Cockers gooooooone

[maverickmak]

The financial situation was touched upon earlier in this thread so I thought I would post this, which sums it up pretty well. It seems if Leicester are to survive they are going to have to finally succumb and be dragged kicking and screaming into the land of club ownership. Thanks Bath/Sarries et al.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/ ... CSPTEML866

Don't Tigers still have one of the largest turnovers out there? Even taking into account the debts other clubs build up?

Surely. Though we have been (or are in the process of) spending quite a lot on infrastructure. Without spending beyond our means, were are redlining a little bit as I understand it.

[BurrowHill]

The financial situation was touched upon earlier in this thread so I thought I would post this, which sums it up pretty well. It seems if Leicester are to survive they are going to have to finally succumb and be dragged kicking and screaming into the land of club ownership. Thanks Bath/Sarries et al.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/ ... CSPTEML866

Don't Tigers still have one of the largest turnovers out there? Even taking into account the debts other clubs build up?

Surely. Though we have (or are in the process of) been spending quite a lot on infrastructure, without spending beyond our means, were are redlining a little bit as I understand it.

Yes, that's true. I believe the last lot of numbers showed a slight loss overall, but still relatively very high turnover.

[maverickmak]

Meanwhile, Brett Deacon has been promoted from Academy coach to work with the defence, and Boris Stankovich has been brought in as scrum coach. Joining Mauger, Murphy and Blaze.

[Selim The Sot]

Meanwhile, Brett Deacon has been promoted from Academy coach to work with the defence, and Boris Stankovich has been brought in as scrum coach. Joining Mauger, Murphy and Blaze.

More neophyte coaches - just what they need.

[Nabberuk]

Boris is only part time

[DragsterDriver]

Meanwhile, Brett Deacon has been promoted from Academy coach to work with the defence, and Boris Stankovich has been brought in as scrum coach. Joining Mauger, Murphy and Blaze.

More neophyte coaches - just what they need.

I reckon all caretakers until the big kiwi name turns up. Guessing mauger will stay though.

[fisgard792]

The financial situation was touched upon earlier in this thread so I thought I would post this, which sums it up pretty well. It seems if Leicester are to survive they are going to have to finally succumb and be dragged kicking and screaming into the land of club ownership. Thanks Bath/Sarries et al.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/ ... CSPTEML866

Don't Tigers still have one of the largest turnovers out there? Even taking into account the debts other clubs build up?

Surely. Though we have been (or are in the process of) spending quite a lot on infrastructure. Without spending beyond our means, were are redlining a little bit as I understand it.

i thought we do have a jersey based majority shareholder, but in order to become a majority shareholder, he promised not to act as one

leicester would lose its character with outright club ownership, its always been a community club. frickin, as bad a day as giving up the letters, or losing the xmas baa-baa's

[eldanielfire]

Good account Selim, though I obviously have no way of evaluating what percentage of it is true. It certainly has much of the ring of truth to it.

The Tigers Way, though. Would it be entirely unfair to suggest that it might possibly amount to little more than "girly backs are there to tackle, field kicks and kick for points, we win by beating people up"?

You should go for the job chuckles, your rugby nous is becoming legendary

Strange comment

Not especially when your comments rings like someone who has just spoken to some blokes in the pub who watches rugby in the mid-90s (when even then there were some top class backs at Leicester). Tigers under Cockerell have topped the try scoring charts a number of times on their way to winning premiership - to suggest "boring boring Leicester" requires you not only to show ignorance but actively ignore large swathes of his tenure to satisfy the Cockerill echo chamber on here.

The "Leicester Way" is more symptomatic of a bloody mindedness on field which doesn't tolerate loss well - we have seemingly lost that rather than a consistent drive for the top 2.

I'm unsure this is the right decision for now - but am glad some action was one way or another taken as we really are not getting the most out of our players where we once used to.

This is the Mourinho arguement, his, excessivey expensive teams of world class players score lots of goals so his style of football can't be dull. It's an argument that actually requires avoidng wtaching the matches. Leicester have always had top quality players. So much so for many years the question was "How the fudge do they stay in the salary cap?" (sweet irony they can't keep up anymore ) so they will score tries. That doesn't mean their play is exciting to watch or as exciting a sit coul be.

[kornboy130]

Good account Selim, though I obviously have no way of evaluating what percentage of it is true. It certainly has much of the ring of truth to it.

The Tigers Way, though. Would it be entirely unfair to suggest that it might possibly amount to little more than "girly backs are there to tackle, field kicks and kick for points, we win by beating people up"?

