It is academic now,of course,but what exactly,in terms of youth and experience and club structure,did the previous coaching input of Brian Smith,the assistance of Mick Potter,and lastly Matt Elliott leave for Brian Noble?
Paul Anderson hinted that the sacking of Phil Veivers may have been hasty but none of the former players now coaching have made public any thoughts on the change of coach this time.
It is strange that Noble was at 2 clubs where the salary cap has been breached.
Strange also that when Lenagan went to Wigan,from Harlequins,the decision not to offer a further contract to Noble seemed to be his first decision.The question can only be,why?
It is certainly ironic that his book - Building Winning Teams - was published prior to his appointment at Salford where he had every opportunity to build one here.
Whoever pointed out that 'Bull baffles brains' seems to have called it right.
Noble can certainly talk the talk but I suppose a media course can teach that.

There is a quote by Matt Elliott that states it was Brian McDermott who ensured the fitness of the players,while he was there,by literally wielding the rod.
I don't think the paying customer ever knows what really goes on at professional sports clubs.

On the other hand,and to play Devils Advocate, Noble was fired after our best win of the season and the jury will be forever out on whether he would have moulded this team into a winning unit.

Smith was mainly a CEO while he was with the Bulls in 95/96. Elliott was the man that coached the team most of the time. He also brought through Fielden, Peacock, Pryce etc but Noble was academy coach for those kids.

I don't think Noble gets the credit he deserves for his time at Bradford. He was the most successful coach in our history. Sure he inherited a great squad but he helped bring them through. It took 6 years for us to win a gf. It'll take at least as long for Salford.

First things first and it doesn't matter who is the coach, the players need to cut out the stupid individual errors;

1. Rapira ripping out when they were on our line. Penalty.
2. Meli and Eden miscommunicating and failing to deal with a kick. Widnes try.
3. Eden crossing after picking ball up in our 20. Penalty.
4. Martin Gleeson knocking off after a daft "flat" Tim Smith ball that he favours.

There just a few examples of the stupid errors, there was more.

Coach killers.

He did get the Freedom of Bradford !
I must express my surprise that Ferres can make his statement about the players,and Duffy about the supporters,but the rugby league family don't seem to have seized on their comments in the same 'vulgar' way that they interpret anything attributed to Dr Koukash.Seems the rugby league family are prejudicial,in my view.

Although the recruitment is seen to be poor, Noble had a style of play to suit the players he had bought in, which brought 4 wins from 8 including the cup game.

Now we have Harris trying to change the style of play, yet if it doesn't suit the players he has at his disposal there is unlikely to be any major improvement. As much as we would like to see expansive rugby, regularly throwing the ball out wide in your own half will have little or no effect if the players brought in don't have the pace to capitalise.

Spot on.
Whatever you feel about the recruitment or ,indeed ,Noble there needs to be an acceptance that he bought players that could play his way.
As I said earlier, we will never know whether he could have been successful with those players.
But we are where we are and I have to say Lee at 13 and Platt on the wing are decisions for which Noble would have been crucified !

Lee didn't out of place at 13 for me but Platt on the wing was the stuff of nightmares, at times he look like he had custard filled wellies on he was that slow.

It seems the fixture list was almost as kind to Noble as Dr K was.
Noble also had the players,in 2013,left at the club by his previous assistant Phil Veivers,on the limited funds.Not much improvement yet there was over at Castleford when Powell too over.Powell has also 'gelled' a host of new players for 2014;including 1 from London Broncos,Marc Sneyd from the Wooden Spoonists,and Liam Finn who was not wanted by Championship club Featherstone.
I have seen more style of play from part time Championship players coached by their part time coaches - none of whom have been indulged to the extent Noble has.
Posters on this forum wanted Howarth dropped - he was - no change
Posters on this forum wanted Smith dropped - he was - no change.

We need to keep faith with Iestyn Harris and with Sean Long and the rest.
Last season it was a beaten pack - now it is no pace.I think the coaches have a hard job on their hands while it seems failure is being rewarded.

Piggin' hell -

I agree fully

Good post RDP. However, last years Cas side had a lot more potential than the rabble Noble took over.

Onto this year, I am supportive of Harris however my main point was the sacking of Noble has set us back another 4-6 weeks, as Harris now has to attempt to improve the style of play with a squad set up to play the Noble way.

There would/will be little or no difference in results this year under Harris or Noble IMO.

I sense you are sympathetic to Noble.
Taking your first point allows me the opportunity to question the retention by Noble.
Jordan James - Released for the 2nd time by Noble.At Easter featured against St Helens.His current side higher in Super League - still in the Tetleys CC
Ashley Gibson - Featured for Cas on Easter Monday - beating last years Grand Finalists - Higher in Super League - still in the Tetleys CC
Lee Gaskell - Featured in Bulls coming back from 16 points down to beat Catalan Dragons in Tetleys CC ( This after Steve Ferres stated the previous performance by Bradford was the worst seen in Super League.Is that not putting pressure on players?
Marc Sneyd - Playing for Cas - Higher in Super League - still in Tetleys CC

Under Noble I cannot recall any fightback apart from the CC game at Hull FC earlier this month - not a great advert for the team bonding gained at South Africa.Not a great legacy after 12 months in charge.

