The whole "progress is being made, the players are growing" stuff is the same type of bullshit Canes fans were fed, right up until they installed an actual coach and we haven't looked back.

The ineptitude of the Blues management is something to behold. They really just have to not be total shit at their jobs, and the coach plus the players will take care of the rest. I'm far from convinced the Canes management is all that great, but in recent years they've had good coaches making the most of the talent available so everything has fallen into place.

At the risk of using corporate buzz words it's pretty obvious the number one issue at the Blues right now is a complete lack of ownership and accountability.

@donsteppa said in Blues v Jaguares:

@siam said in Blues v Jaguares:

@african-monkey said in Blues v Jaguares:

@siam We'll moan at whatever the fuck we want until things change we have every right to we don't need some anti-Auckland Highlanders fan telling us what we should and shouldn't moan at. Umaga is failing to deliver after 3 years in change and we're not happy.

Yeah, fair enough mate, keep pissing and moaning. Fill yer boots. I mean it's worked well for 5 years now

What do you expect Blues fans to do after a night/season like that?

It reminds me painfully of when Kevin Schuler was in charge of the Steamers...

Honestly Don, point out to us the weaknesses in the org.
Criticise constructively
Name names of underperforming administrators. Get the fluffybunnies googling their own name ( they all do!). Put some heat on
Demand accountability and answers to what are you doing to change this?
Question why nothing's changing except for the inevitable hope of a new celeb coach.

Seems like all pressure on admin gets dissolved with a new saviour coach, the administrators seem to be faceless

Demanding that the coach is the main blame didn't work with Lam or Kirwan

It's a fiction to claim that there hasn't been a discussion about the board, or that there has not been a significant amount of blame placed on the board.

Serious question here.

Who owns the Blues?
NZRU? Private Investors?
Provinces I know have a slice.

If the NZRU have any brains they’d step in and get rid of the muppet show, and just put an end to this continuous failure.

The guys running the place now clearly just have no clue what they’re doing.

@siam the CEO was name checked in this very thread. What are you on about?

@gunner said in Blues v Jaguares:

Serious question here.

Who owns the Blues?
NZRU? Private Investors?
Provinces I know have a slice.

Partially owned by Auckland, NH and Northland, with an equity stake by private investors. Not really sure after that - I don't think the NZRU have a direct stake, but who the fuck knows any more.

The answer I wanted to write was:

• Crusty the clown (principal stakeholder)
• ARU (sleeper organisation)
• Kleenex (there's more money in eyes, than in ... yeah, whatever)
• Samsung, Panasonic and other TV manufacturers, for when you just put the goddamn boot in

@siam Yep we will thank you very much. The way you carry on about your team you'd think they've won more than the 1 title.

But seriously, where do we go from here? Do we give Umaga one more year (as painful as it sounds)? Who are the other viable options? I always felt that an assistant coach was the way to go for him before jumping into a head coach role and he has been somewhat found out at this level. I don't think the guy is a terrible coach, I just feel that he has taken one of the toughest gigs in the world too early in his career and has been exposed badly this season. Everyone wants to be a top level coach, but coaching the Blues is not a job for rookies and Umaga has probably ruined his coaching career by jumping into this role.

It's very important for us to employ someone who has done the rounds as our next coach, not an ex AB looking to get into the coaching game if we move on from Umaga. I've heard Tom Coventry mentioned and I personally could live with an appointment like that but knowing our board, well go with another celebrity type name and have someone like Keven Mealamu take over,

NZR seems pretty hands-off don't they. They were very involved when the Highlanders were in trouble.

With privatisation perhaps they have little direct input now but you would hope to see some leadership from HQ.

@gunner said in Blues v Jaguares:

Serious question here.

Who owns the Blues?
NZRU? Private Investors?
Provinces I know have a slice.

If the NZRU have any brains they’d step in and get rid of the muppet show, and just put an end to this continuous failure.

The guys running the place now clearly just have no clue what they’re doing.

It was discussed here

Private ownership (Bolton Group) 40% the unions 60%

@african-monkey said in Blues v Jaguares:

I've heard Tom Coventry mentioned and I personally could live with an appointment like that but knowing our board, well go with another celebrity type name and have someone like Keven Mealamu take over

Carlos!

[edit] I better add that this is sarcasm. Some people are a little slow [\edit]

@bovidae said in Blues v Jaguares:

NZR seems pretty hands-off don't they. They were very involved when the Highlanders were in trouble.

With privatisation perhaps they have little direct input now but you would hope to see some leadership from HQ.

Yep fuck all. Their biggest market. NZRU have a lot of blame.

@duluth said in Blues v Jaguares:

It's a fiction to claim that there hasn't been a discussion about the board, or that there has not been a significant amount of blame placed on the board.

Cool.
Do more of it
Lots of us only know about the blues/Auckland rugby from you guys.
Spread the word, inform.

There's not a non Blues supporting kiwi rugby fan that doesn't slightly feel amused by your team at the moment- historical dominance will do that- but 5 strong franchises is desired.

There are a lot of case studies of super clubs coming good to utilise and it's rewarding for a fan when your team innovates and succeeds.

