Ince, before he left, seemed poor on defence, preferring to go for an interception rather than tackle. He may have learned by now – we shall see! The props so far signed are in the Farnworth pattern, though some look to be even more energetic. Looks like Dupree will fight hard in the tackle, something that we have missed. We still need a couple of older heads alongside the enthusiasm. I would prefer Baker at loose, but we’ll have to see what the plan is I guess.
Well spotted sir we used to call it the Paddy Flynn syndrome always missing from the wing in defence.
My only concern has already been aired the fact that it’s almost a quarter of a relegated team we have signed. Hope it all works out for us👍👍
The club did say at the recent Member's Monday that the go-forward recruitment strategy would focus on Championship ready players rather than SL cast-offs.
Also, wondering whether the fact that Oldham is this side of the Pennines is a factor with these signings. Apart from Swinton and Whitehaven, all the other sides are Yorkshire teams aren't they? Maybe tyranny of distance for part-time players?
So, maybe not such a big surprise really.
The club did say at the recent Member’s Monday that the go-forward recruitment strategy would focus on Championship ready players rather than SL cast-offs. Also, wondering whether the fact that Oldham is this side of the Pennines is a factor with these signings. Apart from Swinton and Whitehaven, all the other sides are Yorkshire teams aren’t they? Maybe tyranny of distance for part-time players? So, maybe not such a big surprise really.
You may well be correct, PT doesn't encourage a total shift move. Just hope that there are hairy props still to come!
The club did say at the recent Member’s Monday that the go-forward recruitment strategy would focus on Championship ready players rather than SL cast-offs. Also, wondering whether the fact that Oldham is this side of the Pennines is a factor with these signings. Apart from Swinton and Whitehaven, all the other sides are Yorkshire teams aren’t they? Maybe tyranny of distance for part-time players? So, maybe not such a big surprise really.
And this is it. Some people who are moaning about "signing players from a relegated side" are struggling to come up with any alternative suggestions.
The recruitment policy of identifying players from this side of the Pennines who have previously relocated (such as the ex-Saints youngsters, Holroyd etc), and signing players already based over here (ala the Oldham quartet) seems reasonable enough to me.
Players achieving at one club, under one coach, and not achieving elsewhere is the unpredictability that brings excitement to team sport. As Dougie used to say, knowing who to put an arm around the shoulder and who to kick up ***** is the trick!
That is what makes coaching a hard job, particularly at lower levels. In a SL side you can assume that they are all competent, but even then some get even better, some fall away (ask Brett Hodgson!!) Watching Bellamy's achievements you can see, according to Gus Gould, why he is good. He trims jobs to suit a player's abilities and gets the best out of them. If the player doesn't respond, he goes!
Reading coaches biographies is a hobby - complicated blokes!!!
All our signings seem to be high on effort and desire to achieve so we will have to see!!
The club did say at the recent Member’s Monday that the go-forward recruitment strategy would focus on Championship ready players rather than SL cast-offs. Also, wondering whether the fact that Oldham is this side of the Pennines is a factor with these signings. Apart from Swinton and Whitehaven, all the other sides are Yorkshire teams aren’t they? Maybe tyranny of distance for part-time players? So, maybe not such a big surprise really.
And this is it. Some people who are moaning about “signing players from a relegated side” are struggling to come up with any alternative suggestions. The recruitment policy of identifying players from this side of the Pennines who have previously relocated (such as the ex-Saints youngsters, Holroyd etc), and signing players already based over here (ala the Oldham quartet) seems reasonable enough to me.
To be fair, James, no fan is privvy to the funding, what's already in the kitty, and what other income streams are coming into the club. So how do fans have a clue who we can or cannot sign? If funding across the game is dropping, then surely the player pool should cascade down, too. Wages in SL will be reduced, so some players may fancy PT combined with a job outside the game, like Grady and Tyrer have.
