The most important acknowledgement is that we are all entitled to our opinions. However at this time of year we need to consider our role as supporters.
Firstly, the game and the clubs would not exist without supporters. So the very existence of playing careers is owed to the fans. In a way they are answerable to us.
Secondly, notwithstanding my first point, a ball has not been kicked in this new season, so the club is entitled to some time to show performances.
Thirdly, the players, who are putting in the hard yards in preparation for a tough season are entitled to our support.
Finally, the coaching and admin staff are also entitled to have a chance to show the wisdom of their decisions.
So the players have a role on the field to perform. The coaching and admin staff have their roles in terms of decision making.
Our role? Surely to get behind our boys as positively as we can at this time. Do we need to criticise in a non-constructive manner or even an abusive manner at this time of year? Such abuse does not cast us, as supporters, in any intelligent light.
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Good stuff sixtiesboy, I also agree, let them all do their jobs and we do ours as supporters.
Not many people at all appreciate the hell our players, and all NRL, Toyota Cup,NSW Cup, and all the lower grade players are going through in order to play at the proffessional level we expect them to show us fans come March. I bet some naive people, especially younger fans, believe that the players only start doing anything is when the trials start.
Sixtiesboy, you`re right about all us supporters needing to get right behind our club as a whole and let them know they have our full support even though a ball hasn`t officially been kicked yet. We will be going through all the highs & lows with them every second of the season. And l have a strong feeling that there will be many ,many more highs than lows because the mighty Parramatta Eels will have a smashing season in all grades in 2011.
Parra, clap-clap-clap. Parra, clap-clap-clap. Parra, clap-clap-clap. Parra, clap-clap-clap. Parra, clap-clap-clap.
Lol go Parra ! I believe Stephen Kearney and our boys will step up to the next level in proffessionalism both on and off the field.
And many NRL players will want to come to our club to play under Stephen Kearney in the coming years because we are going to be the new NRL "bench mark".
we have a right to support a team that gives their all
that was not the case last year
us as fans need to be balanced - not overly critical but also not overly blind and biased
we need to talk about the positives but we also need to talk about and not hide away from the negatives!
us fans have a right to our opinions always!!!!
I don't want to be too harsh as I know you wrote this post with good intentions but...
this topic is just a bit too warm and fuzzy.... and well.... BS
In life there are leader and followers, winners and losers, happy people, sad people, wierd people, nice people and some people are just assholes. And some of those people are eels fans.
Our "role" as supporters... just a little too high and mighty for me. Life is simpler than that. Apart from the stupid doggies fan that would cross the road to fight the chicken I don't think any NRL fans need to consider their roles as supporters.
"I don't want to be too critical" - Now who is being too high and mighty?
The blog is simple but I'll make it even simpler for you.
Let's wait to see how the team performs before we make constructive criticism. Until then, how about we show some positivity and get behind the boys.
Is that simple enough?
In all fairness YDIDISAYIDO, I think sixtiesboy's blog can be summed up neatly by this line, "Thirdly, the players, who are putting in the hard yards in preparation for a tough season are entitled to our support".
I like that because we are, after all, embarking on a new season with a new coach and we haven't had the opportunity to cast educated judgement on recruitment, retention, management or playing staff yet as the season hasn't kicked off. We do, however, know that the players are working harder than they ever have in a pre-season before (as evidenced by our captain, Hindy, publicly stating that this has been the toughest pre-season in his career).
If the players, to a man, are all working as hard as they possibly can in an effort to deliver results during the season, then it is entirely reasonable that even the most disgruntled Eels fan should be supportive of the group at this stage.
Come season 2011 kickoff, if we find that results are not forthcoming, or the team performs with the same sort of lethargy that characterised their season last year, then by all means, let fly!
In my view, every season you have to wipe the slate clean.
There are players we all think may not have performed last year or whatever, but the off-season gives each and every player the chance to review their season, their performances, their physical attributes, mental applications etc, and then work like hell on improving themselves and come back a better player.
There was such a slim line in the NRL between success and failure and it doesn't take much for a player to turn around their fortunes. On the flipside, a slack off-season and preparation can very easily take a hero back to zero.
So I'm with you, sixtiesboy. Give each and everyone of our boys the chance to show what they're capable of 2011 without either the expectation or the ghosts of season's past.
I have never thought of fans and supporters having specific roles to play throughout the season 60'sboy.
For me I either support a particular team or I don't. Quite simple really.
If during the season I choose to excercise my right to comment on any player / coach / administrators successes or failures then that is what I will do.
I consider "my role" as simply supporting my team (EELS) and if I do make what is seen to be negative comment regarding any issue I do so in the attempt to bring it to the attention of others so that it may be rectyfied.
As fans who maintain the existence of the club it is our right to do so.
A supporter is there to support their club through thick and thin - but to start telling supporters and fans about the political correctness of being a supporter does not wash. To date my support for the Eels has spanned more than 50 years.
Sorry mate but political correctness - as I see your blog being - has absolutely NO place in a sport like this.
Start getting politically correct then we will soon have a NON competive - NON contact pansy sport - which I would no longer support
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