The UAFC

Further to my quasi defence of Bryn, I have been contacted by a man I trust not to bullshit me and he told me that odd as it may seem to you all, until Kiss was sacked, the identification of players to sign lay 100% with the coaching staff and particularly the DOR.

Strange as it seems to me, given we know him to be an arsehole, the call on who to sign was his call to make, Bryn was only the negotiator. Therefore, not only has Bryn not had budget struggles, identifying signings has not been his to do, he tries to sign who has been identified to him as targets.

Unlike many of you, I have had an innate trust in Bryn as one of us who has been there and probably knows better than most how the whole Spanners shebang works.

My informant tells me that since Kiss's overdue departure, identifying players is now absolutely within Bryn's role. So could we all please wind our necks in just a little and hold your judgements on what Bryn signs from now on.

In Bryn, I am prepared to place a hell of a lot more trust than almost all who have gone before, our Coaches over the years, at the very least since Doc Dave left, have been the ones to make the call on what players to sign.

Piutau, Deysel & Hond were Kiss signings, Piutau may have had the enthusiastic support of Terry as a bums on seats call, but Kiss is the man at whom to direct your ire for signings this last 2/3 seasons, though Clarke was also hot to trot on Hond, possibly since he was being shitcanned anyway.

Obviously coaches need to make those calls. And I hope they still will.

No harm in BC raising a few possibilities with them and asking, "What do you think?" But absolutely no point him spending the money and effort signing a player we don't need or one who does fit our coach's plans.

BaggyTrousers wrote:

Cornerfleg wrote:I tell you what depresses me ... Lienster have signed a fair amount of average Daves themselves ... and yet their squad and academy players have meant no one has really been bothered complaining that the likes of Lowe, Malone RFC, Side show Kirchner etc would have been quality Daves up in our patch, keeping youngsters back ...

Ermmmm ...

Fleg, write a note to self saying "I really must watch more rugby". Yes the binman is crap, yes Sideshow Bob was dung but James Lowe is a blinder of a player. (in fact, he'd have been a better signing than Piutau)

That apart, I like your post, it's spot on.

Yes Lowe is a class act ... but Lienster aren't exactly short of backs - they could have sacked Visa and kept Lowe as cover ... but Baggy his first few games were utter dung, and you can take that to the bank. If he had played 2 games of utter tripe like he did to start we would have been calling for his head.

BR wrote:Obviously coaches need to make those calls. And I hope they still will.

No harm in BC raising a few possibilities with them and asking, "What do you think?" But absolutely no point him spending the money and effort signing a player we don't need or one who does fit our coach's plans.

To you BR perhaps, many of the meatpuppets hereabouts have been ranting about the players I mentioned as "Bryn's failed signings". No harm I think to set the record straight before some idiots gets up at the Angry Mob meetings and says, "Bryn you need to sharpen up, your signings are dung".

I could be wrong but I suspect Bryn's future job spec will have at the very least joint calls with the Head Coach on signings, it certainly will for the remains of this awful season.

BaggyTrousers wrote:Further to my quasi defence of Bryn, I have been contacted by a man I trust not to bullshit me and he told me that odd as it may seem to you all, until Kiss was sacked, the identification of players to sign lay 100% with the coaching staff and particularly the DOR.

Strange as it seems to me, given we know him to be an arsehole, the call on who to sign was his call to make, Bryn was only the negotiator. Therefore, not only has Bryn not had budget struggles, identifying signings has not been his to do, he tries to sign who has been identified to him as targets.

Unlike many of you, I have had an innate trust in Bryn as one of us who has been there and probably knows better than most how the whole Spanners shebang works.

My informant tells me that since Kiss's overdue departure, identifying players is now absolutely within Bryn's role. So could we all please wind our necks in just a little and hold your judgements on what Bryn signs from now on.

In Bryn, I am prepared to place a hell of a lot more trust than almost all who have gone before, our Coaches over the years, at the very least since Doc Dave left, have been the ones to make the call on what players to sign.

Piutau, Deysel & Hond were Kiss signings, Piutau may have had the enthusiastic support of Terry as a bums on seats call, but Kiss is the man at whom to direct your ire for signings this last 2/3 seasons, though Clarke was also hot to trot on Hond, possibly since he was being shitcanned anyway.

