Hodge is not the answer

[dolf_lundgren]

You can argue the strength of the squad for days.

The point is they are still playing below their capability. We have enough in the squad to be competitive and not be losing to the bottom end teams. Losing to Leinster etc I can stomach, Dragons I cant. Being cold about it, until the coaches can prove they can get more our of the current players I dont think I would be giving them any budget for new ones either.

The comments from Manu are worrying, sounds very amateurish in the preparation. He is a leader however and I hope he tried to do something about it, not just talk about it after the game when it is too late.

[Friday Knight Lights]

I'm not saying we have the best squad in the league doedin.

I think that Glasgow, Leinster, Munster and Ulster are the top dogs no doubt and the Italian teams are bottom dwellers. But I think the middle is much of a muchness and whilst we don't have great depth look at squad players from other teams, it's negligible difference in my opinion.

Connacht won the league because they have an amazing coach and great culture, there's some international recognition for their players but they're hardly spine of the Irish team. The Sportsground is a horrible place to go but nobody is scared of Murrayfield and that makes a big difference. Same with Rodney Parade. I really hope we can make Myreside as unpleasant as possible when the time comes.

I think Manu's comments are illuminating about the mindset. There's no obvious culture at Edinburgh, there's no atmosphere really at Murrayfield, there's not the same link between the fans and the team. If we have a coach who can get players and fans to buy into what he's trying to achieve and is capable tactically I think our squad can finish top 6.

I think your reply answers my answer, our squad is pretty bare and it wont get us beyond 9th or 10th. I don't think it matters where we play if our squad was good enough. Mindset comes with winning and experience - we have neither!

No, because last year we had the same squad pretty much and almost achieved sixth. I fundamentally disagree we're much worse than other teams in the league. The big difference is in club culture and coaching etc.

[Wottie]

Whether Hodge is the answer or not, Lam certainly isn't going to be!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38207754

[oldballs]

Re Manu's comments. Following a short turn around after the Dragons game the team were all up at 5am on Thursday morning to travel back to Wales for the Ospreys game at 8pm the following night. Post game they were back on the bus at 4.30am to return to Edinburgh. Its meant to be a professional set up but that kind of preparation and recovery is not what I would expect as a player. No wonder we don't seem to travel well!
Much better if a 30 man squad had gone to Wales for the 5 days. They could of done some decent midweek training in Wales and been in much better shape for the Friday night game. Cheapskates? or do they just not consider the payers.

[doedin]

I'm not saying we have the best squad in the league doedin.

I think that Glasgow, Leinster, Munster and Ulster are the top dogs no doubt and the Italian teams are bottom dwellers. But I think the middle is much of a muchness and whilst we don't have great depth look at squad players from other teams, it's negligible difference in my opinion.

Connacht won the league because they have an amazing coach and great culture, there's some international recognition for their players but they're hardly spine of the Irish team. The Sportsground is a horrible place to go but nobody is scared of Murrayfield and that makes a big difference. Same with Rodney Parade. I really hope we can make Myreside as unpleasant as possible when the time comes.

I think Manu's comments are illuminating about the mindset. There's no obvious culture at Edinburgh, there's no atmosphere really at Murrayfield, there's not the same link between the fans and the team. If we have a coach who can get players and fans to buy into what he's trying to achieve and is capable tactically I think our squad can finish top 6.

I think your reply answers my answer, our squad is pretty bare and it wont get us beyond 9th or 10th. I don't think it matters where we play if our squad was good enough. Mindset comes with winning and experience - we have neither!

No, because last year we had the same squad pretty much and almost achieved sixth. I fundamentally disagree we're much worse than other teams in the league. The big difference is in club culture and coaching etc.

... and I almost won the lottery on Friday! Last season we finished 9th and at the end of the day that is what counts, 'almost' counts for AlainRolland all! Perhaps thats part of our mindset problem?

My point is that given we have AI and 6Ns every year then once you take away our Scottish guys the squad and allow for a few inevitable injuries then the squad we have isn't good enough and that is why we are where we are in the league.

I think we both agree where our squad strengths lie but these guys are away for a good part of the season either playing or resting prior/after internationals. When they are we struggle to put a competitive team on the park, the youngsters have done really well but struggle with consistency. A lot of our squad, as discussed previously, and particularly in the backs are just a bit meh! If they were a top 6 squad we would be in the top 6 but at the moment we are 10th a significant 13 points behind the Weegies in 6th place. Points make prizes, no prizes for ‘almost' I'm afraid!

[doedin]

Re Manu's comments. Following a short turn around after the Dragons game the team were all up at 5am on Thursday morning to travel back to Wales for the Ospreys game at 8pm the following night. Post game they were back on the bus at 4.30am to return to Edinburgh. Its meant to be a professional set up but that kind of preparation and recovery is not what I would expect as a player. No wonder we don't seem to travel well!
Much better if a 30 man squad had gone to Wales for the 5 days. They could of done some decent midweek training in Wales and been in much better shape for the Friday night game. Cheapskates? or do they just not consider the payers.

