Some may have forgotten, but some haven't. 2006 was our year of dominance and Anderson is revered because we won the absolute lot that year, but we saw a substantial change from the free-wheeling creativity under Millward to the structural discipline under Anderson in a pretty short time, and I know that some of us on here of a certain vintage aren't as blown over by Anderson as others are. We had a fantastic and dominant side, but we were nowhere near as fun to watch as under his predecessor. The appointment of Anderson was pretty much the starting point of us going for defensively minded coaches, which led us to Potter, Simmons, Brown etc. Because Anderson won a few trophies with a brilliant team we assumed we could replicate it with lesser sides and coaches who weren't as talented, and we failed in the main. Anderson was a very good coach for us, but anyone who thinks he was Millward Mark II or even a Holbrook in terms of his desire for us play with style have lost some memory cells IMO.
I think Watson is sensible to turn down the Hull job. Getting the Hull job is similar to getting a job at Leeds, Wigan or Saints.
For most it can be their last job as unless they get an offer from the NRL not many step back down to other super league clubs.
So the offer has to be enough to bankroll you into retirement if it all goes wrong and lets face it, it always goes wrong for those in the top job at Hull.
A few more coppers in the jar for say 2 years at Hull and then potentially nothing after that
Or keep making decent money at Salford, building teams and getting great performances out of a difficult situation, until a job offer comes up with the right money and the right prospects of success.
The Millward era was my favourite rugby to watch. 2005 we were brilliant. I'll never for get one game (can't remember who we played) when we had no designated person behind the PTB. It was just the closest player, and our speed that day was at another level. Anderson inherited probably the best side I have ever seen.
Millward team was great to watch , plus he had a swagger about him as a bloke that matched that team
he was brash and his side ran from everywhere and played with a similar swagger as the coach
That was the best saints team I've seen and it was the best to watch
He seemed to be able to wind up the opposition fans to , so I guess that made us like him even more
Anderson was a lot more reserved and not so "box office" his team played that way to
Holbrook is a really likeable fella, his team played great stuff and he really got the club and the area
woolf seems far more an Anderson type (proably even more dour) and his sides play in a less entertaining fashion
Even if he wins the LLS and the grand final he won't be remembered as fondly as millward or Holbrook, both down to his personality and his style of rugby
But if he wins two trophys this year he will go down as a success and is that what counts at the end of the day
I thought we went a bit stale towards the end of the Millward era. We had that fantastic cup win in Cardiff but I think in his last two full seasons we got unceremoniously booted out of the playoffs by Wigan. My favourite time under Millward was 2000 and 2001. Just magic - Newlove, Martyn, Cunningham, Long and Sculthorpe in their prime (how ridiculous is it that we had all of them in one team?), old favourites from the '90s like Sullivan, Nickle and Joynt still going strong, great imports like Fairleigh, Iro and Hoppe (underrated IMO) and the team playing rugby to die for.
Brill tackle . Then he stood over tickle. Who’s the daddy ,!
2005 was a great season in the making IMO. Millward was sacked with us in great shape, and it was under Anderson that we got battered by Hull in the Cup SF and of course we then had some serious injuries heading into the play-offs. But 2005 could have been a fantastic season under different circumstances, and I enjoyed it more on a week to week basis than 2006 strangely.
after that shit show last night we should be on the phone to Watson with an offer and wave goodbye to Woolf.
Whilst the Millward years were fantastic in terms of entertainment (with no shortage of silverware), I personally think we got the mix right with Anderson. He was very fortunate in that we had a team packed with brilliant, exciting players used to playing off the cuff attacking rugby. IMO we didn't lose too much attacking flair when we needed it, but our improved defence gave us an extra dimension. However, if he'd have taken over when Cunningham left, we'd have continued to struggle as we needed a coach devoted to us having more focus on attack.
With all that in mind, I don't think Watson would be what we actually need. He's not really shown any indication an attacking coach. I know he's got limited tools to work with, but he's more of a pragmatic coach, trying to find a way to win, often in bigger games reverting to defence-oriented tactics (like against us in the GF)
One thing we can all agree on is at the very least we have major concerns about Woolf and are extremely underwhelmed by his tactics.
We need to get this! Unless Wolfe goes back under his own volition he is here next season. in all honesty he deserves that opportunity in what hopefully will be a normal season. our problems run deeper than Woolfe. Culturally we are too nice and the football he tried to play last night is not what we are set up to do. However Justin didn't sweep the board trophy wise but we loved it. Wane swept the board trophy wise, would we have loved that? For what it is worth I think Watson and Rowley are the answer, but we are a soft club and I think Wolfe is trying to change that but Lees, Amor, LMS last night got bullied by feral average players.
See I think the pragmatism of Watson is what we need, he's had to be like that with Salford who don't have the players we have. And beside, who else do we bring in? Do we bring in another Aussie who most likely will just use us a stepping stone or go with a British coach who we have more chance of a bit of continuity under? Holbrook was a great fit at the time, brought back the feel good factor but this clown is taking us backwards at a rate of knots.
I'm not too sure there's many Millward style coaches about now but at least we should try and halt what's happening in terms of how we set up, what our game plan is and importantly how we plot a course through a series of matches. If Watson can do those things then fine. It's no point throwing the ball about while targeting the wrong matches with the wrong plays and the wrong players.
KW seems wedded to certain players at the expense of others and some of his selections are bizarre. He's inflexible in his approach, some may call it resolute and has in effect abandoned half of the team. The backs arnt being coached because I believe he doesn't understand them and hasn't got the breath of knowledge or expertise to do anything with them. Just an opinion but in general an ex player who spent his career in the forwards rarely makes a top coach (no doubt there's been loads of successes) but I'd much prefer someone who has the capacity to develop the game plan and tactics from a back line perspective and that could well be an ex player from the backs himself or someone, like happens in other sports, who was never a recognised player but has studied their trade and has the mental capacity to execute a range of plans and engage all of his squad.
The way KW has managed his way though these last 2 weeks in particular with his team selections and his game plans is scandalous and we need a change. I don't know if Watson is the man but I think he'll be an improvement on what we have now.
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Watson would be a gamble, never managing a big club, but through his achievements with Salford he is probably worth gambling on.
Personally I am fed up of changing coaches I think it's seven in the past 7 years. at least with Watson he would be here until we said time enough.
Would still let Woolf finish his contractural second year, he hasn't really inherited a great team no Thompson and Percival missing most of the season and an ageing pack past their best. He's got 3 or 4 new players coming next season to freshen up that pack and he needs to get Dodd challenging for Fages who is too inconsistent this season.
TBF, would get rid of Woolf for Watson right now.
Do people not understand the concept of a contract? We can't just sack Woolf and appoint Watson. That would mean two sets of compensation, in a year where the club's income has been massively reduced