Came across a fairly interesting interview with Francis Cummings earlier on YouTube (about an hour and a quarter long), recorded towards the end of March this year.
For the first 20 minutes, he talks about his time at Leeds under Dougie. Whilst he acknowledges that his methods were completely different to what you would see used by a coach these days, you sensed that he really was quite fond of Dougie and his man management skills (seemed like he wanted to look after players and let them play with the same ethos he encouraged at Widnes). Towards the end of the interview, he is asked who the best coach was. He spends time talking about how Dougie was the funniest with his stories. I think it’s the Dougie that I think all Chemics would recognise.
After about 1 hour and 2 minutes, Francis talks a little bit about his time as coach at Widnes (just before this he talks about his time at Bradford which would have tested anybody).
I said it a few times on different forums at the time that although we played rubbish rugby (could not understand some of his team selections either), I thought he was in a lose, lose, lose, lose situation. I’m not sure any coach could have got Bradford and Widnes out of the holes they were in and he wasn’t given a fair crack of the whip.
For anybody interested in listening to relevant parts.......
I think he made a right mess of it, the way he treated Matt Whitley was appalling. I am convinced had Betts stayed we would have had a fair crack of getting out of the bottom 4.
However, it is interesting in his first game we played Catalan and we went 10-0 up early, should have been 18-0, we played better rugby in 10 minutes than we did that entire season. They was certainly intent on moving that ball but we fell off, partly due to the heat and also the lack of size up front.
If he had won that game and got off to a winning start, how different things could have been?
Worst coach ever, had the displeasure of questioning his RL ability during a training session. Won't go into detail but if I had one word to describe his rugby brain then clueless is my answer.
Poor Franny. It makes it all the worse that he's such a thoroughly nice bloke. Maybe there's the clue.
Cummins was a fall guy for Jimmy: not to say he helped himself with some selections and tactics.
Maybe a classic case of a good number two but not a number one?
His team selections were ridiculous at times. Playing Whitley at centre then dropping him. Binning Craven from the squad. Going into matches with no prop forwards on the bench. Just baffling. Am sure he's a nice chap but any chance we had of salvaging our SL status was lost when Rule sacked Betts to take the heat off himself.
The 17 for the first games of the 8’s against London was a joke.
Whitley, Houston, Dean, Hansen, Hauraki in the starting 13. Tom Olbison on the bench.
6 second rowers in the 17. Why?
Nice fella, poor coach.
Still ought to have been good enough to see off London, V25.That team was dead, just turning up to fulfill the fixture and going through the motions.If we are going to debate what was the best selection and rotation to beat second division opponents on home ground then maybe our fate was already sealed.
Cringe worthy when he was here, Rule obviously didn’t give a toss so anyone was good enough for him
Maybe our fate was sealed but given we lost narrowly it’s not outlandish to suggest me might have won with a different team selection.
A one point loss compounded by two interceptions by Finn and in the last min a drop goal that everyone in the stand could see was been lined up. Very poor and the writing was on the wall from then on