Is Umaga doing a good job?
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Wish there was a 50/50 choice. Reckon he has some guys running hot, but still off course as a consistent team.
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@paekakboyz said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
Wish there was a 50/50 choice. Reckon he has some guys running hot, but still off course as a consistent team.
I’m with you.
Some guys are playing some excellent footy individually, but he is really struggling to get them to gel as a team. -
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@duluth do you reckon Tana mutters that to himself during the game 😁
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Bit of a loaded question, to which there is really only 1 answer...I think he has the cattle, he just seems to have some favorites he is loyal to and making some poor selection choices which are hampering the overall team, if he can get the right combos out there, they will gel.
But right now, there is no leadership and no self belief.
I don't think he is too far off doing a very good job, but right now...
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No.
A midfielder who cant figure out Moala isnt a midfielder.
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He's had plenty of time to make better selections though. I think that the moment he made Pulu captain, the writing should have been on the wall. Both Kaino and SBW are there, plus others who I'm not such a fan of (Parsons). The only nailed on selection in the team (IMO) was SBW. If he didn't bring him there for that, why the fuck did you guys rob us of him? And if not him, sign a captain - Luke Whitelock-esque someone from somewhere.
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@gt12 kinda what I was saying, he is blinded by his loyalty in regard to,selections and is hindering this team fulfilling the potential
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@gt12 Tupou was meant to be that guy.
There was confusion when O’Keeffe asked Tupou who was the captain when Pulu left the field. IIRC he (Tupou) said Kaino was the new captain but then it ended up being Tupou. You would think teams would have this sorted.
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Yep, but he doesn’t hold his place, sadly.
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One thing I think you are right about is that they’re aren’t far away. So, with a few good choices they could get there. Even Pulu, when he is used we’ll, can be a weapon. I just don’t think he is a starting halfback for this side.
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@gt12 Williams might be experienced but he really doesn't strike me as even close to captaincy material. Pretty loose as a player at times and that's without going into any debate around his tactical nous...
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Yep. All good points. But, I don’t know another player in that Blues team who is an automatic selection. Kaino? Parsons? Ofa? Duffie? Ioane(s)? Pat T maybe?
Looking at that, I can somewhat understand the Pulu idea, even though I think it’s wrong.. that’s why I would have considered recruiting a captain (which, admittedly, is super hard).
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So who stood up as a leader in that game? Parsons? PT? Scrafton? Tupou? Kaino (at the end)?
Nope. No one.
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@crucial said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
So who stood up as a leader in that game? Parsons? PT? Scrafton? Tupou? Kaino (at the end)?
Nope. No one.
Parsons had a great game I thought. For a 2nd week in a row. Tana's signing Apasai came on and was horrible...for the 2nd week in a row.
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@kiwimurph said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
@crucial said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
So who stood up as a leader in that game? Parsons? PT? Scrafton? Tupou? Kaino (at the end)?
Nope. No one.
Parsons had a great game I thought. For a 2nd week in a row. Tana's signing Apasai came on and was horrible...for the 2nd week in a row.
Had a good game, yes. Stood up as a leader? Didn't see much of that?
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@crucial and whose fault is that?
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I guess when the team's supporters are asking the question in Week 2 of the competition there's probably an answer there in itself.
I'd say the Blues have got better under Tana - but, @rotated has previously made the point that Super rugby competitions don't tend to be won by coaches making gradual improvements, but by new guys coming in and grabbing things by the scruff of the neck.
I'm inclined to think there are contingencies around that - in terms of player quality, etc - but, it's pretty hard to see the Blues winning a championship in the next couple of seasons under Tana - a bit like Toddy, he seems to have a ceiling.
Question is - what does someone new do? Maybe recruit some leadership - or put in place a different structure.
Maybe what Tana should've done this year is name Pulu and Parsons as co-Captains. Haven't heard much of Pulu, but Parsons is often in the media and seems like a smart and eloquent guy. Maybe Pulu is the guy to lead from the front.
One apparent thing from tonight's team is the number of guy who are second-string ABs (aside from Reiko - and JK on the bench). Not really anyone who's going to be grabbing the biggest matches by the horns and dragging their team over the line.
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What would the status be if the coach didn't happen to be AB legend Tana Umaga? Same players, same results but solid if unspectacular coach called, for example, Tom O'Meilly. I think Mr O'Meilly would be in trouble.
I heart Tana, but this is getting beyond a joke.
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Actually one thing I think that would have made a difference at the Blues since Evans pissed off is a proper world class flyhalf. It wouldn't have won them a title but they probably would have won a shit load more matches.
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@rancid-schnitzel said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
What would the status be if the coach didn't happen to be AB legend Tana Umaga? Same players, same results but solid if unspectacular coach called, for example, Tom O'Meilly. I think Mr O'Meilly would be in trouble.
I heart Tana, but this is getting beyond a joke.