I think that will be news to many including yours truly.
Bryn is inherently likable and refreshingly honest. Furthermore, I know for a fact that he fought tooth and nail to keep Ruan on the books. I'm delighted to hear that the substandard level of signings were not his fault. I'll go to next Thursday's state of the union with a marginally optimistic attitude.

I hinted at this recently about Bryn but few listened and even fewer believed, glad to hear Baggy came up with same info and it certainly came from a different source than mine.

FOLK

big mervyn wrote:2 appointments with angry mobs for Bryn now.

Are flaming torches and pitch forks being handed out at the door or are UR selling them to make a few quid?

mid ulster maestro wrote:

big mervyn wrote:2 appointments with angry mobs for Bryn now.

Are flaming torches and pitch forks being handed out at the door or are UR selling them to make a few quid?

Nah, the rabid rabble has been stood down.
We could always bring lighters and sing "We Are The World".

Honestly, I think people need to give Bryn a fair hearing and actually listen to what he has to say. He is not the man who made the shyte signings, he is not the CEO but the CEO has taken a vow of silence and has not spoken to use in months, Bryn is not for hiding. I'm not going to the meetings but I hope someone will report faithfully on the meetings.

For me, Bryn is UR's best hope for getting the show on the road............... a long long road, but if they take the right road, then feck it, I'll wait for the better days, not Terry WD Slogans World Domination, just a well-coached team and an organisation that knows it's arsefrom a hole in the ground.

Anyone else have an invoice for their season ticket renewal?

Its went up a fair bit from £210 was it.

damianmcr wrote:
Anyone else have an invoice for their season ticket renewal?

Its went up a fair bit from £210 was it.

I haven't got mine. Did they not say there was a price freeze?

big mervyn wrote:

damianmcr wrote:
Anyone else have an invoice for their season ticket renewal?

Its went up a fair bit from £210 was it.

I haven't got mine. Did they not say there was a price freeze?

There is a price freeze if you pay for the next 2 years this year, My tickets are actually down by around £50 each from this year

baggy glad to hear your comments on Bryn and maybe my recent views have been somewhat blinded by reading back how the press reported it at the time and since.. .. bloody press.

On his appointment... He will now be responsible for recruiting and retaining players, identifying talent, managing contract negotiations and will oversee professional services.

On appointment Bryan stated "I have clear goals over the next three years in helping take the province to the top of the European Table"... However surely no one can argue that has been achieved... not quite WD but.

In January this year UR provided an updated interview... My core role includes developing the succession plan of the squad, player retention, and recruitment.

As for Coetzee.. Bryn is on record as saying he seen him against Ireland and he wanted to sign him. Certainly not Bryn's fault (but seemingly his signing) what then happened and Marcela could have been a great signing but unfortunately hasn't been. The match in question was presumably the Autumn International in November 2014... that signing finally happened in 2016 if not mistaken.

As for Charles I still don't know who signed him but he does appear to be Irelands and the Pro 14's most expensive signing.

Otherwise I fully understand you can only work with the budget at hand ... setting aside making Charles the highest paid player in Ireland and the league when he was signed. Also like you and snipe I previously put it in a slightly different manner but had we overlooked the Hond, Deysel, Heron, Windsor, Diack (resigning), CRoss and I think we could have tried out a few more youngsters with as much success...

One thing I would like to hear from the meeting but won't because I shan't be there is some honesty maybe in response to some questions (if anyone asked them) on who identified these players..

Rooster wrote:

big mervyn wrote:

damianmcr wrote:
Anyone else have an invoice for their season ticket renewal?

Its went up a fair bit from £210 was it.

I haven't got mine. Did they not say there was a price freeze?

There is a price freeze if you pay for the next 2 years this year, My tickets are actually down by around £50 each from this year

I think the terraces are pretty much the same price as last year Damo. Pretty sure I paid 5 installments of £44 last summer which is similar to this year. The 2 year deal saves you a £5 surcharge.
I see a guest ticket is included to compensate for the missing home game next year - a great gift for somebody you don't particularly care for