Richie Murphy - right man for the job?

[Marco]

Good old hairy arsed north of England man badly needed, someone who’ll pull away the sense of entitlement that the old master race pupils have, who’ll make them know and understand that an ability to twirl a ball on their fingers for minutes doesn’t actually count for a fiddlers f**K if they don't pull together as a team and put the hard yards in, that they will not let an opposition winger bounce them. Also someone who’ll chuck the laptops out for a couple of months because what in the name of all that’s sacred has the analysis that goes on in that coaches box every game done to improve performance. I swear they’re watching porn sometimes….

[shamalicious]

Good old hairy arsed north of England man badly needed, someone who’ll pull away the sense of entitlement that the old master race pupils have, who’ll make them know and understand that an ability to twirl a ball on their fingers for minutes doesn’t actually count for a fiddlers f**K if they don't pull together as a team and put the hard yards in, that they will not let an opposition winger bounce them. Also someone who’ll chuck the laptops out for a couple of months because what in the name of all that’s sacred has the analysis that goes on in that coaches box every game done to improve performance. I swear they’re watching porn sometimes….

I actually think that's the last thing they need. They had that in Dan and look how that ended up. The old school hard ba$tard style of coaching is a thing of the past. Look at Richard Cockerill. The players' confidence has completely eroded. ROG did an interview recently saying how each player needs to be treated as an individual to get the best out of them. It's no coincidence that some of the players he mentioned in the interview have signed long term extensions.

[big mervyn]

Good old hairy arsed north of England man badly needed, someone who’ll pull away the sense of entitlement that the old master race pupils have, who’ll make them know and understand that an ability to twirl a ball on their fingers for minutes doesn’t actually count for a fiddlers f**K if they don't pull together as a team and put the hard yards in, that they will not let an opposition winger bounce them. Also someone who’ll chuck the laptops out for a couple of months because what in the name of all that’s sacred has the analysis that goes on in that coaches box every game done to improve performance. I swear they’re watching porn sometimes….

I actually think that's the last thing they need. They had that in Dan and look how that ended up. The old school hard ba$tard style of coaching is a thing of the past. Look at Richard Cockerill. The players' confidence has completely eroded. ROG did an interview recently saying how each player needs to be treated as an individual to get the best out of them. It's no coincidence that some of the players he mentioned in the interview have signed long term extensions.

I think Farrell also embraces that approach to player management which is one of the key differences from his predecessor.

[CIMANFOREVER]

F#cking Millenials

[Columbo]

Irrespective of who we have as coach, if we have to rely on the quality of Lowry, Flannery and Doak at 10 we may as well disband.

I think that’s my biggest concern atm. There’s a bit of a feeding frenzy on Ulster atm in the media - I know this kind of turmoil is a good story so in any case they’d be getting stuck in, but I can’t help thinking that Rowntree and Wilkins, not to mention all of the Munster-supporting journos / pundits must be relieved that it’s all distracting attention from the pretty crap showings this season from Munster and Connacht.

And I think it’s all a bit overplayed - for example the Murray Kinsella article headlined something like ‘Senior player exodus’, which in fact turns out to include guys like Jones, no harm to him. I’ll be gutted when Luke retires because I love him, and he’s a class player, but really in recent years we’ve had a couple of matches a season from him, and he’s no longer first choice - and we’ve had even less from Addison, and he’s come back a shadow of the player he was before. Ewers has been a crap signing, I had my doubts given his age and how he had slipped down the pecking order at Exeter, but no big loss IMO. EOS I have a soft spot for and I think developed into a very good option, but not the end of the world that he’s going, although I’d like to keep him around

But Burns is different. For me Flannery is simply not good enough, and I have to say I’m not sure he ever will be. And I don’t fancy Doak, and particularly Lowry at 10. I wonder when the dust settles, will the backlog of 10s at Leinster get another tap on their shoulder ahead of the new season - and maybe with Dan going Ulster may be more attractive. Or for that matter might Billy get an offer - because it seems ludicrous to have him go and sit on the bench at Munster, while Ulster are potentially hobbled by having no decent out half next season

I’d like to think this would be obvious to Nucifora / Humphreys

[jean valjean]

I wonder if Andy or POC might help out in a consultative manner again like farrell did with munster before....

Swop Munster for Ulster in the article and the parallels are there....

"It's a positive move for Munster. They had to do something. The spiral they are on at the moment is so worrying. The season was in danger of just frittering out into another failure, even in the Pro12. They have got to qualify for those Champions Cup spots. I think making a change, even in this consultancy basis, is definitely positive for Munster.

"My understanding is that this role is not a coaching role, it is consultancy, an advisory set up. He will be looking at all areas. It's a pretty wide-ranging remit for him," Kinsella added.

Munster have lost six of their last seven games, but Kinsella does not think Anthony Foley's position is in jeopardy despite the arrival of the former Rugby League star.

"I would imagine right now that Anthony Foley's thinking of this job is extremely negative. If things can turn around, and there is signs of progress, at the end of the season, he certainly he has a future at Munster. Whether that is [with] a Director of Rugby over him, someone stepping in permanently in that Farrell role, a kind of sounding board for Foley [or] someone who is a more experienced figure and an outside voice, that might be the way forward".

Many have forgotten the crap that was thrown at foley before he sadly passed. Was sobering reading again how much pressure he was under down there.

https://www.offtheball.com/rugby/andy-f ... nce-281271

[damianmcr]

U20's off to some start.

