Re: McNamara - Is it time for him to go? : Wed Nov 12, 2014 6:48 pm  

For my mine, he has done a decent job, with what he had available. We pushed the world champions very close and gave Australia a good game. I am not a big fan of knee jerk reactions. He has made good progress and deserves to be allowed to continue whilst ever we are moving forward.

Re: McNamara - Is it time for him to go? : Wed Nov 12, 2014 10:47 pm  

I agree with a lot of the responses on this thread. I think he's done a better than decent job with what he's got. I like the way he seems to have changed the culture in the England set up, you get a definite feel that this is a team, not a bunch of players from rival clubs forced together. From the games he's been in charge it's been difficult to fault the effort and commitment from the guys on the pitch and I think he's had a lot to do with that. Tactically we could be better, but I do think he's limited by the lack of one really high quality half back - although you really need two as it's too easy to take on guy out of the game.

Should he go? I don't see any reason to change at the moment. If SL could pull a decent 7 out of it's @r$e then he might be able to start sneaking wins instead of narrow defeats. I would look to maybe bring some new ideas in from assistants etc. and maybe find a way of getting real belief in the team. I think a team gets that belief from knowing there are guys on the pitch who can do magical things when needed and the magic isn't happening at the moment so the belief is replaced by frustration.

Re: McNamara - Is it time for him to go? : Wed Nov 12, 2014 11:54 pm  

carry on Mac

Re: McNamara - Is it time for him to go? : Thu Nov 13, 2014 12:14 am  

McNamara should carry on if he recognises the need to be bolder with both team selection and tactics. Not picking Hardaker and moving Tomkins to 7 was a missed chance IMO, as was not getting shot of Joel Tomkins after the first game and I would also have taken a punt on Joe Burgess after Charnley's showing in the first game.

He left himself with limited ability to make changes for the NZ game because the replacements would all have lacked match fitness, when if anything the Samoa game suggested a few changes were required for Australia.

Having said that, everyone talks as though if only he did X and Y England would have won. The reality is there weren't many gripes about the make-up of the squad, and had even Roby been available (let alone Sam Burgess) the narrow losses against Aus and NZ may well have reversed.

England just don't have quality from 1-17 available, even when everyone's fit. The backrow options available were poor, and the alternatives only marginally better (Westwood was a penalty waiting to happen in the World Cup, Ablett really isn't much better than what was available, Smith is a barely functioning halfback, who offers zero with the ball in hand etc etc).

Schoey's comments in the YEP are typical of the problem we have when assessing the coach - blames McNamara for lots of things, then rails about the problem being how poor SL is in comparison to the NRL. Given that any coach has to select well over half his squad from SL, it's frankly idiotic to hold him responsible for not beating Australia/NZ.

A lot of people were biased against McNamara when he took over. Personally I think overall he's done a good job - better than Tony Smith or Brian Noble IMO. Perhaps someone could take England further, but he at least deserves the series next year against NZ to show he can improve further.

Re: McNamara - Is it time for him to go? : Thu Nov 13, 2014 12:43 am  

I agree with what most people have said and I think he should stay until after the next World Cup.

We've tried chopping and changing players and blaming the coach, so let's try some stability instead.

In the last 10 years (50 games) England/GB have had 21 different halfback combinations. Only 9 of which played more than 1 game together.
I think we need to show more faith in both the players and the coach.

Re: McNamara - Is it time for him to go? : Thu Nov 13, 2014 2:50 am  

The problem at halfback is that we just don't have any standouts. Widdopp is a must IMO because he's the 'new Sinfield' - not a gamebreaker (as yet) but a cool head and capable of keeping the side moving.

However, without a real star 7 were always going to struggle. NZ have Johnson with the rock solid Foran. Australia have Cronk (or DCE) besides Thurston. They poick themselves almost, and both sets would be automatic choices if they were English. They can get continuity because they have class players for both 6 and 7.

Re: McNamara - Is it time for him to go? : Thu Nov 13, 2014 3:49 am  

I talked about this on the VT. I think he's done a decent job and has been harshly criticised. When you think back to the 00's, especially the 2008 WC with the Leeds/Saints split he's gone a great job of making the England team a 'team' and not just a bunch of individuals. However I do feel it now takes a different touch to take England from 'almosts' into winners. Kinda like when Tony Smith took over from Powell at Leeds.

I do feel we should get rid but not in the harsh way most make out. Doing it now leaves a good amount of time for a new coach to gel with the squad before the next World Cup.

Re: McNamara - Is it time for him to go? : Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:59 am  

I was very critical of him in the World Cup. However going to the NRL as assistant was a good move, when he could have got a Super League job, at a lower placed team. He will surely have learnt a lot this year. The players performances can't really be faulted. Look at the disappointment on the faces of the players after the NZ game and that proves that losing really hurt.

His selection improved too. Matty Smith aint no JT, that's for sure, but I don't think he let anyone down, and is the most improved player in Super League over the last three seasons IMO. Widdop is miles better than Chase. As for second rowers I think people underestimate Farrell, however his inclusion does illustrate what a talent has been wasted in Hock (no one's fault but his own). Joel Tomkins will improve this season, though maybe his inclusion was a bit early. Roby, who was my Man of Steel, will improve things as well.

I don't think they could have been motivated to try any harder, and for this reason I would exclude Wane. Also, he is too strongly identified with Wigan IMO which would make it hard for him to manage other non Wigan players.

BMc always shows a lot of class when dealing with the media and would I think, command respect, but I'm not convinced he is that much better as a coach. The Leeds team was inherited by him and he hasn't really built a team of his own.

Powell is a good coach but I don't think the case for replacing Steve Mc with Powell is that strong. McNamara will have got a lot more experience under his belt this year and so I'd give him the NZ series next Oct/Nov and see how he does before looking for change.

I think the job should be done by an Englishman though. We have enough decent coaches to choose from nowadays unlike in 2008.

Re: McNamara - Is it time for him to go? : Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:54 pm  

Its three games a year, who is going to take the job?

McNarama has done a decent job and should improve from his time in the NRL.

Re: McNamara - Is it time for him to go? : Fri Nov 14, 2014 11:31 am  

I've no problem with the way McNamara's gone about his work. I'm not sure of secondary coaching roles in his set-up but if we have an attack coach then it's he who needs to be changed; if we don't then we need to appoint. I'd agree with those saying we're not far off. Having said that, few big steps forward from the WC were evident.