I don't take issue with most of your post. But he was a Royal Marine not Army. Whilst it is a controlled environment and a disciplined military force, the Royals have always regarded their ethos as being more about self motivation and a willingness to push themselves. And in so far as there is any overlap, I don't think these qualities are incompatible with pro sport. On the wider point refs BM's performance as a manager, this season has to be make or break for him. He has done well with the "golden generation" team, but now that the transition is in full swing, he has to show that he is the man to oversee the rebuilding of the team. On the showing of last season he isn't off to a great start. How much influence or not he has over recruitment may limit his ability to build the team he wants. But regardless, he will be the one to take the fall if we have a repeat of last year.

I genuinely can't recall any comments from sinfield that I would consider odd. Although I spend some time out of the UK, so I may have missed them.

I agree with your point about recruitment - all fans can ask is that the team play to their potential that is McDermott's job. No fan minds losing if the team has give it everything and gets beat by a team that plays better on the day it happens. I am not sure you could say that about many of the performances during 2016.

The most intense game I have seen during the SL era was the play off game in 2007 at Knowsley Rd. Leeds got beat but they gave it absolutely everything they had - that is all you can ask.

He doesn't look at the interviewer much but that's not anything really, some people aren't as comfortable on camera or with a microphone in their face, Tony Smith is another.



Not going to deny he has his moody moments in interviews, but in reality so do pretty much most coaches in RL, Wane, Cunningham, Powell. Anderson to name a few all have their moments. Also in other sports, Pep Guardiola post match interview last week caught a lot of headlines.

Those on here that are most critical of the way he conducts himself......god I can only imagine what they'd be like in the same situation in a press conference with someone suggesting they were wrong, likelihood would be they were much worst than McDermott based on what goes on on here with difference of opinions.



That's not even what he said.

2 separate articles released today by different publications...

Hetherington ''Squad still needs to prove itself''

Burrow ''We have nothing to prove''

Does anyone at HQ actually have a fcking clue these days?

McDermott actually said:

[i'Public Training Run'[/i

which lies somewhere between [i'Opposed Training Run'[/i
AND
[i'Finishing Off Xmas Booze and Turkey <Burp! Fart!>'[/i

... in terms of performance and effort.

Welcome to the GHHQ world of spin!

He actually said "it's ALMOST like a public training run"

I think McDermott comes over as an honest sort who sticks by his players. History has shown that there were important matters "outside of our control" last season including an ongoing terrible injury situation, a serious loss of form by many experienced players including Watkins & Hardaker, a badly disrupted pre-season and the Hardaker off field problems disrupting the dressing room.

Facing the media is something he does every week - its part of his job - during the season so he should be pretty comfortable by now surely?

Most of us have other people reviewing our work and we have to justify the decisions we make and the correctness of those decisions. Its pretty normal for anyone with a senior role. Rather than accept the validity of the question e.g. "Brian given you were down to 14 men do you think not using the two subs could have contributed to the loss of the game" not an unreasonable question from a genuine journo - he goes off on one - classic deflection away from his own failings. Probably could have done with a bit of press support after that debacle!!.

Semantics - William has directly quote his nonsense after the Boxing Day game.

I'm aware the effort and performance on Boxing Day wasn't even worthy of classification [i'Public Training Run'[/i, hence the ALMOST. At least McDermott was honest in his assessment.

Well TBF he's improved a lot since 2011 when he was really uncomfortable but it might never be a comfortable thing for someone to do regardless if they've done it numerous times. It's like some singers say they still nervous a performance even though they've been doing it decades, just one of those things. Sinfield in interviews, you'd never think at times he could motivate and lead teams to the constant success we had with his leadership because often he was very bland.



Usually you'd be getting reviewed by a superior who may well have done that job. How many journalists have played or coached SL or any decent level? And yes he has moments he doesn't respond to questions well, but like I pointed, nearly every in sport is guilty of the same thing. The Guardiolo one I mentioned and only 5/6 games before winning the GF, Wane stormed out of a post match press conference when he was grilled after they lost 8-6 to Widnes. It happened throughout sport, no reason to make out as if McDermott is somehow on his own with his reactions when he has them especially when they're plenty of well responsed ones.

.

He partly quoted it but left out a key part. You can call it semantics but in a discussion about what McDermott says, I think it's quite important to actually quote him correctly I would say.

ALMOST



The reality of the Boxing Day performance was worse than McDermott's post-game descriptive.

Our resident turd-polisher will disagree though, obviously.

Most MDs have little specific experience of the roles undertaken by people they are managing - they will have deep knowledge of one role usually finance or sales - so I would suggest that is not a pre-requiste of being able to ask appropriate questions.

The majority of the journalists McDermott encounters are professionals with a very comprehensive knowledge of the game. You will always get stroppy interviewees that is the nature of things but most are objective when answering the questions - McDermott is just plain obtuse - no wonder given the performances his teams put in the vast majority of the time.

William quoted the jist/essence of what McDermott said i.e. I didn't really want to be here and quite frankly the result/entertainment is of little concern to me.

I've watched his press conferences since day one, thanks. He's not the only sports coach/manager who doesn't look at the camera, Tony Smith in RL immediately springs to mind, not that it matters one jot.

So, on to these "outbursts" Are you saying his comment about Boxing Day being a "public training run" was an outburst? If you are then I suggest it's you who needs to watch his press conferences a little more closely, or whilst sober. I can't really remember any outbursts TBH, maybe his dig at the refs in Catalans to the Sky camera and one other. Maybe you could enlighten us all with a list of some Sal? And I mean you Sal, not your minder William.

Yes he said "out of our control" many times. He was right. Hardaker's meltdown, injuries, lack of training facilites were all out of the club's control weren't they??? or do you dispute that too? Go on, you know you want to.

So we've moved on from saying he only won stuff because of Sinfield/Peacock have we? It's now because he manages Leeds? erm... OK

Classic

Are the two things not the same?

or did I imagine Sinfield and Peacock playing for Leeds?

you need to try harder sadly this is your best it would be laughable if it weren't so pityful. Now run along and stop showing yourself up - you have already had a warning today yet you still persist are you really that stupid?

Every team has individual such as Hardaker - Wigan had Bateman - how many games did Wigan ban him for, they had as many injuries to key players as Leeds if not more so did you hear Wane going on about things out of control? Where did Wigan finish 2016? where did Leeds finish 2016?

I already gave you one specific example of a outburst at a press conference and there are many more. His reaction after the Boxing Day game is typical of the deflection techniques he uses to cover his inadequacies.

So just to re-iterate, when do we play Hunslet in the Lazenby Cup again?

Did you actually fully read the Burrow article? Where he's says....."We've not got to prove to anybody but ourselves and our loyal supporters who have been with us through thick and thin."

So quite different when you add the full quote.

Its now the Harry Jepson Memorial Cup.

Kick off is 3:00pm This very Sunday.

This coming Sunday, Kick-off 15:00, though whether they'll actually play or not is open to question after what was served up on Boxing Day.

If it's a Public Training Run, then £15 admission is a bit steep.

If it's ALMOST a Public Training Run, then £15 admission is downright exorbitant!

Ah thank you for putting this thread back on topic E-SR.

Hopefully I can get my dad over for this game, being a lapsed Hunslet supporter many moons ago.

£15 for a second team game ?

some will pay it , all down to the individual.