I am quoting in full the text of the excellent Conor Murphy's latest piece in the T&A. It quite surprised me, not least because it includes a few of the inconvenient truths that too many people seem happy to ignore, or have derided. But what intrigues me is how much of this is his opinion and how much of it is rather stronger than that, and if so what is the source? Conor is the new kid on the block (albeit the best one we have had for ages) but this piece reads like it was written by someone who has been around a lot longer.
Note the suggestion that we are in the bottom five "in terms of outlay".
He's clearly nailed his own colours to the mast, anyway. The tone is that the club backed Macca in the bad times, and Macca now looks likely to walk out on the club. And the club should not let him go without a fight, and Macca should stick around to see it through.
I suspect some fans will agree with Conor, but more than a few will beg to differ.
Interesting piece indeed, IMO.
Quote in terms of outlay="Conor Murphy"With the union between coach and country becoming ever more likely, the time has come for Bradford to urgently speak up or forever hold their peace.
Now is not the time for indecision or wrangling. Clear and decisive action must be taken one way or another to secure the club’s on-pitch future.
Steve McNamara has clearly emerged as the man for England but, more importantly, is he still the man for the Bulls?
One thing is abundantly clear – the former Great Britain international has divided opinion among fans since replacing Brian Noble in the Odsal hotseat almost exactly four years ago.
In terms of pure results, the criticism is understandable. McNamara has presided over a period of relative decline, one made particularly glaring by the sheer extent of the success Bradford enjoyed prior to his reign.
Put in black and white, the answer’s simple, but the reality is far murkier and context is essential.
Taking over midway through the 2006 season from a charismatic club legend, McNamara inherited a dynasty that had already started to crumble.
Belt-tightening and cutbacks were introduced to prevent the very real possibility of the club going out of business and an expensively-assembled squad proved impossible to keep together.
Even four years down the line, Bradford are still spending significantly under the salary cap and have climbed into the top five this season while probably ranking among the bottom five in terms of outlay.
Even amid a period of serious instability, McNamara led his team to finishes of fourth, third and fifth before last year’s disastrous ninth place.
Missing out on the play-offs for the first time in the club’s history was a bitter pill to swallow, not least of all for the Bulls boss, and if faith in him was waning, then was the time for a parting of the ways.
But the Bulls board were resolute in their support and, having given him the chance to put things right, why now let him go without a fight?
To quote legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi: “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” So far, McNamara has dusted himself off pretty well.
More significant than their current fifth place in Super League are the strides made on the field, the transformation in performances and a new-found confidence about the team’s capabilities.
New signings have played their part, with Matt Orford and Brett Kearney particularly important to the turnaround, but it was the coach who scouted, researched and recruited those players.
It is also the coach who has helped bring about significant improvement in previously underachieving stars – the likes of Rikki Sheriffe, Michael Platt and Paul Sykes are enjoying some of the best form in their Bradford careers.
The current Bulls are still not the finished article, far from it, but they’ve shown ability, spark and desire. The green shoots of recovery and potential growth are beginning to show.
Behind the scenes, the move to an impressive new training base at Tong School and a renewed focus on the development of young talent have already started to bear fruit, laying firm foundations to match those at any rival club.
They are all complimentary parts of McNamara’s clear long-term plan and it would be disappointing if now, he didn’t stick around to see it through.
Still only 38, he continues to grow as a coach but has the skills and potential to restore the Bulls to their rightful place at Super League’s top table. '"
