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.