Re: Sam Rapira : Tue May 26, 2015 9:32 pm  

craigizzard wrote:

I would suggest it has absolutely nothing to do with "ambitions" and "challenges" and everything to do with who offered the better deal in terms of finances/time (indeed, we don't know if Leeds even did offer a deal). Having a network/personal contacts might also help, as you say, but if you're moving 12,000 miles it hardly matters which one of two places 20 miles away from each other you end up in working at.

Good luck to him. If he stays fit he should be a good signing for you.

I'd say it does matter if you live anywhere within 20 miles! I'd certainly have a preference between moss side and Alderley edge!!!
An ex boss relocated his family from Surrey after being headhunted and found himself living in chapeltown.... I suspect he was intending to live in chapel allerton, found himself in negative equity and was stuck for a while.....

I'd certainly take advice from someone I trusted in the know if emigrating to the otherside of the world!

Re: Sam Rapira : Tue May 26, 2015 9:42 pm  

jools wrote:

I'd say it does matter if you live anywhere within 20 miles! I'd certainly have a preference between moss side and Alderley edge!!!
An ex boss relocated his family from Surrey after being headhunted and found himself living in chapeltown.... I suspect he was intending to live in chapel allerton, found himself in negative equity and was stuck for a while.....

I'd certainly take advice from someone I trusted in the know if emigrating to the otherside of the world!

That wasn't quite what I meant. Rapira could live right next door to his old pal in Hudds (assuming that's where he lives) and have less than an hour's commute to almost any club in the league. That's nothing to a back-country New Zealander. If the choice was between Hudds and Leeds the at either club he could live anywhere in West Yorks that his contacts recommended. You'd do well to convince me his choice was to do with anything other than money, but that's fair enough.

Re: Sam Rapira : Wed May 27, 2015 9:15 am  

craigizzard wrote:

That wasn't quite what I meant. Rapira could live right next door to his old pal in Hudds (assuming that's where he lives) and have less than an hour's commute to almost any club in the league. That's nothing to a back-country New Zealander. If the choice was between Hudds and Leeds the at either club he could live anywhere in West Yorks that his contacts recommended. You'd do well to convince me his choice was to do with anything other than money, but that's fair enough.

Yes he will have a short commute. Whilst his wife and kids are in a strange town knowing no one. He will be at the club with two ex teammates, his wife will know someone and so will his children. Think how many players have gone home because their wives couldnt settle.

Re: Sam Rapira : Wed May 27, 2015 10:23 pm  

jools wrote:

Everyone seems to suggest that the reason Rapira signed for Hudds rather than leeds for a lot more money or a lack of ambition- I would suggest that the fact that hudds have been the nearly men for a few seasons would pose a bigger challenge for a man whos already won the biggest trophy the sport has to offer- and more besides but on the bigger stage-
I also suspect that a huge professional and friend in david faiumu, who is still at the club behind the scenes, probably had a massive input into his choice. But leeds fans can't accept a recommendation from someone who's already made the difficult choice to move his family half way around the world has more pull than winning something that probably means little to him- like it's guaranteed....... This is a job nothing more. I suspect having his family happy and settled in nice surroundings that remind him of home with good schools for his kids and people he knows nearby is more important to him as a person.

I would suspect that Mullally has signed for Leeds because of their record of reaching finals and winning things and a chance to be part of a new look squad over the next few years.

However most Hudds fans seem to think his decision to join one of the very top teams in the competition is based on being able to just roll out of bed to get to training in the morning as he lives in Headingley.

Works both ways

Re: Sam Rapira : Thu May 28, 2015 8:39 am  

MOst signings can be spun a number of ways by administrators and fans alike. For reference look at the press releases for the signings of O'Neill, McAvoy etc