Perhaps Tom O would’ve had a better attacking structure firstly by playing a centre that knows how to distribute and therefore not having such a predictable attack. Perhaps Tom O wouldn’t have his 1st 5 standing so deep. With a surname like O’Meilly I’d guarantee he’d take the 3 on offer....
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@crucial said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
@kiwimurph said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
@crucial and whose fault is that?
Ummm? His own?
So theres a lack of leadership at the club and the coach who has been there for 3 years has no blame for that? Ok sweet.
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@act-crusader said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
@rancid-schnitzel said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
What would the status be if the coach didn't happen to be AB legend Tana Umaga? Same players, same results but solid if unspectacular coach called, for example, Tom O'Meilly. I think Mr O'Meilly would be in trouble.
I heart Tana, but this is getting beyond a joke.
Perhaps Tom O would’ve had a better attacking structure firstly by playing a centre that knows how to distribute and therefore not having such a predictable attack. Perhaps Tom O wouldn’t have his 1st 5 standing so deep. With a surname like O’Meilly I’d guarantee he’d take the 3 on offer....
Don't stereotype Tommy the Drunk.
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Actually, posing this question denies any possibility of a positive answer ...
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@kiwimurph said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
@crucial said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
@kiwimurph said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
@crucial and whose fault is that?
Ummm? His own?
So theres a lack of leadership at the club and the coach who has been there for 3 years has no blame for that? Ok sweet.
What you think he's telling all these supporting leaders to not show leadership? I just think they don't have it in them to step up and lead. He may well be telling them he expects them to front up but it just isn't in their nature.
I'm sure he knows the problem but where is he going to find a bunch of top players which will command respect and lead the team? Who from his top XV is he going to put them in place of? -
@crucial What im saying is whatever he is doing isnt working. I have no doubt he is trying his best.
What i find funny is when Apasai was signed it was mentioned a key feature was his leadership. Tough to show leadership when you dont look anywhere near Super Rugby level ability (and having seen him at the Hurricanes he didnt look it there either).
Blues bench has let them badly down the first two games. This is a reoccuring problem for the Blues in Tana's 3rd year.
Guys like Apasai and Nock have never shown anything at Super Rugby level and sure enough they came on and were both awful.
I remember an interview with Tana early on in his tenure and he said something to the effect of "in your first year you are dealing with players from the previous regime, in year 2 you have a lot better inprint on your squad and by year 3 you should have your squad and your tactics bedded in"
Well it is year 3 Tana...
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Counties v auckland shitfight! This is new, and i like it
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@mariner4life said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
Counties v auckland shitfight! This is new, and i like it
Were you not around at the start of Super Rugby?
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Third year in and the team looks uncoached. Their decision making in the last ten minutes was embarrassing.
That’s on the coach.
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@crucial said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
@mariner4life said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
Counties v auckland shitfight! This is new, and i like it
Were you not around at the start of Super Rugby?
Was the internet?
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Captaincy seems to be the kiss of death at the Blues. Parsons is playing better now without that burden, and Kaino isn't a captain. If we are being honest JK made no impact when he came on, even considering it was his first game of the season. Tupou isn't good enough to make the starting XV. I thought Pulu played well last week so I wouldn't be writing him off just yet.
On the otherhand, Cane and Whitelock seem made for the role. Both play the full 80 mins too.
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@bovidae said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
Captaincy seems to be the kiss of death at the Blues. Parsons is playing better now without that burden, and Kaino isn't a captain. If we are being honest JK made no impact when he came on, even considering it was his first game of the season. Tupou isn't good enough to make the starting XV. I thought Pulu played well last week so I wouldn't be writing him off just yet.
On the otherhand, Cane and Whitelock seem made for the role. Both play the full 80 mins too.
I think Blake Gibson could make a good captain when fit. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and leads by example
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@family-man as someone above said, Scrafton too.
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Is he doing a good job? On the available evidence, certainly not. I'd be astonished if the players were individually and collectively much worse without his coaching.
Defensively they looked poor in their decisions. At no point did they appear to have faith in attacking structure towards the end. Collins, there for his organisational skills apparently, handed Duffie a pass with 3cm to work with.
And then there's this:
@kiwimurph said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:No.
A midfielder who cant figure out Moala isnt a midfielder.
Moala bombed a try last night by running two men outside of him out of space and refusing to pass. These days he's a power winger and that's it.
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You would be asking a lot of a young player still finding his way at this level to be the captain.
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He is Hammett v 2.0. That is the only comparison to make.
He gifted us the win last night.
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@hooroo said in Is Umaga doing a good job?:
He is Hammett v 2.0. That is the only comparison to make.
He gifted us the win last night.
I think the comparison someone made earlier with Todd Blackadder is probably fair. Both well respected ex players, both have a few dodgy selections they stick with and both seem to lack that little extra thing to get the team to click.
Like the Crusaders, Canes and Chiefs previously i wouldn't be surprised if whoever comes after Tana has success relatively quickly building on the good things Tana has done.
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I'm really surprised that he rotated well performed tight forwards from the last game. Just seems like changes for the sake of them.