I think it unfair to judge Iestyn Harris as he arrived just as the exhausting Easter schedule arrived and had us playing last years league leaders still smarting from a referee influenced CC defeat,and then a game at Leeds.
Even though I want the 3 Saturday fixtures coming up to be SRD victories it may be difficult - [iChris Brookes, the experienced and respected Wigan doctor, said on the BBC 5 Live Sports Extra podcast at Langtree Park on Friday that it is not the Easter Monday games, or even next weekend's cup fixtures, that offer the greatest physiological challenge, but the Super League programme the weekend after that.[/i

Going into June/July I would hope to see a difference in results/performances that we did not see under Noble.

If I told you the team did little to no ball work in South Africa what would you say?

I'd say that it was obvious at the start of the season.

I still think it was pure folly to start the season with what was essentially a completely new team with only a game against Leigh and Warrington. South Africa might have been a nice idea if there had been another SL or NRL team there for plenty of contested training sessions and a full blooded game. Other than that we'd have been better spending the fortune it no doubt cost to head down under and learn from how the NRL teams prepare pre season and further warm up games.

I don't always share the same views but I agree with you on this.

A three week pi$$ up in the sun at the Doc's expense with the titty bitches.

Not quite. Just conditioning, days off and rest. Minimal ball work. Would have thought it was the ideal time to work on set plays and defence strategies etc, obviously not.

Go along with it JGR I'm trying to attract new players here for next year. If this rumor got out every player In SL would want to sign for us

According to Barker they do!

Not quite the whole story.
There was no clamour for Gibson to be retained,and although JJ had a decent end to his Salford career,again it was felt we could do better eg the Walnes,MacPherson,Griffin and/or Rapira on the bench.
I don't think anybody's suggesting that Wigan and Cas are top of the league because of those 2.
Gaskell was offered terms to stay,but went.
Sneyd was part of the Rangi deal and will be coming back to us.
If the doctor had started the season with James and Gibson in the 19, it would have been said that we hadn't progressed.
Hindsight is wonderful but you're skewing the facts to suit your argument

Gareth Hock doesn't believe this was good enough if the Daily Star is to be believed! www.dailystar.co.uk/rugby-league ... tyn-Harris

Gareth Hock doesn't believe this was good enough if the Daily Star is to be believed! www.dailystar.co.uk/rugby-league ... tyn-Harris

I am not disagreeing with your post.I was just analyzing the recruitment and retention and how it has panned out.
It has to be hindsight because I tend not to make predictions and leave difficult tasks to the experts.

I don't think Julie Stott is a friend of the club - she assisted on the Malcolm Alker book,so may have a jaundiced view.
Hinting at unrest is the last thing the coaching staff need.
It never rains - it pours.

From a supporters perspective it’s encouraging to read that Harris and Hock have the hunger for Salford to succeed and aren’t reluctant to say it as it is.

They haven't looked like a tight unit so far this year and we don't want mercenaries or slackers at this club. It will be most interesting to see if there is a positive responce on Saturday in terms of effort for the full 80 minutes and enthusiasm. Another key indicator will be the players body language which was heavily criticised by Earl Crabree summarising on radio five live last Sunday.

I think this newspaper article certainly puts every player under the microscope now, especially with the match being on TV.

I have used my limited brain power to try and establish who the players referred to in the Hock article may be,and why.I cannot work it out.

Salford Red Devils: Eden; Platt, Gleeson, Sa'u, Meli; Chase, Fages; Morley, Tomkins, Tasi, Hansen, Hock, Lee.

Replacements: Smith, Griffin, Rapira, Puletua

Eden and Platt - brought to the club by Harris.Lack of training time perhaps but no reason for any perceived lack of 'trying for 80 minutes'.
[url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/gleeson-backs-harris-wiganise-salford-6933150Gleeson[/url and Junior scored a try.
Meli appears to be carrying an injury and Chase was his usual unpredictable self.
Theo has had game time and Mozza was MoM in the first home game for Harris.
Tomkins brought to the club by Harris and Tasi scored his first try for the club.
Lee was his usual industrious self - and appeared to be the most disappointed at the end of the game.

Smith could have been silly and unprofessional after being rested for the Leeds game - but the side picked up on his introduction and our points started picking up.
Griffin didn't appear any different and Rapira and Puletua may not be 100% fit.

I think Gareth Hock may have put himself under pressure for consistent 80 minute efforts himself.
That should make things interesting...

Quote ="RedDave"Gareth Hock doesn't believe this was good enough if the Daily Star is to be believed! www.dailystar.co.uk/rugby-league ... tyn-Harris'" Naaah can't be true, we have been told this on the turkey many times before, that players always go out to give 100%. Over to you and your lawyers Gaz, go get em !!!!

Quote ="RedDave"Gareth Hock doesn't believe this was good enough if the Daily Star is to be believed! www.dailystar.co.uk/rugby-league ... tyn-Harris'" Naaah can't be true, we have been told this on the turkey many times before, that players always go out to give 100%. Over to you and your lawyers Gaz, go get em !!!!