]

Martin Johnson is available

[Ardglass2]

He'd never fit in - their is no drinking culture at Ulster

[scrum5]

After recent displays there will be among the supporters...... , in all seriousness it's not good at the moment, we flattered last season and most thought we were better than we are, time to judge players and coaches after Christmas.....

[lovesthehardground]

After recent displays there will be among the supporters...... , in all seriousness it's not good at the moment, we flattered last season and most thought we were better than we are, time to judge players and coaches after Christmas.....

Why? Should we not be playing well and winning matches before Christmas?

[againstthehead]

Martin Johnson is available

You know what, we could do worse...

[Lurgan Lad]

AFAIK McGlocks contract finishes at the end of this year. Now isn't the time to get rid of the coaches, review it nearer the end of the season, certainly after we know if we get out of the pool stages of the HEC.
I really tend to think McGlocks is good enough as a head coach, think we haven't recruited enough good enough coaches round him. No point in having great players and coaches that aren't up to the mark. Scrum coach, forwards coach, defence coach, attack coach, can anyone say we have the coaches we need round McGlocks?