New Head Coach: Mike Blair

[joe soap]

wasn’t Mr. Hodge in complete charge a few years back? Didn’t set the heather alight if memory serves.

season already underway when he was given temp charge, Cockerill appointed early in the new year and in place over the close season. So for a head coach, he had no control over who he could sign, and inherited a squad. As a head coach, he would not be able to spend the time a backs coach (or a forwards coach) needs to spend with players. I doubt he is a head coach, or is seen as head coach material or or for all I know doesn't see himself as a head coach or he might have made the step up. All of which is irrelevant. His tenure was short and temporary, he had many other tasks to do and still had the excellent culture to deal with. And as a full time backs coach, has been severely restricted by game plans

[Tichtheid]

wasn’t Mr. Hodge in complete charge a few years back? Didn’t set the heather alight if memory serves.

No he didn't. But his attack was a lot a lot different from the attack under Cockers and Solly. I'm guessing that's a more accurate reflection of his philosophy.

If anything, we tried to be too expansive from what I remember.

There was a dead cat bounce where we looked the dog's boll0cks, if that doesn't mix too many metaphors, but we reverted to losing poorly soon enough iirc.

Maybe if he'd have been given a top notch forwards coach/coaching team then things would have been different for him but part of the role is to inspire confidence in the squad and in your employers, so it looks like he was never considered as a long term solution

I've stayed off commenting on Cockers because you never know the whole story out here, some people really didn't like him from the start, some fans had interactions with him personally and they seem to be fiercely protective of him, to me that says a lot.
He got under Glasgow supporters' skins, he wanted and encouraged a rivalry similar to Tigers v Saints so he was never going to be liked along the road, he made me chuckle a few times in how he so easily lit the blue touch paper over there.

I don't think Mike Blair will get them raging at Christmas in the same way.

[Trophyhunter]

Any Irvine is Charmain of the club. Anybody anywhat he actually does. Loved him as a player but get the impression he just postured as a Chairman. Wd be good to be wrong.?

[Friday Knight Lights]

No he didn't. But his attack was a lot a lot different from the attack under Cockers and Solly. I'm guessing that's a more accurate reflection of his philosophy.

If anything, we tried to be too expansive from what I remember.

There was a dead cat bounce where we looked the dog's boll0cks, if that doesn't mix too many metaphors, but we reverted to losing poorly soon enough iirc.

Maybe if he'd have been given a top notch forwards coach/coaching team then things would have been different for him but part of the role is to inspire confidence in the squad and in your employers, so it looks like he was never considered as a long term solution

I've stayed off commenting on Cockers because you never know the whole story out here, some people really didn't like him from the start, some fans had interactions with him personally and they seem to be fiercely protective of him, to me that says a lot.
He got under Glasgow supporters' skins, he wanted and encouraged a rivalry similar to Tigers v Saints so he was never going to be liked along the road, he made me chuckle a few times in how he so easily lit the blue touch paper over there.

I don't think Mike Blair will get them raging at Christmas in the same way.

Agree totally TH Cockers had a great 2-3 years results wise and reinvigorated the club. Him and Rennie got the 1872 to be entertaining pre match. Blair and Wilson both seem like good guys and speak well about coaching but neither are the rent a quote Cockers and Rennie to a lesser extent.

His legacy is mostly positive. The right man at the right time. But I think there's a lot to be said for someone leaving 1 year too early rather than 1 year too late.

[joe soap]

I've stayed off commenting on Cockers because you never know the whole story out here, some people really didn't like him from the start, some fans had interactions with him personally and they seem to be fiercely protective of him, to me that says a lot.

whole stories are rarely one dimensional, being good with fans is not incompatible with being a SteveWalsh boss in terms of how he treated players. There is installing discipline and there's other stuff, the stuff that got him removed

[joe soap]

His legacy is mostly positive. The right man at the right time. But I think there's a lot to be said for someone leaving 1 year too early rather than 1 year too late.

almost this!
Very much what was needed at the time he came in, and there is a lot to be said indeed for a coach leaving a year early rather than a year too late. But I think he had already stayed a year too long - and that has tarnished and weakened his legacy

[Friday Knight Lights]

I've stayed off commenting on Cockers because you never know the whole story out here, some people really didn't like him from the start, some fans had interactions with him personally and they seem to be fiercely protective of him, to me that says a lot.

whole stories are rarely one dimensional, being good with fans is not incompatible with being a SteveWalsh boss in terms of how he treated players. There is installing discipline and there's other stuff, the stuff that got him removed

100% this. I believe Cockers is a really great guy just has a dinosaurs view of man management.

[Tichtheid]

Well the reason I didn't comment on the "other stuff" was because I wasn't present and so I'm completely unqualified to comment on it.
I can take John Barclay at his word because he was present and leave it at that.

