@winny-ingram Seems that Kear doesn’t agree that Hulme is NW Counties standard, having picked him for the Welsh squad. Did he take Nzougbou to Bradford too?
Far from accepting the position that the Club is in, I think all of the posters have criticised the performances of the players this year and last year and no doubt previous years. I don’t think anyone is happy to watch a losing team, particularly one where players themselves seem to have a losing mentality. Hasn’t Kear been brought in to turn this around this season, with the current squad and improve the squad and performances next year?
Everyone has an opinion on individual players, but the Club will be paying Kear to get the best out of the current squad and identifying those who should be retained and any potential targets for 2023. It is too simplistic to demand that the current squad be scrapped and bring in a new squad in 2023. I would guess that a few of your NW County standard players will be in the 2023 squad!
Just like Spelly with Swinton, there will be fans who will follow Widnes whichever league they are in. Why insult Spelly and other hardened fans who have and will follow Widnes through thick and thin, as lickspittles?
Reading your post, I suspect that you will no doubt be building up a lexicon of Yorkshire linked epithets to throw out on here in the coming months.
Kear has selected Hulme for Wales because there is nobody else, as Lloyd White is injured. Selection for the minor nations is just putting names against places to fill, as there is a dearth of International talent from these countries. Don't for one minute fool yourself that Hulme is International class, he can barely get a gig down Lowerhouse Lane.
Paulie xx
It isn't altogether true that fans accept mediocrity.Crowds have plummeted by 1300 since the first game this year so there's a fair few discerning customers.
@winny-ingram Seems that Kear doesn’t agree that Hulme is NW Counties standard, having picked him for the Welsh squad. Did he take Nzougbou to Bradford too?
Far from accepting the position that the Club is in, I think all of the posters have criticised the performances of the players this year and last year and no doubt previous years. I don’t think anyone is happy to watch a losing team, particularly one where players themselves seem to have a losing mentality. Hasn’t Kear been brought in to turn this around this season, with the current squad and improve the squad and performances next year?
Everyone has an opinion on individual players, but the Club will be paying Kear to get the best out of the current squad and identifying those who should be retained and any potential targets for 2023. It is too simplistic to demand that the current squad be scrapped and bring in a new squad in 2023. I would guess that a few of your NW County standard players will be in the 2023 squad!
Just like Spelly with Swinton, there will be fans who will follow Widnes whichever league they are in. Why insult Spelly and other hardened fans who have and will follow Widnes through thick and thin, as lickspittles?
Reading your post, I suspect that you will no doubt be building up a lexicon of Yorkshire linked epithets to throw out on here in the coming months.
I’m not too sure what your point is. I mean, I understand what you’re saying, but it doesn’t really fill me with confidence that Widnes are on anything other than a slide into oblivion.
Yes, Kear has been brought in to change things. If he can, only time will tell. I’ll reserve my judgement on him for a later date. I think it’s only fair that he starts with a clean slate and should be given time to implement his way of working and is able to structure his squad in 2023. I firmly believe that with the current players available to him, he is more likely to be looking at League 1 than the Play-offs.
You can still be a supporter without being a lickspittle Frank. Don’t insinuate I’m calling all supporters lickspittles, just because they follow the club. There is an element of fans who follow Widnes who blindly follow and question nothing.
Also, don’t bring Spelly into this and take insult on his behalf. I couldn’t give a monkey’s about Swinton, Oldham, Dewsbury Celtic, or West Bank under 8’s, the subject matter is Widnes RLFC. Four years ago, Widnes were relegated, and within that time period they have only regressed towards the standard of the Canal Street days.
Reading my post you can expect whatever you like, the harsh reality is, this club is on life support and is a couple of managerial appointments/player recruitments away from Armageddon.
Calling fans lickspittles isn't great to be honest. These are people who support the club, put time, money and love in.
Dropping 30 players and getting 30 new ones really isn't the answer, on a budget. It will lead to more of the same.
It's frustrating that we are where we are. There are a lot of fans who want to turn this around to get back to Super League. I will take a pound bet off anyone that Widnes never make SL ever again. Not only is it beyond us with current set-up, the new masters are about to move to model that will make it impossible, that's a banker.
So, if/when that happens, what are you guys going to do then? Walk away from the club?
