Gerald the Mole wrote:Neil Best:
Betrayal is the only truth that sticks
After Ulster’s stay of execution win over Ospreys, the Ravenhill mood should have been jubilant at the whistle, but it wasn’t. Rumours had already begun to circulate as to the outcome of the IRFU led review into Ulster players Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding and Craig Gilroy -and the mood music was far from celebratory.
At the heart of this whole situation has been a sense of betrayal – firstly by the players of the values of their families and the club, and now by the club of young men, products of their youth system – now sacrificed – not seen to be on the altar or morals and ethics but perceived to be on the altar of sponsorship and money.
There is no easy fix for Ulster Rugby and their fans. Routinely, Ulster supporters have learnt from Dublin based journalists the latest and breaking news about their Belfast based club – whether it be the arrival of Les Kiss, the departure of Ruan Pienaar or the current shortlist to replace Jonno Gibbes – the news emanates from Dublin – showing clearly where decision making power lies.
I’ve previously said that Ulster must learn to steer their own ship and until they do they won’t be sufficiently selfish to navigate a path to club success.
Some fans have sympathy for operations director Bryn Cunningham – an ex-player who is responsible for all off-field aspects of the club – and even some for the CEO Shane Logan who has an unerring knack of not making himself available at times of crisis. Indeed a similar number were ready to forgive the failings of Les Kiss – for no reason other than on the whole the fans are a good bunch who don’t feel comfortable with anything that could be seen as scapegoating.
That’s why the Jackson and Olding departures are so problematic for the club, the fans who have put up with Logan, Cunningham and Kiss over the past couple of seasons – even defended them – have done so because they abhor the very type scapegoating that they feel their club are now undertaking with their own players.
No education or re-training has been offered, no prospect of rehabilitation, not even a gesture rejected. This has provided the backdrop to a growing degree of sympathy for the players inside and outside the club. But Jackson and Olding have talent and remain highly employable and like many others before them they will move into exile. Success in their new environment will provide a weekly reminder of all that is wrong with Ulster Rugby – no strategy or plan, inconsistency on and off-field and growing disconnect with the fans – all the while subject to direction from Dublin who historically retained other high-profile players amongst scandals of sexual conduct not without parallels.
And a club that isn’t seen to listen to its fans nor accountable to them will fail. I honestly can’t remember a time when Ulster Rugby have been so at odds with so many of their supporters. Whatever Ulster salvage from this season – without substantial change at the top – Ulster will continue to fail.
+1
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May the lord forgive us for what we are about to receive
The Sunday Times is claiming Clermont as the likely destination for Paddy - since they're ninth in the Top 14 and given our obvious panache for f@cking things up, he might be back on a Thursday night in the not-too-distant future.
When it was being called as Exeter I found that strange although it still might be so... The older mentor Steenson is bringing thru a very good player who has been given a lot of exposure this year.. bringing Paddy in would dispute that development big time.. but he is a valuable commodity and could close to name his own price.. in saying that he now has a lot to prove on the pitch.
yes marian finucane on rte radio this morning thinks it's possible he may go there because the French are more...neanderthal
Says the nation that abused children and buried babies in ditches. You gotta love the Southern morality police.
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I wonder how many Priests have been subjected to internal reviews and when on the wider subject I wonder how many protests have been directed at an Irish League player dismissed by his English club for keeping and sharing pictures of children.
yes marian finucane on rte radio this morning thinks it's possible he may go there because the French are more...neanderthal
Says the nation that abused children and buried babies in ditches. You gotta love the Southern morality police.
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I wonder how many Priests have been subjected to internal reviews and when on the wider subject I wonder how many protests have been directed at an Irish League player dismissed by his English club for keeping and sharing pictures of children.
Is there not an example, very close to home to the example you referred to above, where a player subject to current charges for similar offences continues to play? Those who have been vocal on behalf of the complainant in this case have yet to make a comment on either of the cases above to my knowledge.
Something I’ve been wondering is what Henderson is thinking - did he think Olding would get a fair crack of the whip when he signed on? I wonder if he’d be tempted to ask Constable to have a very quiet word with any big French sides to see if there’d be any appetite to buy out his contract? (Spoiler alert: pretty sure there would...)
Columbo wrote:Something I’ve been wondering is what Henderson is thinking - did he think Olding would get a fair crack of the whip when he signed on? I wonder if he’d be tempted to ask Constable to have a very quiet word with any big French sides to see if there’d be any appetite to buy out his contract? (Spoiler alert: pretty sure there would...)
It would be interesting to hear the player's views. Rob trotted out the party line today, but they have been impacted way more than we have.
