Quote ="upthecats"In the balance of fairness how can Agar be judged on his complete time at the club?
He's had to build two completely different sides....how many other coaches have had to do that, and what would their win percentage be?......the simple facts are there for all to see.....
Season 1 - Had to build from scratch after a side ripped apart....signing players who nobody else wanted....we got off to a poor start....which was understandable with the amount of new players.....as the team grew our performances improved, culminating in a 7 match winning streak at the end of the season nabbing us a play off place.....we went to Headingley to face the greatest Super League team of the last decade in knockout football and gave a very good account of ourselves....especially judging on some of the absolute thrashings we have seen at that stage from other teams.....
On the whole then Agar had a brilliant first season in my eyes.....talked of in many quarters as coach of the year stuff....
Season 2 - Obviously after that superb finish to the previous season hopes were high that we would improve further and follow up what we did and get in the play offs again.....the signings he made to try and strengthen looked good on paper and we were set for another decent crack at a play off place.....it was an up and down season (aren't they all!) but at crucial times there were a few games that just got away from us...Hudds at home with the disallowed late try.....Leeds home and away....losing by a score....just a few things that had they gone the other way we may well have backed up the season before and got in the play-offs.....Taulima Tautai came in when it looked like we needed a much needed signing to boost us....and he had a great first game....but was in and out after suffering from injuries etc which was frustrating......lets not forget also that all things at the club were not quite as rosy as were being portrayed to us fans.....could that have had a slight affect on things?
Overall though it has to be said after the previous excellent season it was a bit of a let down....so that gives him one good season....one not so good....
Season 3 - Jury is obviously still out but yet again a squad ripped apart due to financial problems....and to be fair to Richard...a few of his signings and players who he got the best out of (Tim Smith for example) helped us out in a huge financial way when having to sell....so another bit of a pat on the back has to be given there.....anyway....with practically no pre-season....players arriving just days before our first game....3 or 4 more crucial players signed since then and having to shuffle around....experiment etc....then it was always going to take time....I dont think the fixture list helped us in this (or the cup draw)....at a stage in the season where we were having to try new things our fixtures were Leeds twice...Hudds away....Cas at home (who have had a brilliant start).....there was gradual improvement in those fixtures while all the time combinations and new experiments were starting to pay off....
I remember saying in the last big defence I made of Agar that we had a nice break going into the Hull game....a bit more time to work on things and time to freshen the players up a bit.....I said lets judge a bit more after the next 4 games when things should start to improve....looking at those 4 fixtures back then I would have been happy with one win from 4 and 3 decent performances.....so far though we have won 2/2 and there is no reason now we cant go on and win at least one of the next 2 or even both of them.....
When there was talk of sacking him and bringing in the likes of Glenn Morrison....I always thought to myself why? Agar already has a proven track record with a thrown together side at the last minute....one getting off to a slow start and improving as the season goes on....it's exactly what happened in the first season....he was for me the perfect man to turn things round....the players are obviously right behind him....they have shown that for the majority of our games this season....especially the last two.....
So far then under Agar he's made the play-0ffs one season and missed the next....for a club of our size...with our finances and resources is that the worst return in the World.....do fans expect us to be chalenging top six every season?
Someone mentioned the challenge cup....well under Agar in that we aint had the best luck of the draw to be fair have we....in the last 3 seasons....we lost to Leeds away....Hull away....Leeds at home....Cas were mentioned....in the last two they've lost to Featherstone away and Leeds away....this season they are doing better....but I'm sure if Agar gets through this season and everything is still rosy financially and squad wise then surely we can expect better next year....
Hull fans apart I would love to hear the opinions of other clubs fans on how they view us as a super league club and when taking into account everything Agar has had to go through and fight against then I'd love to hear how others think he has done/is doing.......'"
It is hard to be objective when you care and want your team to win: I accept that. I know you're Agarphilic and I am Agarphobic (I like my new words and if we use them enough we may get them in the OED). My viewing of the seasons you describe...Season 1: appalling or average for 21 matches..some questionable selections and no clear direction to change terrible performances..injuries force a team... he gets lucky...7 wins with players he would not pick in positions he wouldnt pick them in previously...then the next season starts. He has let many of the players who got him the wins that got us in the play offs, go permanaently or on loan..we have a very mediocre season/ awful at times. No idea generally. Pale in comparison to most of Kear's years. Unable to defend. Uncompetitive, Turning up knowing you will lose too many times. Season 3: The worst clap we have seen yet. Keeps picking his love child Lyne and his chums...injuries focre his hand again and luck...he gets 2 wins and you love him again. He has no idea in my view at this point. If he shows me a pattern thet disproves my theory by the end of the season I shall rejoice and congratulate you on your vision...but frankly I think its rose tinted specs. His handling of Lucas Walshaw apalls me. That lad can play. He has been put so far on the edge it is amazing he is still with us, yet Reece Lyne has played several times more than about the 3rd time he played, when any coach worth his salt would have realised he is lightweight and not SL. And Agar will have him back in that side mark my words...and we will shed points on the flanks like the titanic shedded water again as soon as he does. Agar is clueless. Lucky but clueless. If it doesnt go that way then Ill apologise but I bet u anything u like it goes somthing like that.
