Cornerfleg wrote:Kofi any chance you could tell us who we could/should have spent money on and give evidence of how they would be much better than what we have signed?
Nope, not my job to go looking around the world for players,
Murphy ,
Herbst
Ihumph
Ludik
VDM
A starting super 14 prop would be good, A top14 back even better, a good 10 even better better.
Apart from VdM I rate them average to good, Afoa was world class, Muller is world class, Ihumph is 500% better than McKinney but flakey to say the least , Ludik , not that convinced and his 20mins of rugby on video does not get me that excited, ( I remember we were sold Adam Darcy in a similar way) sorry. herbst , playing 3rd choice, really don't see him pulling up trees, but hey we are Kingspan Ulster, we are brill, as I said I will give it a while before I start to get overly excited.
]
Bang on Kofi. averageness written all over it. It looks like we are moving away from signing world-class NIQ's to potentially good younger players and journymen. Perhaps with a RWC on the horizon, it was difficult to bring in the desired quality but I find it hard to believe that that is the best that's available... Add the loss of Ferris and we have lost some savage quality in terms of Muller, Afoa and 1F. If we can cope the the leadership issue, we should be okay week to week but I think we'll struggle playing the top sides away without that rich vein of quality running through us.
Climb up onto the top of your house and start screaming: 'stand up for the Ulstermen, stand.......'
Cornerfleg wrote:Kofi any chance you could tell us who we could/should have spent money on and give evidence of how they would be much better than what we have signed?
Nope, not my job to go looking around the world for players,
Murphy ,
Herbst
Ihumph
Ludik
VDM
A starting super 14 prop would be good, A top14 back even better, a good 10 even better better.
Apart from VdM I rate them average to good, Afoa was world class, Muller is world class, Ihumph is 500% better than McKinney but flakey to say the least , Ludik , not that convinced and his 20mins of rugby on video does not get me that excited, ( I remember we were sold Adam Darcy in a similar way) sorry. herbst , playing 3rd choice, really don't see him pulling up trees, but hey we are Kingspan Ulster, we are brill, as I said I will give it a while before I start to get overly excited.
]
Bang on Kofi. averageness written all over it. It looks like we are moving away from signing world-class NIQ's to potentially good younger players and journymen. Perhaps with a RWC on the horizon, it was difficult to bring in the desired quality but I find it hard to believe that that is the best that's available... Add the loss of Ferris and we have lost some savage quality in terms of Muller, Afoa and 1F. If we can cope the the leadership issue, we should be okay week to week but I think we'll struggle playing the top sides away without that rich vein of quality running through us.
We lost Muller, Afoa and 1F as top quality players at the end of last season, not the end of this. The only thing we'll truly miss is Muller's leadership - hate to say it, but the guy was running on fumes for a lot of this season. The rest, given the state of people's bodies and minds, was nowhere near as influential.
I'd also point out that, if we are judging new signings by their last club, Ludik signed for Agen when they were still a top 14 club - not his fault they got relegated before he got there. I'd say the eighty plus Super Rugby caps is a far better pedigree than Adam D'Arcy arrived with, and its not too far off VdM''s tally either.
I'd agree that Herbst is a 'project' signing, and not just in the NIQ sense.
In a pre-RWC year where we needed to replace a tighthead prop, we have signed a serious prospect on a relatively long-term contract. In the long term, this was the best outcome Humph could have hoped for - although I'm uncomfortable with the implication, however necessary and level-headed that it might be, that we are foregoing success next season for the promise of a post-RWC world-class coaching team and trophies.
Herbst and ludik are quality quality players. Both highly rated in SA and having followed currie cup and S14 for years I can assure you they are way above average
Cornerfleg wrote:Kofi any chance you could tell us who we could/should have spent money on and give evidence of how they would be much better than what we have signed?
Nope, not my job to go looking around the world for players,
Murphy ,
Herbst
Ihumph
Ludik
VDM
A starting super 14 prop would be good, A top14 back even better, a good 10 even better better.
Apart from VdM I rate them average to good, Afoa was world class, Muller is world class, Ihumph is 500% better than McKinney but flakey to say the least , Ludik , not that convinced and his 20mins of rugby on video does not get me that excited, ( I remember we were sold Adam Darcy in a similar way) sorry. herbst , playing 3rd choice, really don't see him pulling up trees, but hey we are Kingspan Ulster, we are brill, as I said I will give it a while before I start to get overly excited.
I find your job description as bewildering as Humphs' ...
If I read this correctly - It's not your job to put forward on a rugby forum, any players that you feel would be good choices - but it's page 1 paragraph one on the job specs sheet to point out just when Ulster has spent and invested unwisely ... you're not off to Glaws as well are you, as Humphs ... Director of - what ever you do, don't buy him, guy?????
Always ask yourself, "What would Big Rodney do"... And every time the answer is... "Eat It"
Bang on Kofi. averageness written all over it. It looks like we are moving away from signing world-class NIQ's to potentially good younger players and journymen. Perhaps with a RWC on the horizon, it was difficult to bring in the desired quality but I find it hard to believe that that is the best that's available... Add the loss of Ferris and we have lost some savage quality in terms of Muller, Afoa and 1F. If we can cope the the leadership issue, we should be okay week to week but I think we'll struggle playing the top sides away without that rich vein of quality running through us.