I don’t know what the new structure will be but whatever it is we will be in the 2nd tier
I am thinking it will be a franchise system with the option to apply for a seat at the top table every 3-5 years
It isn't altogether true that fans accept mediocrity.Crowds have plummeted by 1300 since the first game this year so there's a fair few discerning customers.
And therein lies the crux of the problem that the club has. It’s carch-22. The players are poor even in a very ordinary division. It’s alright people saying we should be top 4 with the squad we have but the simple truth of the matter is we aren’t in the top 4 are we aren’t going to finish anywhere near the top 4 this season, so the people who have voted with their feet are unlikely to want to waste any more money. So…….. what happens next season ? How are we going to afford new signings ? Getting rid of most of this season’s squad might ease a bit of the frustration that we are all feeling but without a fair bit more money coming in we will mostly replace like for like.
I really hope the club tries a brand new plan and actually signs 3 or 4 props to go with Amor who are actually worth the job title and don’t come with chronic debilitating injuries. That would at least be a start (assuming we have at least some money).
Why is everyone saying we cannot afford to replace all the players? Rubbish, most the players we have are out of contract so we let them go and replace them where is the extra cost ???????????.
@mick-george it isn’t an extra cost Mick - if we are paying, just as an example number, £ 300k this season and we get rid of all the players, we would save £ 300k. But we would need to use the money to buy new players next season and we would only be able to buy players of the same standard. BUT, the problem is the number will probably be less than. £ 300k because a reasonable percentage of the money comes through season ticket sales and if the number is ticket sales drops (and merchandise) then instead of £ 300k we might get £ 250k and that means the quality of the 20 odd players in the squad will drop further and it becomes a speeded up version of the decline of the club.
Obviously, it’s not that simple and there are other factors involved (and the numbers are just used as an example) but the spiral of poor results, less speccies,, less money, reduction in player quality, less speccies, less money and on and on isn’t that far fetched.
Why is everyone saying we cannot afford to replace all the players? Rubbish, most the players we have are out of contract so we let them go and replace them where is the extra cost ???????????.
There isn't extra cost. But unless there's more money coming in, which there isn't, we would only be looking for players who command the same terms as the players we'd have just binned. So, they'd probably be of similar standard.
Thought it had been mentioned that more money was available for next season? (Possibly me having a senior moment)
@cuerdley-viking - It has been mentioned in some media outlets that we may have a bigger budget next year albeit in the form of rumour/guesswork. Hopefully it is correct.
Wow so much optimism
get some pascal in here !
Too much Negativity mate. Yeah we are shite at the moment, but only way is up and Kear is a good appointment. I don't post much lately as too many doom mongers. Might get you and Delta Machine to Pinkies. 😂🥖🥖👍
Wow so much optimism
get some pascal in here !
Too much Negativity mate. Yeah we are shite at the moment, but only way is up and Kear is a good appointment. I don't post much lately as too many doom mongers. Might get you and Delta Machine to Pinkies. 😂🥖🥖👍
Donkey dick would love pinkies Pascal 😂 turnip finingan is a regular 👍
Why is everyone saying we cannot afford to replace all the players? Rubbish, most the players we have are out of contract so we let them go and replace them where is the extra cost ???????????.
There isn't extra cost. But unless there's more money coming in, which there isn't, we would only be looking for players who command the same terms as the players we'd have just binned. So, they'd probably be of similar standard.
It was stated during a televised game that the avarage salary at Batley was £8k and they destroy us every time we play them so is the issue not only that we are signing below average players but we arr also paying them too much.
I dont know what the average at Widnes is but we are a part time 2nd tier club so unless we are looking to sign Superleague players we should be offering 2nd tier part time wages.....Also the players need to realise that they are not Superleague quality or they would be playing there and need to be thankful for 2nd tier part time wages or give up and go and play amatuer.
Its the same problem when a team is relegated and everyone wants to leave because they think they are too good to play in a lower league....no...you are the reason your team went down so you are not too good. We are going to be a stepping stone for younger players who want a window to show off their skills...as long as they improve the team I would rather have this than some old has been after a last pay day. This brings me to Amor who I thought was a great signing. He has always looked good in the Saints team but then again who wouldnt with that quality around him. Last week he looked an old slow penalty machine playing in a beaten Warrington pack and that is the version we are more likely to see given the players at Widnes.