You should go for the job chuckles, your rugby nous is becoming legendary

Strange comment

Not especially when your comments rings like someone who has just spoken to some blokes in the pub who watches rugby in the mid-90s (when even then there were some top class backs at Leicester). Tigers under Cockerell have topped the try scoring charts a number of times on their way to winning premiership - to suggest "boring boring Leicester" requires you not only to show ignorance but actively ignore large swathes of his tenure to satisfy the Cockerill echo chamber on here.

The "Leicester Way" is more symptomatic of a bloody mindedness on field which doesn't tolerate loss well - we have seemingly lost that rather than a consistent drive for the top 2.

I'm unsure this is the right decision for now - but am glad some action was one way or another taken as we really are not getting the most out of our players where we once used to.

This is the Mourinho arguement, his, excessivey expensive teams of world class players score lots of goals so his style of football can't be dull. It's an argument that actually requires avoidng wtaching the matches. Leicester have always had top quality players. So much so for many years the question was "How the f**k do they stay in the salary cap?" (sweet irony they can't keep up anymore ) so they will score tries. That doesn't mean their play is exciting to watch or as exciting a sit coul be.

I'm at the very least trying to apply a metric which is at least indicative of a style of play which is different to the one Chuckles put forward (which, incidentally was "girly backs are there to tackle, field kicks and kick for points, we win by beating people up") is a pretty tired stereotype from a team that played some nice stuff - maybe not the absolute pinnacle of attacking play in the league - but then there's a balance to be struck between never scoring and being Gloucester (scoring loads but wins being few and far between). I'm not suggesting this metric makes them the most beautiful side to watch in the league - but it is definitely indicative of a side that has not really been playing stick-it-up-the-jumper stuff under his entire tenure or throughout any extended period beyond the early 90s.

[Chuckles1188]

I seem to have communicated myself poorly - I wasn't saying that that is all Leicester do, as it obviously isn't and never has been. It's the "the Leicester Way" thing I was focusing on. It seems to me that up the jumper is Cockers' default setting and when he tries to mix it up a bit he comes unstuck

[fisgard792]

not since the 70's and early 80's when they had an all international back line, have leicester been very pleasing on the eye (apart from HEC final 2001). they never really have been liked for their pragmatic (then deano) style of winning. but for many supporters, who gives a monkeys, when its your team you've grown up with wins.
its only other teams you like to see win, if they do with panache

times and professionalism have caught up with them and as mentioned levelled the playing field, its something supporters are going to have to get used. we dont have any rights to winning silverware

until tigers get a set plus reserves of forwards, who will always get at least parity of ball (ala saracens), they always will suffer against the better teams. you can have the best backs coach in the world, if his players dont get the ball with space in a game, it doesn't really matter

[lexpat]

Richard Cockerill to Toulon RCT

[maverickmak]

Thought he'd end up in France. Quick turnaround though. Pleased for him.

[Chuckles1188]

Richard Cockerill to Toulon RCT

Cockerill and Ford. It's jolly good of them to put so much effort into making them easy to hate, I'll say that

[openclashXX]

Cockers vs del Maso, battle of the egghead forwards coaches

I can just imagine the joy all those girly outside backs like Habana and O'Connor must be experiencing now, "oh happy days, now we see even less of the ball"

[Madness]

Is it just me or have Leicester got an uninspiring back 5 in their pack?? Great front row, especially at prop with strong back up but a back 5 without a regular international (Slater, Kitchener, Williams, O'Connor, McCaffrey) does seem weak for a team with title winning aspirations.

Would any of those 5 start for Sarries, Wasps, Bath or even Northampton and Exeter at full strength?

[pandion]

Williams will probably get capped this 6ns. Slater been around the squad and Kitchener unfortunate that lock is Englands strongest position. I'd honestly expect them to start or bench in any side except Saracens.

[Madness]

Williams will probably get capped this 6ns. Slater been around the squad and Kitchener unfortunate that lock is Englands strongest position. I'd honestly expect them to start or bench in any side except Saracens.

Slater and Kitchener?

Wasps - Launch and Symons
Bath - Attwood and Ewels/Charteris
Exeter - Parling and Lees
Saints - Lawes, maybe Day....probably not.....

Would take all of these over Slater or Kitchener

[pandion]

Williams will probably get capped this 6ns. Slater been around the squad and Kitchener unfortunate that lock is Englands strongest position. I'd honestly expect them to start or bench in any side except Saracens.

Slater and Kitchener?

Wasps - Launch and Symons
Bath - Attwood and Ewels/Charteris
Exeter - Parling and Lees
Saints - Lawes, maybe Day....probably not.....