What I can comment on is the dinosaur tactics that we saw and the curtailing of the instincts of the likes of Charlie Shiel, you could see him deliberately playing more conservatively, and I can talk about the likes of Chamberlain sitting unused game after game - all very frustrating.

Looking forward, I wonder if someone will be brought in to work with the forwards alongside Stevie Lawrie or if he will step up to the full forwards' coach roll?
Lawrie is still relatively inexperienced, he'll be going in to his third season as a coach at this level.

[robdinsdale]

I've stayed off commenting on Cockers because you never know the whole story out here, some people really didn't like him from the start, some fans had interactions with him personally and they seem to be fiercely protective of him, to me that says a lot.

whole stories are rarely one dimensional, being good with fans is not incompatible with being a SteveWalsh boss in terms of how he treated players. There is installing discipline and there's other stuff, the stuff that got him removed

Likewise the player management issue might be more complicated than people are picturing. Some would have hated the environment and some would have got on in it, and I can imagine Cockers being quite loyal to his guys. Obviously it all turned sour though.

[macdone]

Any Irvine is Charmain of the club. Anybody anywhat he actually does. Loved him as a player but get the impression he just postured as a Chairman. Wd be good to be wrong.?

Absolutely zero. I'd rather it was a nobody who was passionate about the club. It always surprises me how little our ex players support the club.

[macdone]

wasn’t Mr. Hodge in complete charge a few years back? Didn’t set the heather alight if memory serves.

No he didn't. But his attack was a lot a lot different from the attack under Cockers and Solly. I'm guessing that's a more accurate reflection of his philosophy.

There was a dead cat bounce where we looked the dog's boll0cks, if that doesn't mix too many metaphors, but we reverted to losing poorly soon enough iirc.

Maybe if he'd have been given a top notch forwards coach/coaching team then things would have been different for him but part of the role is to inspire confidence in the squad and in your employers, so it looks like he was never considered as a long term solution

I've stayed off commenting on Cockers because you never know the whole story out here, some people really didn't like him from the start, some fans had interactions with him personally and they seem to be fiercely protective of him, to me that says a lot.
He got under Glasgow supporters' skins, he wanted and encouraged a rivalry similar to Tigers v Saints so he was never going to be liked along the road, he made me chuckle a few times in how he so easily lit the blue touch paper over there.

I don't think Mike Blair will get them raging at Christmas in the same way.[/quote]

Spot on.

[robdinsdale]

One or two more coaches incoming:

“Stevie and Kitty [MacRae] have done a really good job – they’ve had a really busy summer working with the guys and they’ve put together a really good pre-season – but you can’t do it with three people at this level in this day and age,” he said. “With the amount of detail and feedback we want to give the players, we’d be up for 24 hours a day.

“So, there will be one, possibly two, coaches coming in. But as you can imagine, at this time of the year it takes a little bit of doing because it’s about who’s available. And the dynamic – what type of personality we bring in – is important. Kitty, myself and Stevie are different, and we need that because different players react to different stimulus, so we need to make sure we’re touching all the different bases with our different coaching personnel.”

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/195 ... ref=twtrec

[Tichtheid]

One or two more coaches incoming:

“Stevie and Kitty [MacRae] have done a really good job – they’ve had a really busy summer working with the guys and they’ve put together a really good pre-season – but you can’t do it with three people at this level in this day and age,” he said. “With the amount of detail and feedback we want to give the players, we’d be up for 24 hours a day.

“So, there will be one, possibly two, coaches coming in. But as you can imagine, at this time of the year it takes a little bit of doing because it’s about who’s available. And the dynamic – what type of personality we bring in – is important. Kitty, myself and Stevie are different, and we need that because different players react to different stimulus, so we need to make sure we’re touching all the different bases with our different coaching personnel.”

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/195 ... ref=twtrec

That article got me thinking, and I know we'd be looking for someone with more experience as a "head" forwards coach, but as a breakdown specialist, I wonder if John Barclay could be in the frame?

Or even interested.

[dolf_lundgren]

Roddy Grant if we could get him would be ideal.

Yes think Barclay would need a bit more
Experience at a club or junior level before being that senior coach. Dicko going to Glasgow is an excellent move.

[The Feral Goat]

Roddy Grant if we could get him would be ideal.

Yes think Barclay would need a bit more
Experience at a club or junior level before being that senior coach. Dicko going to Glasgow is an excellent move.

Think Roddy Grants stock is pretty high at Ulster, unless the appeal of moving back to Edinburgh was a factor think we would struggle.

What is Richie Gray up to at present is he in France somewhere or could come in for a bit?

EDIT: jsut seen a tweet Richie Gray has joined Lyon today!