[urlhttp://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/343/071/773/sack-keiron-cunningham-from-saints-rlfc[/url

I find that pretty embarrassing as a Saints fan and definitely not be siging that.

Astonishing, incredible, appalling.... even by Saints fans' dismal standards... surely this is a wind up? Even Saints fans wouldn't launch a petition about one of the greatest players to have ever played for their club, a true Saints legend... would they....? I mean there's even a statue of him outside Trailer Park, isn't there? (I know it looks more like Andy Farrell, but that's not the point, it is supposed to be Cunningham, I think...)

You couldn't make it up.

Think we should start a petition to keep him there

It's such an awkward situation because of his legendary status at the club. This is the equivilant of us having Radlinski as boss and us wanting rid. I'd hope we'd never get to a situation like that with somebody starting a petition but it only takes one lunatic.

The one thing I would say about Cunningham is he's been let down a little with the investment in the team. I doubt he's hand picked the signings over the last couple of years but they've been awful. He seems limited as a coach but you look around that side for players to break a game open for him ala Manfredi, Williams, Tomkins etc and they're very thin on the ground. There's an astonishing lack of pace in that team and by that I mean both in speed across the ground and the speed in which they move the ball at.

I was never sure how Cunningham was qualified to walk into a head coach job at a club like St Helens.

We all know, or should, that being a past great player counts for squat on its own, and that coaching skills are quite different. But clearly St Helens were so carried away by the wonder of KC - it was the same hero-worship that drove them to erect of statue of him while he was still playing (an act of Rocky-esque ludicrousness) - that they lost sight of this.

He hasn't been helped by poor signings, but he clearly needed to serve a much longer apprenticeship during which time he'd either come good or prove that he wasn't up to it.

Now they've got this embarrassing situation on their hands.

Spot on... Ludicrous decision....

I would have signed it 10 years ago.

Whilst I think it's pathetic for fans to do this, 47 signatures so far (and incredibly disloyal to such a club legend), KC has to take personal responsibility for accepting the job in the first place. What made the club think he was good enough as a coach to appoint him and why did KC think he was good enough or experienced enough to take the club forward? It's ok blaming recruitment but the club and KC have to shoulder much of the responsibility.
I still think they'll finish top 4 though but is back to the debate on the poor overall standard of the league in general.

I feel sorry for him. He's never going to be a favourite son in Wigan for obvious reasons, but he comes across as a decent respectful guy. Quite clearly out of his depth though and that won't change any time soon, so it's a difficult next move for McManus.

Do they persevere with crossed fingers that suddenly it'll click or do they take that difficult decision? Talking to some sensible Saints fans post-game on Friday, they didn't agree with me that he is unsackable and thought judgement will be passed sooner rather than later.

Who would they go for? If I was McManus I'd be searching my call book for Daniel Anderson's number.

Correction : Saints have at least fourty seven imbecilic fans. The vast majority see it as the cringeworthy petulance that it is. That said, Cunningham's appointment was a mistake and extending his contract was an even bigger mistake.

See this season out see how he does, if Saints have a poor season give him the option to walk.

Is the statue coming down if he goes?

This problem is indemic in the British game. We have this obsession that great players make great coaches and can do it without learning their trade. A coach needs to work his way up from the youth teams to first team involvement to assistant. IMO he should then be assistant to at least 2 head coaches before (if ready) making the step up.

I see what you did there....

I think the petition is a disgrace and no way the statue will come down no matter how bad he does as a coach.

The job come to early for KC. The plan was to have him now as his first season but Brown went early and forced Mcmanus hand.

I do have serious doubts about his coaching though. The is no structure, no ideas, his team selection are crazy, we are boring and his post match interviews are embarrassing at times.

I blame the club though for not putting an experienced guy in with him like Salford have with Watson.

I too think the petition is an utter disgrace and anyone who has signed it should hang his or her head in shame, Although I am a Wigan supporter I have lived all my long life in what is now the St Helens Borough. I am therefore very familiar with the St Helens rugby scene going back even to pre WW2 days.Regarding Keiron Cunningham, good player that he was, I was astonished when he was chosen to have statue of him erected to represent St Helens Rugby Club. Over the years there have been many players more worthy of the honour and if it had to be a local lad then there was one stand out player, one Alex Murphy.

That wasn't intentional if I being honest. I just think we have a history of fast tracking players into head coaches and Cunningham is the latest on that list.

I would agree, and in most team sports, very few top players make the grade as a head coach. Of course people can put forward names of those who have made, but management is not about playing ability, it's far more complex.

Before Wigan fans, or anyone else come to that, start to imagine that Saints fans are somehow any different to the rest of us, just take a stroll through the Leeds boards (a treble winning coach six months ago is no longer good enough for mighty Leeds apparently). In fact read our own site every time we lose a game...or Warrington's, not many of them are calling for Tony Smith's head just now like they were last September.

OMG which set of fans are knee jerking the most Saints' or the Rhinos?

been plenty wanting rid of Wane on here too

The "Plenty" are the same ones who wanted him to fail miserably from day one...