That is pretty poor and I agree completely that we could have stayed down there, even though a week in South Wales fills me with horror. The Weegies did a 5 day stay for similar turnaround in Italy did they not?

[gowrie]

It's a bit simplistic to say that our squad's not top 6 because we're not there yet. We've got some issues with depth and top class players but so do the other teams that we're competing with. The easy example is Eddie Jones and England, there's more to the team than just the players on the park, and it's a lazy excuse to say 'oh but if we could just sign Dan Carter etc;', we have players that individually have shown talent and the capability to mix it with the other teams, but as a collective we're a mile off the pace.

[Friday Knight Lights]

It's a bit simplistic to say that our squad's not top 6 because we're not there yet. We've got some issues with depth and top class players but so do the other teams that we're competing with. The easy example is Eddie Jones and England, there's more to the team than just the players on the park, and it's a lazy excuse to say 'oh but if we could just sign Dan Carter etc;', we have players that individually have shown talent and the capability to mix it with the other teams, but as a collective we're a mile off the pace.

This.

What I like with Hodge was that the team seem to have a sense of enjoyment in their play which they didn't have under Solly and the fans appreciate that too. I think a big thing for our next coach is that he has to foster some culture in Edinburgh that fans and the players can buy into. If they care and believe in the project and the club we'll see that squad do well. Same with the fans, it would be great if there was some excitement going to watch Edinburgh play and we could create Myreside into a fortress like a fair few stadium's around the league.

[biffer]

It's a bit simplistic to say that our squad's not top 6 because we're not there yet. We've got some issues with depth and top class players but so do the other teams that we're competing with. The easy example is Eddie Jones and England, there's more to the team than just the players on the park, and it's a lazy excuse to say 'oh but if we could just sign Dan Carter etc;', we have players that individually have shown talent and the capability to mix it with the other teams, but as a collective we're a mile off the pace.

This.

What I like with Hodge was that the team seem to have a sense of enjoyment in their play which they didn't have under Solly and the fans appreciate that too. I think a big thing for our next coach is that he has to foster some culture in Edinburgh that fans and the players can buy into. If they care and believe in the project and the club we'll see that squad do well. Same with the fans, it would be great if there was some excitement going to watch Edinburgh play and we could create Myreside into a fortress like a fair few stadium's around the league.

A fortress involves not being beaten.

[bignose]

What I like with Hodge was that the team seem to have a sense of enjoyment in their play which they didn't have under Solly and the fans appreciate that too. I think a big thing for our next coach is that he has to foster some culture in Edinburgh that fans and the players can buy into. If they care and believe in the project and the club we'll see that squad do well. Same with the fans, it would be great if there was some excitement going to watch Edinburgh play and we could create Myreside into a fortress like a fair few stadium's around the league.

A fortress involves not being beaten.

I thought that it had been conclusively established (many threads passim) that the reason Edinburgh lost games was the "Murrayfield" factor (soulless, cavernous, etc.), hence the move to Myreside. Surely the unbeaten fortress part is taken as read?

[Friday Knight Lights]

What I like with Hodge was that the team seem to have a sense of enjoyment in their play which they didn't have under Solly and the fans appreciate that too. I think a big thing for our next coach is that he has to foster some culture in Edinburgh that fans and the players can buy into. If they care and believe in the project and the club we'll see that squad do well. Same with the fans, it would be great if there was some excitement going to watch Edinburgh play and we could create Myreside into a fortress like a fair few stadium's around the league.

A fortress involves not being beaten.

I thought that it had been conclusively established (many threads passim) that the reason Edinburgh lost games was the "Murrayfield" factor (soulless, cavernous, etc.), hence the move to Myreside. Surely the unbeaten fortress part is taken as read?

Maybe not a fortress then but an unpleasant place to go so the home team has an advantage, I think Murrayfield is an easy place to go and it doesn't foster a connection between the club and fans.

[Wottie]

Basil leaving Leeds but bailing out of the game altogether it appears.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38570994

[Crichton Gunner]

Sounds very much like Hodge is getting the head coach job, unless he screws up big time in the next month or two...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38641082

There's no way Petrie would be saying how well he's done and how he's helping with player selection for next season if they weren't planning on offering him the job; it'd all be a lot more vague. If they'd decided not to give the job to Hodge they'd have to have someone else lined up by now, and be talking to him about signings for next season.

[GaryIPA]

Sounds very much like Hodge is getting the head coach job, unless he screws up big time in the next month or two...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38641082

There's no way Petrie would be saying how well he's done and how he's helping with player selection for next season if they weren't planning on offering him the job; it'd all be a lot more vague. If they'd decided not to give the job to Hodge they'd have to have someone else lined up by now, and be talking to him about signings for next season.

Hoping we're not having a Bradley papering over the cracks incident

[GaryIPA]

On the strength of last night he's not the answer