http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/...m/?ref=mr&lp=3
And so say all of us.
http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/...m/?ref=mr&lp=3
And so say all of us.
I think the point that supporters will watch this team "win, lose or draw" is on the money. It wasn't just results under Cunningham that were the issue. It was the mind numbing experience of going to games and the fact that if you didn't accept it with a sh1t eating grin on your face you were branded a "sheep" and told you knew nothing about rugby league
Everyone seems to be behind this team and Holbrook now. We might not win anything but we will certainly go about our business in the right way, the Saints way
Great article
Holbrook the coach will ultimately be judged on trophies first and foremost, followed by entertainment value, and he is certainly heading in the right direction on both counts. He has us enjoying matches again, we play a good style of rugby and I don't think we really fear anyone at the moment. We are in a commanding position to pick up the League Leader's shield but for me he has to lead us to the Challenge Cup or Super League trophy now to avoid disappointment for this season.
Holbrook the man is absolutely everything you'd want from the figurehead at your club; he's honest, intelligent, articulate, engaging and puts a real emphasis on creating the bond between the club and it's supporters. He's worked absolute wonders from a PR point of view since he came and has been an absolute breath of fresh air.
NEVER WRITE OFF THE SAINTS
I think that with E Mc and Holbrook we really do have a winning team. I can't speak highly enough of either of them
We should get him and Barba on 3year extensions to contracts.
I think the Cunningham episode was a learning experience for McManus and, more especially, Mike Rush.
Many fans (me included) were scathing about Rush during that time, with some long-standing fans who know the club closely commenting on Rush's admiration of the Daniel Anderson school of conservative/defence-orientated rugby (Anderson striking lucky in inheriting a talent-packed team with natural flair and a culture of fast, flowing rugby that he was able to add steel to without making us dull)
So to abandon the playing style that Rush was committed to, and go for a coach with a different mentality (also after putting the expansive '3 wise men' in temporary charge) was a leap of faith that took balls and has been rewarded.
I'm made up for McManus. He's put an awful lot of himself into Saints and there's no doubt he loves the club with a passion. He was in an impossible position with Cunningham and felt duty-bound to give him time to find his coaching feet and turn it round, but in return just got a more entrenched Cunningham and plummeting relations with fans. McManus made the tough decision and, whilst some things have just fallen well (Barba, that MW trouncing of Hull in Holbrook's first game which got fans instantly on side), the hard work behind the scenes is properly paying off.
A clean sweep of trophies would be a fitting finale to the season.
I think that Holbrook’s coaching credentials compared with those of Cunningham are obvious as demonstrated not only through results but also the manner of play of/improvement in every player that was also under Cunningham. Beyond team performance, however, and what is more admirable in my view has been Holbrook’s understanding of the need to engage with both fans and the community at large and the manner in which he has brought everyone together. The fact that Cunningham, as someone born and bred within the locale, failed to recognise this - indeed, his words and actions merely served to increase alienation - is an even more shameful indictment of his shortsomings.
Well done all those involved in recruiting Holbrook.
In full agreement with the above two posts from Webbo and Tabasco.
Holbrook seems like a nice guy, something the players often respond to, Cunninghams man management looked poor, I wonder if we will read about it in years to come