[Columbo]

I’ve come to think that I’m very optimistic about the rest of the season and the Murphy appointment, in spite of everything. Of course it could be a disaster, and on balance of probability will likely be a mixed bag with some good and some bad, but here’s the case for optimism:

Murphy the man for the job - see above. And in short, less of a dick, and I think the players will play with more freedom which can only be a good thing (they’ve looked very tight and tense this season)

The break of the fixtures - 8 URC, 4 home, 4 away. Of the home games, 2 should be comfortable wins (Dragons and Cardiff), and 2 slightly less comfortable wins (Benetton and Leinster - who we play a week before CC final, so could well get a heavily rotated side). Of the away fixtures, one is against Scarlets, who are in free fall, and could literally finish bottom - definite away win chance. And Munster, who aren’t great, but owe us one and you’d think home win the more likely. And first up of course the SA tour, which is important as a tone-setter as Richie’s first games in charge. And actually if he can get us firing right off the bat, we could nick a win given Sharks woeful form, and our games against Stormers have always been nip and tuck. So all in all not terrible - I’d be least confident about Stormers and Munster, and Leinster can do a job on anyone, but with a fair wind 6 from 8 isn’t unrealistic.

Euro shield - yes we’re away, but Montpellier are in the throes of a relegation battle in the Top 14, I see a good chance of a soft and fairly disinterested selection. A run to the final again isn’t out of the question and would be a great morale booster.

IRFU getting their planning sorted out - all 4 provinces are rife with rumours about players, and this is contracting season, so some more clarity on the contracting / recruitment front would take away a lot of the negative vibes and rumour-mongering around Ulster, which I think is much overdone.

Job number one is a big performance against Dragons - let’s see a 40 point blowout, and go from there!

[solidarity]

About as optimistic as it's possible to be, Colum... but, hey, let's go for it!

[Columbo]

About as optimistic as it's possible to be, Colum... but, hey, let's go for it!

I’ve just drank a tin of Boundary’s ‘You guys give up?’ (clocking in at 12.5%) and re-read what I wrote earlier, and I’m more convinced than ever!!

6 from 8 in the league, starting tomorrow night with a blowout win against Dragons, getting through Montpellier-Clermont-Edinburgh to a final against Ospreys, which we will win, coming round in a nice circle from the game which cost Dan his job, to the game which seals Richie’s position.

You read it here first

[Deraless]

Cons:

1) It's Ulster

[CIMANFOREVER]

And we have trapdoors for ar#es.

Sharks are poor but if their Boks actually show up- traditionally it'll be against us- that team is disgracefully coached- no way they should be bottom....
Benetton is a real banana skin- they were very competitive versus Leinster til the last 10; agree ref Montpellier - but thereafter we need to focus on the league.

Key game could be winner takes all Vs Munster;
There are no dead games against the teams in the same band as us, plus Cardiff who are a couple of wins off the middle group & who will have their internationals probably- Stormers have it all to play for and we will struggle imo.
We need a fair wind with Injuries and some big time Charlies to find form/ confidence. The cubs will respond to Murphy I think which is a plus- ref senior players he's used to boys with Dummies to be spat ..
I'm going 5 from 8- there's some real dog fights coming- we'll see if our metal's bred out; ref Leinster there's no guarantee they'll be in CC final...
Am I a pessimist or realist?

[Columbo]

Job number one is a big performance against Dragons - let’s see a 40 point blowout, and go from there!

Called it! On to the next one

[DodgyEverything]

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/spor ... 93626.html

Glad to see he's keen to get the post permanently, hopeful this will work out well

[Cockatrice]

Irrespective of who we have as coach, if we have to rely on the quality of Lowry, Flannery and Doak at 10 we may as well disband.

I think that’s my biggest concern atm. There’s a bit of a feeding frenzy on Ulster atm in the media - I know this kind of turmoil is a good story so in any case they’d be getting stuck in, but I can’t help thinking that Rowntree and Wilkins, not to mention all of the Munster-supporting journos / pundits must be relieved that it’s all distracting attention from the pretty crap showings this season from Munster and Connacht.

And I think it’s all a bit overplayed - for example the Murray Kinsella article headlined something like ‘Senior player exodus’, which in fact turns out to include guys like Jones, no harm to him. I’ll be gutted when Luke retires because I love him, and he’s a class player, but really in recent years we’ve had a couple of matches a season from him, and he’s no longer first choice - and we’ve had even less from Addison, and he’s come back a shadow of the player he was before. Ewers has been a crap signing, I had my doubts given his age and how he had slipped down the pecking order at Exeter, but no big loss IMO. EOS I have a soft spot for and I think developed into a very good option, but not the end of the world that he’s going, although I’d like to keep him around

But Burns is different. For me Flannery is simply not good enough, and I have to say I’m not sure he ever will be. And I don’t fancy Doak, and particularly Lowry at 10. I wonder when the dust settles, will the backlog of 10s at Leinster get another tap on their shoulder ahead of the new season - and maybe with Dan going Ulster may be more attractive. Or for that matter might Billy get an offer - because it seems ludicrous to have him go and sit on the bench at Munster, while Ulster are potentially hobbled by having no decent out half next season

I’d like to think this would be obvious to Nucifora / Humphreys

Still amazes how Cunningham has escaped yet another bullet … nothing sticks on him despite being at the head for several coaches now.. all recruitment is his bag