Can’t help a wry smile to see his team get their butts kicked by Widnes this afternoon. Worst coach in super league by a country mile. How he managed a three year gig down there beggars belief. What had he ever done to deserve that? I have never forgiven him for taking us to court and trying to screw us over.


Ladies and gentlemen I give you the first managerial casualty of the season............. or at least I hope so

I'm assuming he took us to court because we owed him money like we did a lot of players at that time?
What did he do to screw us over?

No views on him as a man or coach, but the Widnes result was a surprise, no doubt. They can tolerate a few away losses provided they win the home games. That'll be the better test, but isn't it Saints next? Their chairman will get twitchy if there are a few 40 point thumpings early doors.

A coach in the same vein as Agar. Seems to know his stuff but can't for the life of them put it into practice or get the best out of the players at their disposal. He won't last long.

Looking at the team sheets it should have been a hammering the other way!! Massive penalty count against them, how could they be so bad??

Like Agar he must interview very well to get the gigs he's had. Both are Assistant material at best imo.

I know Catalans don't travel well, especially at this time of the year but there's no way that team should be getting spanked by that much by that Widnes team. well done to them though.

Really harsh op

I suspect if all of us worked for a wage that didn't come we would do the same
We all have families and responsibilities that need money to pay for

It was obvious at the time it was all going to end in tears.
Pearman! What is it about Leaders of Wakefield MDC and Trinity?

aaron bower tweeted yesterday Catalan had 14 players at the world cup and only started training pre-season a few weeks ago properly, they will take some getting up to speed.

Catalans were hammered on the penalty count, 9-1 in first half so they certainly need to get that aspect of the game sorted. Greg Bird did not play and he will make a massive difference. Any team with Mead, Bird and Mcllorum playing will be a handfull, Brilliant result for Widnes all the experts have written them off, love the way they have stuck with their coach who has in turn stuck with young players with potential plus rewarded players who have stayed loyal. Just love it when a so called small club has the temerity to play well and beat one of the big boys.

Business as usual then - they seem to be the most consistently ill-disciplined side in the comp, and the return of Greg Bird will only compound that, given that he's both extremely talented, and an absolute grub.

They gave away the 2nd highest number of penalties in 2017 (25icon_cool.gif and had the most yellow cards (1icon_cool.gif by quite some margin; it doesn't take Dave Brailsford to work out where their 'small margins' are.

Don't agree as regards Bird and Mead as I didn't with Carney at HKR who was invisible.

Bird is past it now and an utter liability - reminds me of Tim Smith in 2015.

Mead I can't work out yet - but - why is he here is the question you have to ask. The NRL is cash rich and even they haven't got endless talent. If he was the player he used to be and in all honesty he was only ever decent by Aussie standards then why can't he get a spot in the NRL?

All our Aussies were fringe players who are after a second chance. Mead for me can't hack it anymore and is after a pay check. You won't agree but that's how I see it.

Mcllorum is ok if he settles.

Finally I'm not sure why Widnes have stuck with Betts, I think he's a dreadful coach and the only reason youth is getting a chance is because Widnes BOD's won't stump up any cash - not just my opinion but that of a Widnes fans sat next to me right now

I don`t think Carney was Invisible on Friday night, i actually think on the few occasions he got a chance, he looked the only threat they had - I think it was more our defense dealt with him incredibly well and shut him down straight away.

Re Mead - You really don`t need to get a spot in the NRL to be a good player over here - We all know the ridiculous amount of talent over there and i am sure he could of stayed over there and filled in as a squad player, a bit like Fifita, Tupou - Catalan will have thrown some money at him as they did with Carney and Bird. Maybe he isnt the player he was, but the world cup campaign showed he still has some quality about him but its whether or not he has come over to play or for a holiday as we know many have over the past few seasons.

That said I think Catalan, will once again be down in that bottom 4 this season and maybe in big threat of relegation.

Im surprised no one's picked up on Belly calling Catalans a big club.

With the Anakin threads we're used to his hyperbole now.

Think Carney did well on Friday , I suspect he will have been right up there on match stats , to me watching live I thought that Jewitt, Carney and McQuire played well for them. Bird is still a very very good RL player. Catalans are a big club, they have a great fan base, great media coverage, great ground and facilities. They are one of very few SL clubs that operate on a profit and that should be admired. I really like there owner as well who has shown great loyalty to his staff over the years which in this day and age is a wonderful trait. Winning at home has not historically been a problem for them, surely Mcnararma can install discipline in his squad that will at least give them a fighting chance away from home.

Well lets hope not.