There is a very real chance of being involved in the M8s this year and a couple of the Championship clubs look likely candidates to win promotion. We do not want to be one of a couple of Super League teams playing in the £1m game. Therefore action needed to be taken now.

True. It's a hard life as a professional sports coach, if you are winning it's hard to walk away into another job (especially if you are happy where you are) that may or may not exist unless you are at retirement age - which Mac obviously isn't. So, the only remaining option is to wait for things to go south. It's rare you get a Sir Alex, even Wenger couldn't pull that one off.
Mac may have inherited an extraordinary bunch of big game players and winners but he obviously created the right environment to get the best out of them as they aged. I have always been a massive fan of how he has represented the club and the game.
Team effort to succeed, team effort to fail.

That statement from Hetherington that the players are actually off until Wednesday, tells all quite clearly that this is an element of player power. Getting the job done before the players return, I think the players have made their feelings clear to Hetherington, and this is why he has acted now. Doesn't say though whether Eaton has gone aswell, and yet places blame on the whole coaching set up.

GH says “Everybody else at this moment in time is in place, the only departure at this moment in time is Brian McDermott.”

I read this to say more will follow !

Suggests to me that the preferred candidate is currently employed elsewhere. Gives them time to wrap up the season with whoever they're with. At the same time their employer is more likely to negotiate as they're able to make their own preparations in decent time.

As for McDermott there have been plenty of brilliant moments. It's a near cert that his replacement falls short of what he achieved.

he won more but was he better then, say, Tony Smith, who installed the ethos and mentality.
like saying noble was better than Brian Smith.

certainly deserves credit but we now need another brian/ Tony Smith type coach to start again

Both of you showing how little you know about Peacock's input at Hull KR

Out of interest who is currently out injured that would be in your starting 13\17 ?

Watkins, Peteru, Ablett, Ward, Delaney, and possibly Keinhorst. Only Watkins would make a big difference IMO.

Leeds fan at work who claims to have lots of sources amongst the playing group tells me player power did for McDermott as he’d lost most of the dressing room. Also some injured players aren’t necessarily as injured as has been made out and may now return quick than envisaged. Certain players that have been seemingly out of favour may now also get more of a run.

Tony Smith to consider coming back for 2019 and 2020 before handing onto Burrow. Nothing set in stone yet.

I quite like the sound of that

Watkins would be massive. But I think you are being harsh on Ward as well.

Would like Powell but no chance imo.
Don't know who is available in Australia but would be fairly happy if Tony Smith returned.

Tony Smith? Are you all having a laugh.

Why should we settle for mediocrity. We're a big club.

Sounds like your "work colleague" and I had lunch together today...

Quite happy to see TS return. It is interesting how much praise he gets at the start of the 'As Good As It Gets' film from the likes of Sinfield and JJB. With so many younger players coming through, IMO the current crop need a technical coach more than they do a McClennan/McDermott style man-manager.

Ward would make a difference, but I think he's got to get more time on the field to be seen as a really big loss for us right now. The kid has boat loads of talent, I just hope he can shake off the injuries and become the player he should be. Difference for me is Watkins already is that player.

We are a big club in large part due to Tony Smith. Perhaps that was before your time?

He's very happy at Cas Academy.

Tony Smith probably remembers the Leeds fans who hurled abuse at him through 2006 and all but the last couple of games of 2007 so maybe he'll just pass on the opportunity to turn things round now.
I'm sure a lot of them are the same people who have said McDermott's achievements are all down to Smith.

Smith was very vocal on the current state of the game prior to leaving Warrington. Given Hetherington's stance on that issue recently, it would certainly be interesting to see those two working together

Sometimes decisions should have been made a lot earlier, in effect the squad have not performed this year, and while he has done wonders in the past, he does need a new challenge. 2out of 3 years we could end up in the bottom 4, clearly something is wrong. Compare to Saints game to the Wigan game and he starts to admit there is a problem, just maybe he is the problem,. After 10 games into the season he was still saying we are nearly there, They should have been ready from the 1st game, candidly with a new type stadium next year to fill, a lot of debt the squad needs to be winning now. They simply cannot afford to be playing to a half empty stadium next season. That is why he has gone, GH has in fact given him too much time he should have been sacked a lot earlier to give the new coach time to turn it around. This time there is no James segeryo to turn things around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y_4rlOYcNg GH not optimistic as '16

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y_4rlOYcNg GH not optimistic as '16

I don't buy the idea that McDermott or indeed McClennan simply inherited Smith's team and added little themselves. Smith's team clearly struggled in 2006, largely with the expectations of the Peacock signing and the aftermath of a season in which Leeds played champagne stuff but won nothing (not dissimilar to Powell's season at Cas, although at least they managed the hub cap, which I would have settled for at the end of 2005). Smith was, however, instrumental in creating a lasting culture at Leeds.

Those who doubt Smith ought to think back to *that* play-off game in 2007 when we lost narrowly to Saints. A different kind of rugby to 2005, but a style that the best McClennan and McDermott teams would have been proud of. Brutal stuff.

Perhaps its too early to speak of McDermott's legacy, beyond the obvious trophies... I guess that's up to the players that came through under his watch.

Brian owed Leeds a huge debt of gratitude - the club and the players it developed made him look a far better coach than he actually is.

There is only one person to bring in short term - Kevin Sinfield, it wont happen as he has burnt his bridges with GH