No ex player should be head coach until he has coached somewhere else first preferably a short stint in aus.
No ex player should be head coach until he has coached somewhere else first preferably a short stint in aus.
Learned comment from The Don
I totally agree. There are a number of clubs that are entitled to consider themselves not to be training or proving appointments and Saints are clearly one of those. Great players don't necessarily make great coaches especially those that played on the edge and with flair and finesse and guile........Equally we're a club recognised for a style of play, seated in its Community, used to success. We're entitled to challenge to get the very best and to believe that the best wants to reciprocate and coach at Saints. Whether this is SL or not down the line I don't know but it's too big a first step for him is my belief. I would have him back in a heartbeat as attack coach as whatever people think of KW and RM (and I think you know my views) neither can be spending any time whatsoever on that facet of our game. If they actually are then they're not proving to be very good at it. ...........here come a host of people to quote stats at me again no doubt.
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He doesn't have a great CV in coaching.
I don't think we are giving Longy enough recognition on what he has achieved and his temperament in his coaching roles. He doesn't have that big chip on his shoulder EGO that Cunningham had as a coach, to me Longy has took up the opportunities since retiring to advance his progression, I just don't see that maverick character anymore, in my opinion he's determined to be head coach and that's going to be sooner than later, in a couple of seasons perhaps.
Lots of different skills required to be a head coach. Some just want the core skills teaching and no pressure facet of working with the youth systems, progressing to U21 and fringe players without becoming too involved with the mental aspect side of coaching higher/elite level.
The cut throat, ruthless edge of top flight coaching is not for everyone.
Wolf is doing a good job, he has little or no loyalties to any of our squad, there will be changes next year, because he has no history with any of our lads he will cull the squad where it needs to be done.
I trust this system rather than the blind loyalty route.
Last edited by Tallaght Tiger; 9th October 2020 at 16:39. Reason: too busy eating to recognise a spelling error
Just seen Sean's stats, 2625 for Saints, second behind Kel, 3413.
He's been one of our greatest and he knows how far he can go coaching. I'm not sure he's the man next. But I would be the first to bow down if he did. Many great days out brought on by Sean.
Off to Leeds so I hear to link up with his old pal Richard Agar as his #2
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I’d imagine a specialised coaching role in Union would pay better than a number two job at Leeds. Though money isn’t everything, I know.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club
I think Wellens would make a better coach in due course.
This would be the call I would expect from a lot of people & there would be a lot worse options than Wello. However I've always been of the view that both in sport & in my industrial experience for example you ultimately get a more rounded candidate on account of being exposed to different influences. Going to RU then Leeds I believe will help SL in the longer term above Wello's Saints only experience. Just a view.
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I think Wellens will be Saints coach at some point in the next few years and as you mention i'd be one of the fans who would be fine with that. He has a game winning mentality, huge amount of respect within the game and experience under 3 coaches so far. He also appears to be level headed and calm under pressure, I don't think you would get the same outbursts from Wello as you did with Cunningham.
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I'm sure all your comments are valid, but I also think he would be even an even better candidate if he went & came back. He seems to be a home bird and happy at Saints (who really knows) and I concede that in itself adds quality to the mix.
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Long and wello are clearly steeped in the clubs history, and know the game of rl inside out
However I agree with an earlier post, for me I would always want some one who has been a head coach and showed he can handle the pressure of the job
Shown he is able to get his ideas over to players, shown he can motivate players, shown he has a good idea for recruitment and shown he has man management skills
ST Helens is a famous rugby league club one of the biggest in the game anywhere in the world and we should be getting a proven talent imo and at the moment for all their merits neither long or wello have that and they may have to go and take a job like that somewhere else and then come back to get the head coach job here
So it's a no from me sorry, personally I'd go for Watson and Salford and I know he's not universally popular but I like Tony Smith I think he would do well
I get what people are saying about head coach experience but Justin Holbrook was an assistant before he came here.
With the benefit of hindsight, appointing KC was a mistake. However, is it possible that we could in future miss out on a potentially great coach because we have adopted a conservative attitude about the need for prior head coach experience? That’s not to say that it isn’t a bad idea for Longy and Wellens to get whatever experience they can but should we write them both off for the top job if they haven’t first been head coach elsewhere?
At the moment, I would like is to have Longy back in the camp. I think he’d have some creative ideas in attack.
P. S. Luckily none of us make these decisions anyway .
Interesting I pretty much agree with your comments about Long & Wello too big first up top job. Never thought of Smith and I don't suppose he would find it easy carrying the Wire cast-off image. However while I see Watson as a good fit for our style I can see Smith as the all round better option. Watson has never had any cash so scratched around for players but I believe our expectations are higher than that while Smith has experienced managing with in effect no salary cap but has now been brought back down to earth in the cul-de-sac. Maybe that would drive him on again, re-energise him?
I'll now prepare myself for a load of creative Smith is a tosser replies.
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