Had a lot of time to think about Thursday, reflection time you might call it (no latte involved though)

First of all Leigh Centurions, if I were a fan I would be absolutely loving it (Keegan Style) well drilled and super fit, Ian Millward must be credited along with Paul Rowley for an outstanding pre season in terms of training and recruitment. Millward based this year on attracting local players from around the region and boy hasn't he done well. No ex super league rejects filling the ranks (exception being Littler but he's a good solid player and a leyther) Darryl Powell adopts a similar style of recruitment as does Karl Harrison. The one common factor in all this is the coach does the recruiting, it all stops with them. If Leigh stay clear of injuries this year they will do the double.

Now on to my beloved Widnes, first of all the fans are brilliant, we can be a little negative at times but were only human! we have the most fans in the division and probably the most loyal considering all the lows and highs we've been through. Next the club itself, Widnes as a business is top notch headed by a wealthy successful passionate man. Julie Gaskell is a great Chief exec and the youth and reserve coaches are bob on as we have proved by [uWINNING[/u the league for 18's and Reserves being [uCONSISTENT[/u on the pitch and winning far more than they lose.

Widnes 1st team.

Its a fact that Terry O'connor and Paul Cullen do the recruiting, Nothing to do with Mick Cassidy or Denis Betts. Steve O'connor trusts both and simply leaves it to them. I'm coming to the conclusion that Steve O'connor needs to make a big and tough decision and ditch Terry from his role as recruiter along with Cullen. Widnes need an experienced 1st team coach who can be given the pot of cash to recruit who he wants, Betts isn't the answer IMHO.

Director of Rugby we don't need
Player Welfare/Recruitment we don't need.

To put it simply

Head Coach - Ian Millward or Brian Noble
Assistant Coach - Whoever the above would want


Head coach does the recruiting the book stops with them, its important to recruit the correct coach for SL none of this Wigan old boys club.

Phil Finney - youth development and recruitment

And finally do we deserve Super League? yes we bloody do!

Good post and i do wonder what Tez O,Connor and Cullen do in their job.Not got us results on the pitch for sure, so get rid.Waste of money and they spend more time on Sky i think.

Keep your mutant mitts off Millward...... my caravan living friend.

Steves a sensible man he knows that were not performing on the pitch, trouble is he may have become a little to friendly with Terry and will find it difficult to question him. Big decisions need to be made though, it happens in the work place every day, you fook up you get the chop.

I also don't see the point of a director of Rugby.

Sorry bud, Success brings interest.

The carrot of Super League would swing him, funny character is Millward but he's transformed you lot from being crap to excellent twice.

This is what annoys me at Widnes, as too many jobs for the boys.I would love a job at my loved club Widnes,but at the end of the day it is what is best for Widnes.I pay good money just like other fans, so if not pulling their weight they can go and work in asda or macdonalds for all i care.

Is steve O'C a rugby man or has he just chosen to get involved with widnes?.Does he understand the importance "attendance wise" of having a vibrant and boyant first team setup?. I ask this because widnes have been a very well run business while he has been in charge.The problems widnes seen to have, all revolve around the first team.I cant think of a worse case scenario than entering SL on the back of a terrible season in the championship,this scenario will be even worse if you fail badly in your first season back in there.I hope he doesn't think people will come flooding back just because your in that league,it doesn't work like that, especially when you've been out of the big time for so long. People become synical.

The importance to a club of a top quality coach should never ever be under estimated.Imo "long term" they are well worth the extra money they would cost.

Great just typed a long reply and clicked wrong button and GOOOONE! CBA now



Bascially not convinced over 'boys club' as this was mentioned before Betts came in and the others all have connections with Widnes and / or good reptuations and knowledge in RL!

We can't say get rid of PC / TO'C roles as we don't know what they do! Player welfare is deemed very important with the club and we actually had a SKY piece showing that!

But the final say on transfers or targets should be 100% with the coach without a doubt!

