Theo Fages resignation.

[Owd Codger]

Koukash is an egotist.Yes he is very rich and thinks this entitles him to have his own way in everything he is involved in.He has become a laughing stock and in turn is making Salford Red Devils a joke.At last even the Salford fans are becoming embarrassed by his behaviour.It is no coincidence that so many players and other staff want out.The sooner he is out of our game the better and believe he will go in the not too distant future.

Now there speaks a supporter with sense and saying what many others think.

If what has gone on at Salford this season was happening at our club, many would calling IL rotten in no uncertain terms.

Il may not be every supporters cup of tea at times, but at least he knows something about the game having been born and bred in Wigan.

[Mike]

Its nothing to do with knowing the game. You can easily bring people in who do. Its the way he's falling out with lots of people and dealing with it in public that seems poor to me.

I expected with that amount of investment that success on the field would be possible. So the club has seriously under achieved IMO.

[butt monkey]

Its nothing to do with knowing the game. You can easily bring people in who do. Its the way he's falling out with lots of people and dealing with it in public that seems poor to me.

Mike, if you start pointing the finger of blame at what has gone on at Salford I think you cannot look any further than Brian Noble.

Upon his appointment, he was mainly responsible for Salford's poor recruitment policy. Far too many players at the end of their careers and other players who were simply "ego signings". By that I mean players who Noble would sign despite not needing them as the club had all ready recruited for that position.

Literally in only one or two years, Salford needed to recruit all over again as players retired or couldn't maintain a high enough standard for regular first team action at SL level.

Koukash's main mistake was to trust people like Noble and then after removing him, giving the job to a relatively inexperienced first team coach in Harris. Someone who himself had no experience of working with the demands and expectations of an owner with massive designs for Salford.

The appointment of Tim Sheens I believe is massive for Salford. I do not for one second think that Ian Watson is that "great" a coach that he singularly has changed things around at Salford. Sheens will see what needs changing, where they are weak - strengthening, what needs improving - improved. Ego's and money chasers - moved on. A solid work ethic and a professional attitude will be the mainstay for Salford future recruitments that I am sure.

Back on topic, I am sure I heard a long time ago that Long was a fan of Fages and that Stains do see him as some longer term replacement for Walsh. Not sure which poster posted that in this thread but I heard the same info :eusa12:

[Owd Codger]

Butt Monkey, you may have a good point as Noble was also appointed as Coach of Wigan by Whelan and we too had little or no success like Salford until the club was bought by Leneghan.

But at the same time, we are again coming back to the same point about a person owning a club who knows sod all about the game!

As for the appointment of Tim Sheens, that is indeed a good appointment, but was he advised by someone else?

[Caboosegg]

i'm undecided on the DR i do think he is a bit of a joke but only because he is being made out to be by the RLF and the media.

however

Success in Horse racing seems much different to success in a team sport like rugby

it seems buying the best bread horse and the best stable staff/ trainers and Jockeys you can does work their but at same time on the day after all that on the day it is down to the Jockey the Horse and Luck.

Team sport you can buy the best players the best coaching staff, but if they can't work together due to personalities
or ego clashes, you are not going to get the same success.
you only need to look at wendyball to see More money doesnt = the best team.

maybe with time the DR will learn some lessons and build a good salford team that want to play for the shirt (i believe this is why they have brought in Sheens) however i cant see it happening while their owner wants instant success each season.

in my opinion he should have set in a 3-5 year plan to build up the team. yes buy some star players but build the backbone of your team first.

Both sides of the Coin have Merit though and its pointless that this thread is descending to petty squabbling.

The DR has 100% saved Salford, the club was in a mess, however the way he is going about things is 100% wrong and if he does decide to leave he will leave it in worse shape than when he took over as there is nothing in place to allow Salford to continue without him,

[Mike]

Butt Monkey, you may have a good point as Noble was also appointed as Coach of Wigan by Whelan and we too had little or no success like Salford until the club was bought by Leneghan.

But at the same time, we are again coming back to the same point about a person owning a club who knows sod all about the game!

As for the appointment of Tim Sheens, that is indeed a good appointment, but was he advised by someone else?

I'm not sure if you'd need "advising" to make this appointment. I need a good coach. I'll get the coach of the best international side to work for me. That would probably work quite well in tiddlywinks - a sport I know nothing about.

[Mike]

Team sport you can buy the best players the best coaching staff, but if they can't work together due to personalities
or ego clashes, you are not going to get the same success.
you only need to look at wendyball to see More money doesnt = the best team.

Its gets you up there almost straight away though. Chelsea, Man Utd, Man City - all up there in terms of most money via different routes. It took Man City a few years to get right to the top, but they were hugely improved and contenders in less than two. Salford just haven't cut it on the field yet. They have the resources to do it and should have made the 8 and probably the playoffs by now.

[butt monkey]

Butt Monkey, you may have a good point as Noble was also appointed as Coach of Wigan by Whelan and we too had little or no success like Salford until the club was bought by Leneghan.

But at the same time, we are again coming back to the same point about a person owning a club who knows sod all about the game!

As for the appointment of Tim Sheens, that is indeed a good appointment, but was he advised by someone else?

I'm not sure if you'd need "advising" to make this appointment. I need a good coach. I'll get the coach of the best international side to work for me.

Mike, what is agreed is that Koukash had no (or little) background knowledge of Rugby League.

Now he asks for an experienced "old hand", one with a decent past reputation, one who has coached at international level, to help plan the future team of his dreams and aspirations, somehow he ended up with Brian Noble. If you were in exactly the same position, would you sign the best for that job or go with what you are told by other RL people?

He could and should have expected, with his open chequebook, to sign someone who would not sign players "willy nilly", offering huge payouts for sons of ex-players, one seasons wonders and other players with backgrounds and reputations that were "dubious" to say the least!

Morley, Puletua and Meli are classic examples of a coach being indulged. None offered any long term strategy or even intelligent thinking, as all three were not either 100% fit or would offer more first team games than they played for their previous sl teams.

Signings from Batley and London with the addition and Hock and Hansen, Chase and Smith all arrived. Out of all of those only Hansen was consistent in his form and could be considered in his pomp at SL level.

You reply to caboosegg about football, and teams virtually buying success. Yes, money DOES make a difference, especially when no salary cap is involved. It is far different when there is.

I would ask anyone, do you, and would you, have signed all those players that Noble did and go optimistically into a season knowing you would have to replace a large chunk of them in only another year or maybe two (if lucky) and be happy with that return?

Koukash obviously was not. Noble didn't care.

Overseas players are often quoted as coming over for a last pay day. Noble gave many retiring SL a last pay deal at Salford!

[jaws1]

Heard on a radio interview with the DR he said that Noble and he were like good buddies socialising etc he even named a racehorse after him which won first time out at Haydock.That relationship soon soured when results were not coming in and soon saw that he been sold down the river.

[butt monkey]

Heard on a radio interview with the DR he said that Noble and he were like good buddies socialising etc he even named a racehorse after him which won first time out at Haydock.That relationship soon soured when results were not coming in and soon saw that he been sold down the river.

You know Jaws, I bet Noble in person is a terrific host and great to have around chatting about rugby in social circles. He would have some great tales about tours and coaching and other stuff.

One thing I imagine happened when the Dr got involved in taking over Salford. First the RFL stuck their noses in and gave him "bum" information about who would be best to get involved in the Red Devilution - Noble. Then they stood back and waited for it to implode, a disaster of their own making in an effort to maintain the status quo in the order of all things rugby league