What would be a successful season for 2014/15?

[Eggs]

This season there have been several occasions where I have felt proud of Ulster, and I reckon I am not as negative as some, but ultimately despite the injuries we should have done better. A lot of criticism of Anscombe, much of which is for off the pitch decision and attitude, but what do we as Ulster supporters want as a minimum for a successful season next year?

This is definitely not a question of "what does Anscombe need to do to keep his job", which would have an entirely different answer.

This season I feel that we should have done better, and ultimately, it wasn't a successful season. What would it take for you to consider next season successful?

[Windeos]

A successful season would be to win a trophy. That would obviously mean either the European Cup or the Pro 12 but that is what Ulster have to do to call it a successful season.

We need to win a trophy.

[ruckover]

With the squad we have, winning the Pro12 should be a minimum every season, with next season no exception even with the losses we're taking.

Champions' Cup semi-finals also the bare minimum as from here on out we should be topping our pool every season with a home quarter to look forward to which should lead to a semi-final. From there it's an open draw so it's hard to predict.

[breakdown]

Winning something should be the main priority however I still am quite optimistic for next season, Muller is a huge loss yes, maybe not ability wise but for his leadership, we have made some good signings in VDM and Herbst, found a decent set of props to replace those leaving, got a proper back up 10 and 15 and Olding has still to come back in

Our starting XV will be just as strong it's just a case of the management being smart enough to know how to beat the teams

[damianmcr]

Winning the Pro 12.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[BaggyTrousers]

I view things differently, I don't absolutely need a trophy to call a season a success though we really would benefit enormously by winning something for a succession of defeats must grind belief down eventually.

But looking at any season in its own right getting out of the HC group and into the Pro12 top 4 are a bare minimum. It's true that injuries and the bizarre red cards can disrupt the best laid plans and progress comes with an element if luck.

I prefer, in the absence of a trophy to consider how often did we play great rugby? How often were we abysmal? Did we bring through any players? Is our squad any deeper in talent? How have we done against the better teams in the league?

Much less tangible than trophies but often as important on a longer term view of a club.

That said I think we are in desperate need of a trophy within the next year or two, any trophy.

By my criteria this had been a season where a 6 win HC group success needs acknowledged but with a zero knock out return and several appalling league games, about 10 minimum,including several wins makes it a poor season overall and there has not been a breakthrough player such as Olding was, though Big Licence and bigger McCloskey have shown the potential to progress.

For next season a lame duck coach will be a disaster.

[thecrouch]

When I was at the RDS at Christmas I was having a chat with the bar man in their supporters bar and he had labelled us the bridesmaids. Not far wrong really it turns out - strong team that just can't make that final push.

So for me it would be a trophy. Either one, just to get it off our back. I would have said the same in September at the start of this season and my opinion is the same for next season.

And as master baggy says it's difficult to see it happening with a lame duck coach.

[Magic Sponge]

Trophy, is the measure by which most teams and / or fans decide. However as things stand the Ulster coaching set up does not appear to have the ability to deliver that. On a side note more Ulster representation in the Ireland U20 and more youth coming through from the clubs into the academy. What does it say about development in Ulster when recruitment for the academy has to extend to Leinster?

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk

[BaggyTrousers]

What does it say about development in Ulster when recruitment for the academy has to extend to Leinster?

That someone is doing a very thorough job in their search for talent and to the best of my knowledge that is exactly what is happening. Late in the day admittedly but it's happening.

You've been helped.

[big mervyn]

A Rabo win at the expense of a good European campaign would not constitute success in my book.

[Snipe Watson]

I'd like to see consistent performances and a building of SID. I worry about the leadership vacuum post Johann. If we can do that, the rest will follow.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

When I was at the RDS at Christmas I was having a chat with the bar man in their supporters bar and he had labelled us the bridesmaids. Not far wrong really it turns out - strong team that just can't make that final push.

I think that is fair, and probably not far from what many here (including myself) would say.

The important thing to remember is that all successful teams have been through their "bridesmaid" years, including Leinster. There were years that Leinster, and Munster before them were seen as chokers when it came to the finals, but the good teams learn from that bitter experience and become better because of it. That is what we have to do. I had hoped that this season was the year when we would benefit from the disappointment of previous years ..... it will obviously take a little longer (assuming we CAN make the step up and don't miss the opportunity to learn from it all together - that would be more worrying).

[Magic Sponge]

That someone is doing a very thorough job in their search for talent

but that's not really development in Ulster

[BaggyTrousers]

That someone is doing a very thorough job in their search for talent

but that's not really development in Ulster

What do you want to see then chummie, nothing but Presbyterian, Grammar School educated, white males with a bloodline going back to the 1690s unbroken lineage in Norn Iron & feck the border counties?

You have a very narrow view of the world pal, and take your feckin' hand off my head or I'll shoot you in the face.

[Harold7]

Europe will be a lottery next season as we could end up with an horrific pool given there isn't a lot of seeding bybyhe sounds of things so it is hard to predict much beyond having an aspiration of making the knockout stages.

I do think thoughthat we should be aiming to win the Pro 12. Having ihumph back will be huge as we will have competent (most of the time!!) at 10.

What I'm not sure about is whether MA can get us over the line, hopefully the players can do it.

So Pro 12 title and Q/F in Europe for me.