That's a particularly stupid post Agen-le-tete. It's not that we are bringing in stars but you're talking keek about what we are losing. A part timer, albeit a good one, who we are better off without. A great leader who has been physically feck for the last two seasons and had lots of injury breaks and then an absolute legend who has played about 100 minutes over the last 2 years.
What you said makes a good soundbite but other than that it's bullshit, we lose very little with those three names based on actual contribution over the last 2 years, barring Johanns leadership.
Even the hound on the hill found it difficult to come up with any significant names who might have improved our signings.
Last edited by BaggyTrousers on Mon Jun 09, 2014 3:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
NEVER MOVE ON. Years on, I cannot ever watch Ireland with anything but indifference, I continue to wish for the imminent death of Donal Spring, the FIRFUC's executioner of Wee Paddy & Wee Stu, and I hate the FIRFUCs with undiminished passion.
Any idea how much we are spending on the Academy? I find it a bit worrying that we have just two players in the current Ireland U20 squad and I note that NO Ulster player is in the starting line-up for tonight's Fiji game.
whittpr wrote:Any idea how much we are spending on the Academy? I find it a bit worrying that we have just two players in the current Ireland U20 squad and I note that NO Ulster player is in the starting line-up for tonight's Fiji game.
I suspect Taggart is being rotated
“For the liespotter who knows how to listen well, the random words, sounds, and phrases in a person's speech are never as random as they seem. They offer a clear sightline into the liar's psyche.”
Bang on Kofi. averageness written all over it. It looks like we are moving away from signing world-class NIQ's to potentially good younger players and journymen. Perhaps with a RWC on the horizon, it was difficult to bring in the desired quality but I find it hard to believe that that is the best that's available... Add the loss of Ferris and we have lost some savage quality in terms of Muller, Afoa and 1F. If we can cope the the leadership issue, we should be okay week to week but I think we'll struggle playing the top sides away without that rich vein of quality running through us.
That's a particularly stupid post Agen-le-tete. It's not that we are bringing in stars but you're talking keep about what we are losing. A part timer, albeit a good one, who we are better off without. A great leader who has been physically feck for the last two seasons and had lots of injury breaks and then an absolute legend who has played about 100 minutes over the last 2 years.
What you said makes a good soundbite but other than that it's bullshit, we lose very little with those three names based on actual contribution over the last 2 years, barring Johanns leadership.
Even the hound on the hill found it difficult to come up with any significant names who might have improved our signings.
whittpr wrote:Any idea how much we are spending on the Academy?
None, but I heard an additional £400,000 went in this year, no idea it that's true. What I am told is that some of Humphs mates made an utter clusterballix of it but Clarke has now a plan in place and 200 plus 15-19 year olds, all with specific plans. Would imagine that even those who don't make it may well be a step up in preparation from what club's are used to getting from schools.
No question that the current regime are a step up from ........ some if Humph' s mates. Long term project to get somewhere near Mexico's production line.
NEVER MOVE ON. Years on, I cannot ever watch Ireland with anything but indifference, I continue to wish for the imminent death of Donal Spring, the FIRFUC's executioner of Wee Paddy & Wee Stu, and I hate the FIRFUCs with undiminished passion.
whittpr wrote:Any idea how much we are spending on the Academy? I find it a bit worrying that we have just two players in the current Ireland U20 squad and I note that NO Ulster player is in the starting line-up for tonight's Fiji game.
I suspect Taggart is being rotated
Will that not just make him dizzy? (someone had to say it)
According to Kofi, Taggart has been outstanding in the u20s and will definitely be a starting Lion on the next tour. He started the first two games at 7 and was more than likely rested. A recent u19s was full of Ulstermen, so I wouldn't read into the low ulster presence in this u20 squad.
whittpr wrote:Any idea how much we are spending on the Academy?
None, but I heard an additional £400,000 went in this year, no idea it that's true. What I am told is that some of Humphs mates made an utter clusterballix of it but Clarke has now a plan in place and 200 plus 15-19 year olds, all with specific plans. Would imagine that even those who don't make it may well be a step up in preparation from what club's are used to getting from schools.
No question that the current regime are a step up from ........ some if Humph' s mates. Long term project to get somewhere near Mexico's production line.
I was at a football coaching course recently where the guy taking it explained how the IFA are struggling to compete with Ulster rugby. He said in the past few years Ulster rugby has started to get their hands on the youngsters who are top quality schools rugby players that also were playing county level and involved in the national teams (think Nevin Spence type of athlete). The guy talked about a 6'4 14/15 year old that the IFA believed was going to be a super centre half with big potential who now is 100% full time concentrating on rugby. So kids are starting to choose a potential career with Ulster over attempting a pro football career.
He then went on about how all this was never a problem in the past but in the last 2 years Ulster rugby has been everywhere around all the age grade players across the province and the IFA are a distant 3rd now in keeping kids involved in the sport behind Rugby and GAA. He went into much more details but the main story was that football is losing the battle and the war now with Ulster in the fight for talented kids. Ulster seem to be casting their nets much further than previously, even into schools that aren't big into their rugby which are predominantly football schools, so they are going to places they perhaps didn't in the past. It was clearly very concerning to hear as I'm involved with football but as an Ulster fan it was great to hear from a source that had no reason to make this up about the turnaround taking place with Ulster in regards the youth side of things.
So by the sounds of it that side of things seems to really have improved in the last few years. Fair play to those involved as well, hopefully we start producing more players for the senior team regularly going forward.
(someone had to say it)
