You can’t put a big heart into someone, so we are stuck with a fullback who can’t tackle someone running at him along with no bottle.
Sorry it may seem harsh but these are the facts.
I know what you are saying, but I don't think that any professional rugby player can be accused of having no bottle. It takes a certain amount of bottle just to take to the pitch every week. If it's not enough to be facing opposition that are going to try and run straight over you, you have to play in front of thousands of hostile fans (not all of them the opposition fans)
Instead of saying he has no bottle, I would say he has no technique and little confidence.
I was giving everybody an off season break and what happens arghhhh somebody mentioned Mathers and quality (oxymoron alert). The highest paid cheerleader in SL. Great talker BTW.
Statistically, the worst fullback. With my eyes the worst fullback in SL. The old red herring, he had a better second half of the season, Headingley last game of the season was a prime example of his fraility.
His confidence may have been down (although strangely he talks like he is the World's best) but nobody got pampered and given an easy ride like the Cheerleader. Underserved and unfair on other players too. He never was a good fullback. He never will be. He had 1 (ONE) half decent season for Leeds who were dominant.
Interesting comment re Mr Capello. He treats every player the same. If you play well you get rewarded. If you play badly or do not follow instructions you get dropped. THAT IS HOW IT SHOULD BE. N.B Noble
You can’t put a big heart into someone, so we are stuck with a fullback who can’t tackle someone running at him along with no bottle.
Sorry it may seem harsh but these are the facts.
I know what you are saying, but I don't think that any professional rugby player can be accused of having no bottle. It takes a certain amount of bottle just to take to the pitch every week. If it's not enough to be facing opposition that are going to try and run straight over you, you have to play in front of thousands of hostile fans (not all of them the opposition fans)
Instead of saying he has no bottle, I would say he has no technique and little confidence.
I can go with what you are saying regarding technique but sorry the kid has no heart to tackle on coming traffic. He reminds me of Ashton where he gives the out side lets the player run past then gives chase, it saves having to take a hit, something they both are not keen on doing.
i think he deserves 1 one season more especially as he was injured before starting this one.
I think what people have to realise is mathers is not going to be a radlinski or wellens style of tackling full back. His defence was never outstanding at leeds. However what he was brilliant at was supporting play and scoring tries. So if people execpting him to improve 10 fold in defense i wouldn't hold your breath he isn't that big and will if he does regain his form be more like a webb or platt style full back. Both the afore mentioned also have questionable defense but make up for it in attack, although one thing that must improve is under the bomb
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure
I just thought I would add some wood to the fire by posting the Mathers interview. I've not said I've once been happy with his performances this season.
Sorry to have stirred up such a hornets nest
CP is now off to the Docs to have his valium dose increased and others are off to anger management courses.
Sutty wrote:I just thought I would add some wood to the fire by posting the Mathers interview. I've not said I've once been happy with his performances this season.
Sorry to have stirred up such a hornets nest
CP is now off to the Docs to have his valium dose increased and others are off to anger management courses.
My mistake for posting
I have phoned for my ambulance Sutty. The paramedics know me lol
You can’t put a big heart into someone, so we are stuck with a fullback who can’t tackle someone running at him along with no bottle.
Sorry it may seem harsh but these are the facts.
I know what you are saying, but I don't think that any professional rugby player can be accused of having no bottle. It takes a certain amount of bottle just to take to the pitch every week. If it's not enough to be facing opposition that are going to try and run straight over you, you have to play in front of thousands of hostile fans (not all of them the opposition fans)
Instead of saying he has no bottle, I would say he has no technique and little confidence.
I can go with what you are saying regarding technique but sorry the kid has no heart to tackle on coming traffic. He reminds me of Ashton where he gives the out side lets the player run past then gives chase, it saves having to take a hit, something they both are not keen on doing.
I agree, he is possibly one of the worst professional fullback's regarding tackling technique that I have ever seen. It is however, a fine line between having no heart and no confidence.
When I used to get moved to fullback I often did this, partly because my head on tackling technique was crap, partly because I didn't have as much confidence in my ability. Luckily I was usually quick enough to catch the player running through.
It was never anything to do with me not having heart, or being scared of the tackle.
Hs anybody broken this down into a time line. We say a season. What is a season to a full back in terms of contact and ball handling. 10 minutes per game would be about max. Excluding cup amd mised for injury 28 x 10 280 minutes. 4 hours 40 minutes actual on field to improve against the best SL has to offer. Not a long time. I saw an improvement. Wellans tackling is 50% tecnique and 50% pre knowledge of the tackled player. Heknows how they will react and best method to take them down. Pat could not stop the opposition water carrier when he arrived. He learn the players and their moves , now he stops more than gets away. Mathers played some blinders in defence but when the team sets you up time after time don't blame the full back. If two is coming at you and no assistance no fullback is going to stop it. Jim
:eusa17: :devi: 