Would take all of these over Slater or Kitchener

Kitchener for Symons and Ewels. Slater for Lees and Day. But that's my opinion

[Saint]

Williams will probably get capped this 6ns. Slater been around the squad and Kitchener unfortunate that lock is Englands strongest position. I'd honestly expect them to start or bench in any side except Saracens.

Slater and Kitchener?

Wasps - Launch and Symons
Bath - Attwood and Ewels/Charteris
Exeter - Parling and Lees
Saints - Lawes, maybe Day....probably not.....

Would take all of these over Slater or Kitchener

Kitchener for Symons and Ewels. Slater for Lees and Day. But that's my opinion

Day is still the best lock in the Saints squad, even though he's getting on a bit

[pandion]

Williams will probably get capped this 6ns. Slater been around the squad and Kitchener unfortunate that lock is Englands strongest position. I'd honestly expect them to start or bench in any side except Saracens.

Slater and Kitchener?

Wasps - Launch and Symons
Bath - Attwood and Ewels/Charteris
Exeter - Parling and Lees
Saints - Lawes, maybe Day....probably not.....

Would take all of these over Slater or Kitchener

Kitchener for Symons and Ewels. Slater for Lees and Day. But that's my opinion

Day is still the best lock in the Saints squad, even though he's getting on a bit

Don't get me wrong he's a good player but I'd take Lawes over Day.

[Dork Lard]

Cockers vs del Maso, battle of the egghead forwards coaches

I can just imagine the joy all those girly outside backs like Habana and O'Connor must be experiencing now, "oh happy days, now we see even less of the ball"

less of the ball...and more of the balls. It's going to be all guts and brute power now...not that it hasn't been for the past 2 years of course, but..

So I've been scanning through... is it safe to say everybody in England thinks Cockerill is an incompetent, prehistoric, space-taking/wasting buffoon ?

[grubberkick]

He's got Tigers' colours through him like Blackpool rock. Hard to imagine what he might do next.

Wales could do worse.

[kornboy130]

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-f ... story.html

I am glad to have the opportunity to write one final column.

I wanted to be able to say a few things and offer some sincere thanks after 23 years at Leicester Tigers.


The whole experience has been absolutely fantastic and I have loved almost every minute of it.

I don't think you ever truly realise what a good time you are having somewhere until it's over and you have a chance to reflect and look back.

Now I will have a chance to do that.

I am not one for overly reminiscing – sitting down and going through old times. But memories of my time at Leicester will always be at the forefront of my mind. Stories and little moments will, no doubt, always crop up. When your time at one club has taken up as much of your life as my time at Leicester has, that will be inevitable.

I am writing this from Toulon where I have just arrived to offer them some help until the end of the season.

To be honest, I am glad to have had the opportunity to get back out on the coaching field so quickly after leaving Tigers.

When I woke up at home on Tuesday morning, it was the first time since I was 16 that I didn't have a job to go to.

That felt strange.

We'll see what this chapter of my life brings and I am going into it with an open mind.

I have often referred to Tigers as 'my club' during press interviews.

With every year that went by as a player and then a coach, I felt a stronger and stronger attachment to it. Not just the pitch, the changing rooms, the training ground and the team rooms, but to the people that have made the club what it is.

That obviously means my relationship with the board, senior management, players and fellow coaches but, behind the scenes, there are a lot of other people at Leicester to help make the place what it is.

They all play their part and they have all had an impact on making me enjoy my time at the club so much.

In some respects, you get thrown together with the people you work with. I have been lucky to have worked alongside some fantastic people at the club and consider myself very lucky to have done so.

Leicester is a proud club with family values which runs its own finances and is one which has enjoyed incredible success over the years.

There is a lot of respect around the country for Tigers and the way the club has gone about its business over the years.

People know what the Tigers stand for and I am proud to have been part of that.

I have also been taken aback by the amount of 'good luck' messages I have received this week.

Unusually, I have had the time to write back to every single one of them too!

So thank-you to everyone for the support I have received, not just during the last week or so, but over my two decades at the club.

It has meant a lot.

I would like to sign off by wishing everyone at the club and all of the supporters of Leicester the very best for the rest of the season and beyond.

The Tigers are in my blood and will always be in my heart.

[SaintK]

Fair play to the bloke

[Smee]

Fair play to the bloke

Agreed. Cockers might not be everyones cup of tea but hes definitely a passionate rugby man who loves Tigers. People like him, Deano and Johnno established the culture that made the club what it is.

[fisgard792]

sorry if this has been already posted, if not

check out mike ford's face, when cockers starts speaking french

http://video-streaming.orange.fr/sports ... #plmAnchor