Terry does the recruiting mate and has done for the past couple of years, PC also has input this year and they have already made signings for SL which gives me a bad feeling. Betts was largely unproven as a rugby league coach when arriving at Widnes and so far we've seen very questionable team selections and suffered 2 hammerings by Leigh and a shocking display against Hunslet.

This player welfare lark isnt needed IMO, call me slightly old fashioned but if the players are having problems they should speak to the coach or Chairman.

Just for a moment I thought this was about retro 70`s games.........


VM you`ve made a good call with your OP but please do us Leythers a favour and go for Noble.

If he doesn't end up at Widnes you know as well as i do that someone else from SL will be in for him.

Nah he`s here for the long haul ( That was Stobartesque ) and will head our quest for 2015. Salfords ground might actually be built by then.

Hmm we'll see.

Anyways enjoy this year, some cracking rugby being played at the LSV.

Edited for a tiny bit more accuracy

I certainly will along with my fellow Leythers....... Good luck next year and do your town proud.

Hi VM, here is my understanding of the two roles from what I have previously been told.
Terry O'Connor is not responsible for identifying targets. He is however the main contact man for agents and clubs. If a player is becoming a free agent or if a club is looking to offload a player on a loan or from their contract early then they will contact TOC and let him know.
He in turn will then approach the coach and let him know and see whether there is any interest. Likewise the coach can always ask TOC to enquire after a player if they have a potential target. He is then responsible for negotiating on behalf of the club, looking after all the players administration with the RFL, British Government etc... In addition he is also responsible for trying to assist with anything that the player comes to him with problem wise. So this could be accommodation issues if they are from outside the local area or abroad, that sort of thing and also speaking to players about what they might do once their playing career is over and helping them to take courses etc which the club will help out with (time off from training one night a week etc etc) plumbing courses, coaching badges etc etc.

Paul Cullen is more involved with the coaching staff in terms of identifying potential targets in each of the teams. This is a fairly early doors type scenario but the coach may want the team to play in a way that requires certain types of players. He will obviously be responsible for looking at those players themselves and PC will also look around. He also organises meetings between the academy coaches and the first team coach to talk about the direction of the club to try and apply a more consistent approach between the way the teams play to try and assist with the development of the younger players so that in the future it will be an easier transition from academy team to first team. It obviously needs agreement between all parties involved. For example... let's say that we want to play a more fluid attacking style of rugby then a plan is put in place to try and have all the teams play this way so that the step up should be easier.
More importantly for us he is also our contacts man over in Aus and NZ. He is the man with the contacts out there including Joey Johns and means that it should put us in a decent position when trying to identify our quota spot signings and any marquee players. Cullen originally made contact with Lockyer and I believe that he is also very involved with the academy sides too.

The objective of having both these roles is to take some of the pressure and workload away from the coach so that they can get on with the coaching of the first team, analysing the opposition putting together videos etc...

Now.... with all that said... we didn't have a first team coach at the time of putting together the vast majority of this year first team and so in such a situation TOC and PC will have been responsible for making those signings being the 'rugby' people at the club.

These two roles will be particularly important when in SL and the coach has to coach a FT squad with the extra demands this places. They will actually benefit the club going forward as the support structures will help to entice new players along with the new training and development complex on Liverpool Road.
It'll come as no surprise that this is a familiar model used in Premier League clubs. One in particular actually.


HTH

On a side note... it's worth mentioning that both men, TOC in particular is happy to talk about what he does if anyone is in a position to ask him.

Neither are really secretive roles.

ill be looking to get a job on the conditioning staff in a year or two. im already putting out feelers, casual chats with Terry O in the gym, exchanging e mails with Mick Cassidy. ill sort em out

Thanks VK Man being serious ,we shall miss yer all ,i love playing you lot and love coming to Widnes ,see ya in August.

Hmm. So 'none of this Wigan old boys club', yet you want ex Wigan coach Brian Noble to take over? It's amazing how the longer Noble is out the game, the better he seems to have become as a coach.

Look your up for 3 years,just do what the rest of super league do......check for duel passports in the jim beam league,find two oap aussies who once played a test match and bobs your uncle,can I be your director of rugby???????????