There's a lot of speculation and opinion around whether Richard Agar should be head coach for next season or move upstairs - an ongoing topic on here and on various podcasts, most recently the excellent Lot Pod podcast.

I don't really understand that view. Case for the defence...

Remember that when he took over from Dave Furner, the squad culture was toxic and we were at the level of being well beaten by Bradford in the Challenge Cup.The players seem to enjoy playing for him, we won the Challenge Cup last season, despite a ridiculous number of injuries and fixture congestion, we're 5th in the table on the run-in (I reckon we could finish 4th), the signings we have for next season are the best for years (and let's not forget Prior has signed on for another couple of years under Agar), we have the best crop of youngsters coming through for 20 years and to add to that, he seems like a really decent bloke.

There's a risk in replacing any coach and I just can't see any coach being worth the gamble at this time.

he has been supurb, turned the club around.

however....
im not sure if he is the man to take us to the next level or even if he wants to lead us to the next level.

he deserves great respect for what he has done though

if he does move upstairs I'd definitely like him to play a more proactive role than Kev with the squad because he clearly gets on with them and understands how to make a team a team!

Some good points made on a podcast I listened to recently

Agar deserves a chance with the 2022 squad. I agree with that. With the recent cup win I think Agar does deserve first refusal of the 2022 squad

I also think Agar will stay at the club once he's no longer head coach.

Rich???

Alright. Moderately comfortable.

Agree with most of these points.
He has definitely turned things around from where they were and you can see a more positive culture at the club.
He has to take a lot of credit for that.
But is he the man to deliver trophies, an era of trophies.
Not sure.
He deserves to build and lead the 2022 team. He’s earned that.
I think a lot will depend on him as well.
Not totally sure it’s the job he wants.

I think from the point of view of Leeds, for now, the job is his as long as he wants it.
That last bit is the key.
End of 2022 we'll know how it's gone with a squad built to have a tilt at the title.
He's the definition of a safe pair of hands and yes until he wins more there will be questions.
Coaches have different strengths and the man who has so ably led us through the rebuild will have to show he's also the man to win the biggest of games. I really hope he is as he's probably the most likeable coach we've had since Graham Murray or Bluey.

Well said 99. Agar is a smashing bloke, has done a really steady job, loves the sport and is full of common sense. He looks very relaxed in the role to me and should be. He knows Leeds are in a very strong position for years to come and you cant say that about many clubs right now.

The spirit in the squad is a million miles from the day he took over.

My mate who's a Fev fan was asking me what I thought about Agar this week. I know he has his critics but the way he's turned the whole culture of the club around deserves the utmost respect. And when you look out there, who would you get in to replace him right now. It will be good to see what he and Long can do with an off season with no World Cup, and hopefully a cleaner bill of health. And let's be honest, the quality of the other teams isn't that far beyond us even this season. With the players we have coming in and coming through, Agar has a good chance to win the big prize next year

If he wants it he should keep it. And let's face it, why wouldn't he want it? Really interested to see what both he and Long can do with all those (hopefully fit) options in the spine positions next year. I think we'll see some great football.

There's no denying that the feeling around the club is 100 x better than it was when he took over the reigns.The coach has earned his shot at another year in charge in my view.My main concern is that the team has failed to close off some games they really should have won.Finding a quality antipodean coach is a bit like Russian roulette with regard to Leeds,(Dean Lance-David Furner ) although Stains seem to have the Midas touch with thier selections.I still think we need further player recruitment to start challenging for trophies.

Obviously I'd like Leeds to win a GF this year or next, better still both. And I'd hope it'd be Agar in charge. A) for the turnaround he's achieved and b) to show up the dwindling number of wakey and hull followers who still can't bring themselves to admit that he could actually coach after all

For me he's done what was required considering the basket case he took over.
The CC Win a great bonus ,he has the respect of the squad & board room.
However if we are serious about taking the next step to be top 3 & regular GF contenders for me we need better & at this stage of our progress we need a Tony Smith type Coach who will cut the deadwood & give our best Youngsters the spots they deserve.
I dont think Agar has the nous or cut throat side to do it i really dont.
Also i dont like the excuses around injuries especially when his Squad & game management have contributed to those injuries.
Im happy for him to stay as DOR & Long to stay on the staff but i want a next level Coach.

Changing coach is probably more of a risk than leaving it. Agar may be similar to Powell in terms of the point in the young team's life cycle that he's in charge but he's a much more experienced and smarter coach than Powell was in his time at Leeds.

Yet Powell had the stones to ditch the deadwood & give our best Youngsters the shirts thry deserved ,he even cut 2 of his mates in Sheridan & Hay.
We played a much better brand of RL under Powell as well.
If we want to be back amongst the GF big hitters we need better than Agar simple as that.

Was it Powell or more likely Hetherington who made that call. I'm sure it was informed by the coach but Powell would definitely have leaned heavily on his mentor throughout that spell as GH was a vastly more experienced top flight head coach.

Certainly it was Hetherington who knew a change needed to be made as head coach after 2003, a much more personal and tricky decision than getting rid of ageing players Powell had only known a relatively brief time.

Yeah good point. Hetherington is a canny coach and club manager. Think we’ll go with Agar having another year with a top squad now. And appraisal en of that year......
Unless fans turn on Agar sooner which can always happen these sad days.....!

As I recall it Powell decided to play safe and drop Danny Mags for the Cup Final against Bradford despite his match winning heroics in the semi against Saints. Agar, on the other hand, definitely went for youth when picking Alex Sutcliffe for last years final. He also continues to give Gannon, O'Connor, Broadbent and any others who prove they are up to it a fair crack.

It was a tough call between having Burrow or McGuire on the bench to be fair to Powell and if Rob hadn't been knocked out pretty soon after coming on it may have been the correct tactical call. Given Danny had got us there though leaving him out was unfair from that perspective but there was no room for sentiment in that trophyless era.

I sometimes wonder what would have happened to us had the experiences of 2003 not happened, they were life lessons for those players be it the ability to win under pressure like in the semi, learning harsh tactical things like Sinfield not going for the 2 at Cardiff, losing all five games vs Bradford and then tumbling out of the play offs. It was a crucial year I think. That semi vs Saints also gave the players the lived knowledge of not being afraid of a team whose reputation as masters of knock out football went before them.

Absolutely. Not really arguing the rights and wrongs of it (although I would have picked him) but merely pointing out that DP, like any other coach, was pretty risk averse when it came to the crunch. 2003 ranks right up there with my favourite seasons in 42 years of watching Leeds.

It was a great season with some epic moments, the semi above all. But I won't ever forget the feeling of empty, inconsolable devastation after the cup final and after the play off loss to Wigan. Fortunately the years of winning stuff since means individual losses even in big games don't cause quite the same heartache now.

He picks them mostly when there are injuries preferring to have the likes of L.Briscoe as a sub to use for 5 monutes as a 9 when O'Connor is clearly better.
Re-Alex Sutcliffe he relues on him that much Alex turned down a deal here to leave for Cas to get game time.

Alex Sutcliffe is no dummy and he knows that he has outstanding young players like Newman, Broadbent, Edwards blocking his way in the centre and also Gannon/Walters ahead of him in the 2nd row. Cas have also probably offered him more. You can't keep them all. Worth remembering that when Danny McGuire really made his breakthrough in 2003 he was no longer a teenager. Compare that with young Gannon. Truth is, if you are good enough (enivitably injuries play a part) you'll get your chance. We all want the young kids to be great, however some take longer to develop and throwing them in before they are ready does them no good. Agar has good record in blooding youngsters for my money.