Paulie xx
To be fair, James, no fan is privvy to the funding, what’s already in the kitty, and what other income streams are coming into the club. So how do fans have a clue who we can or cannot sign? If funding across the game is dropping, then surely the player pool should cascade down, too. Wages in SL will be reduced, so some players may fancy PT combined with a job outside the game, like Grady and Tyrer have. Paulie xx
Think you are on the mark there Paulie. It probably won't show until the SL start to economise! On that basis we might have jumped the gun, but better players in the club than be caught short.
Certainly when reality bites the PT/FT split will become more critical, particularly for older players with families.
As many have said, the game is changing moneywise and nobody really knows where its going!
The club did say at the recent Member’s Monday that the go-forward recruitment strategy would focus on Championship ready players rather than SL cast-offs. Also, wondering whether the fact that Oldham is this side of the Pennines is a factor with these signings. Apart from Swinton and Whitehaven, all the other sides are Yorkshire teams aren’t they? Maybe tyranny of distance for part-time players? So, maybe not such a big surprise really.
And this is it. Some people who are moaning about “signing players from a relegated side” are struggling to come up with any alternative suggestions. The recruitment policy of identifying players from this side of the Pennines who have previously relocated (such as the ex-Saints youngsters, Holroyd etc), and signing players already based over here (ala the Oldham quartet) seems reasonable enough to me.
To be fair, James, no fan is privvy to the funding, what’s already in the kitty, and what other income streams are coming into the club. So how do fans have a clue who we can or cannot sign? If funding across the game is dropping, then surely the player pool should cascade down, too. Wages in SL will be reduced, so some players may fancy PT combined with a job outside the game, like Grady and Tyrer have. Paulie xx
So in which case, why are they moaning about players signing just because they're from a relegated side?
The club did say at the recent Member’s Monday that the go-forward recruitment strategy would focus on Championship ready players rather than SL cast-offs. Also, wondering whether the fact that Oldham is this side of the Pennines is a factor with these signings. Apart from Swinton and Whitehaven, all the other sides are Yorkshire teams aren’t they? Maybe tyranny of distance for part-time players? So, maybe not such a big surprise really.
And this is it. Some people who are moaning about “signing players from a relegated side” are struggling to come up with any alternative suggestions. The recruitment policy of identifying players from this side of the Pennines who have previously relocated (such as the ex-Saints youngsters, Holroyd etc), and signing players already based over here (ala the Oldham quartet) seems reasonable enough to me.
But we’ve missed out on both Dec Parton and Matty Gee who are better than what we’ve got and are both based this side of the Pennines.
Got no problem with only signing Lancashire based players, but we’re not even getting the best out there.
Dec Patton? Really? I'd argue it's questionable he's better than what we have. Also he might be full time at Bradford due to their hybrid set up.
As for Gee, we're pretty well off for back rowers and have been for a few months - he may have only just become available and/or by much pricier than Sam Wilde.
Dec Patton would walk into our side as would matty gee, however I’m still happy with our recruitment so far
Patten was called by our fans for his few games here on dual reg in 2019 🤔
Well, to be quite honest he didn’t appear to offer an awful lot considering his reputation. That said coming into a team on loan to play in pivotal positions is presumably very difficult when you’ve barely trained with the side you have joined. Also we played him out of position at hooker in one game. So the jury is out for me. I’m sure he’d do a decent job in the Championship but not sure he would have come in and absolutely ripped it up.
To be fair, we can’t sign everybody.
The idea that we have “missed out” is just one way of looking at it and might not be true for a number of reasons.
Every year we “miss out” on players - some because they would cost too much, some because they become available after we have signed players in their position already and need to focus on other ideas, sometimes just because the coach might not want them or might be in negotiations for somebody who he thinks is a better options. Sometimes what we think the player is worth / what we are willingt to pay in terms of a contract / wage might not suit the player. Sometimes a player might not want / be able to travel to Widnes because his day job might mean it is to much of a strain to travel from, say, East Yorkshire on weeknights or at the week ends due to shift work. Smetimes a player may just not fancy coming to Widnes. There are loads of reasons why we might “miss out”.