The rise and fall of Ricky Stuart

Ok, so this blog is inspired by speculation, which as a rule I try not to make too much of. But it is the off season and this is the time to throw up unsubstantiated theories.I was just reading on the foxsports website that Paul Gallen is unhappy and wants out of the Sharks.http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26517667-5018866,00.htmlIt made me start thinking about the free fall that Ricky Stuart seems to have been on since losing the World Cup final and being sacked as the Australian coach.At the end of the '08 season things were certainly looking bright for Ricky. He took the Sharks to the finals and 1 win away from a Grand Final appearance (first since the '70's if you don't count the Super League GF). The Sharks bought some big names for the '09 season to add to their young talent and players were stating how playing under Stuart was a major factor in their decision to sign with the Sharks.Just over 12 months later things are looking very different. The Sharks deserved the wooden spoon and were only just beaten to it by the woeful Roosters (although strangely both teams defeated us during the season!). Greg Bird has gone. Ricky is no longer the national coach and the Sharks have bought a bunch of reserve graders to bolster their stocks for next year. If Gallen leaves things will be even worse.I really rated Ricky Stuart as a player and I loved watching him in the late 80's and early 90's. He is one of the best half backs to have played and one of the fiercest competitors. As a coach he's tasted great success in a relatively short career. I have friends who have never liked him, thinking he was smug and arrogant. Right now I'm sure they're enjoying his downward slide.

You need to be a member of 1Eyed Eel to add comments!

Join 1Eyed Eel

Votes: 0
Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • Mate, Im a heavy believer in the Old Saying "A coach is only as good as the cattle he has available to him period!!!

    Some of em make liars out of me like Bennett has done with the Dragons this year but for them to turn it around in such a short time it really makes you think that some of those players had the potential to start with and just needed to be nutured and overseen....... facts are facts some players are better than others, no question and in the bloody long run it goes down to the players own personal perfomrance on and off the field and the effort they put in training which reflects their on field display to put it simply the coach then moulds their personal talents and their efforts with the team to create the overall effect!!

    Usually when a team is going great the key is usually a great player in a key position like Lockyer with the Broncos or a certain player of individual brilliance like Haynesy with the eels and these guys "rub off on the rest of the players,example Noddy kimmorely went from the sharks to blitzing it with the dogs its not rocket science it is so fuckin simple the bloke is playing behind not so much a better set of forwards but a more committed set!!!

    In the long run its the coaches job to motivate the team and identify strengths and weakness but i dont give a fuck what anyone else says if you have not got a quality player in a key position as in the halves and a committed team who really wants to win that coach is gonna be behind the eight ball to start with!!!

    As with Stuart the bloke shits me to tears he is as arrogant as all fuck and it does not surprise me at all he cant get the best out of some of his sides, its easy to coach a great side, its alot harder to coach a side lacking commitment the will to win..... and the most important ingredient ............a quality player in a key position!!!!
This reply was deleted.

More stuff to read

SuperEel 22’s discussion was featured
There's a growing segment of historians who demonstrate that empires do not rise and fall through a single, decisive event.
Instead small, incremental, sometimes unnoticeable changes are made until the result has already occurred.
The challenge for…
12 minutes ago
Strange-eel replied to Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst's discussion If Galvin ends up at the Dogs, what then?
"If he does go to the Dogs then Gus should be called out for ever as a shit dribbler."
31 minutes ago
SuperEel 22 replied to Rabz S's discussion R11 TEAM LIST VS KNIGHTS
"Tago is not NRL level. He'd be no better than Russell. Samrani is moving into the backrow and Penisini has seemed a lot better since moving back to his preferred edge."
39 minutes ago
Hugh replied to Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst's discussion If Galvin ends up at the Dogs, what then?
"Doggies are on the verge of a premiership window, if not already in one.
Gus & co have been very astute with investing money in certain positions, without over paying, creating what could be a champion team. i hope im wrong but is Galvin going to…"
46 minutes ago
More…