The whole Blues club need some innovation, but when?

@duluth said in Blues v Jaguares:

@gunner said in Blues v Jaguares:

Serious question here.

Who owns the Blues?
NZRU? Private Investors?
Provinces I know have a slice.

If the NZRU have any brains they’d step in and get rid of the muppet show, and just put an end to this continuous failure.

The guys running the place now clearly just have no clue what they’re doing.

It was discussed here

View embedded content

Private ownership (Bolton Group) 40% the unions 60%

NZRU need to buy it back (undoubtedly at rock bottom price), clean it out, then make every single employment appointment themselves. And then ride the buggers for however long it takes to make the place at the very least respectable.

@african-monkey said in Blues v Jaguares:

@siam Yep we will thank you very much. The way you carry on about your team you'd think they've won more than the 1 title.

Nah, more the highlanders are a good example of being utter shit to finals contenders with a large scale organisational change and some patience and realistic vision.

I'd enjoy seeing the blues come good, but a new coach alone won't do that

@siam said in Blues v Jaguares:

Cool.
Do more of it
Lots of us only know about the blues/Auckland rugby from you guys.
Spread the word, inform.

There's only so many hours in a day! Fair enough if you had missed it.

@siam said in Blues v Jaguares:

The whole Blues club need some innovation, but when?

Top to bottom clear out is needed as soon as possible. The Redman performance from earlier this week was gutting to watch. Excuses for everything, no responsibility taken for a single failing. There is lack of accountability at every single level.

@duluth 're, top to bottom clean out is right. There's a fair bit of gorse to cut so something new grows

@siam Haha I wouldn't take that comment I made too seriously. It's a comment you get from a supporter that supports a team that has made 2 finals appearances in 15 years.

@siam said in Blues v Jaguares:

@african-monkey said in Blues v Jaguares:

@siam Yep we will thank you very much. The way you carry on about your team you'd think they've won more than the 1 title.

Nah, more the highlanders are a good example of being utter shit to finals contenders with a large scale organisational change and some patience and realistic vision.

I'd enjoy seeing the blues come good, but a new coach alone won't do that

There have been plenty of posts about the Blues backroom, it’s clearly their fault.

That doesn’t mean we can’t criticise the coach. It’s also annoying to read no criticism of Tana in the press. He’s obviously a nice guy, and is an AB legend, but other coaches with better records have been on the end of much sterner public examinations.

Everyone just seems to shrug and go oh well.

@kirwan par for the course in this country unfortunately, all the press is in Auckland and they don't want to upset anyone. Megacoach Tits For Hands has the sweetest gig.

@rocky-rockbottom said in Blues v Jaguares:

Any lawyers in the house? Have to wonder if NZRU are looking at legal options re: professional negligence by the private "owner/operators" and looking into possibility of putting the franchise into administration. Fine by me.

Reporting for duty.

Seems unlikely to be honest. Would depend on what the legal arrangement is between NZR and the Blues. However I think you'd have to have clear cut financial malfeasance before that was an option. I doubt just picking a couple of bad coaches in a row would not cut it, especially considering the NZR probably had some guidance in those decisions anyway.

Don’t Auckland and North Harbour control 60% anyway?

@northlandallday said in Blues v Jaguares:

@taniwharugby said in Blues v Jaguares:

Apisai had a stormer for the B team last week!!

Haha said by no one who actually watched that game.

Ha, sorry, Yea I was being sarcastic....

@kirwan said in Blues v Jaguares:

Don’t Auckland and North Harbour control 60% anyway?

IIRC of the 60% Auckland owns about 40%, NH 14% and Northland 6%.

@taniwharugby said in Blues v Jaguares:

@northlandallday said in Blues v Jaguares:

@taniwharugby said in Blues v Jaguares:

Apisai had a stormer for the B team last week!!

Haha said by no one who actually watched that game.

Ha, sorry, Yea I was being sarcastic....

That's why I was laughing.
Can't believe Apisai over Moulds, what a b/$!t selection. I'd be starting Moulds over Parsons. Especially when Pulu is back in the captaincy role. Give Parsons some time to reflect on his game.

@northlandallday so as Moulds was not allowed to play club rugby this weekend, will he have done enough to get back in the team next week...?

@taniwharugby
You'd have to say on the way selections have been made, Yes! Not playing v playing badly?

I don't know if anyone else has read the Hinton article about last night's game but Umaga was none too impressed that the players didn't follow the gameplan in the 2nd half with the wind behind them. Either the players don't have any respect for the coaches or this demonstrates a clear lack of leadership and rugby nous from Parsons, Ruru/Pulu, Perofeta etc. Or both.

Either way, the situation is dire.

@bovidae yep that a major point from that game, it was quite obvious of the plan at half time as the Ass Coach mentioned it, then they didnt follow it...cant blame the coach for that, but you gotta ask why didnt they follow it? Dont trust coaches plan? PLayers just dumb? JUst inability to think on thier feet to execute?

Think the lack of game awareness was highlighted by Parsons when they luckily got the steal wel into extra time in the 1st half and they looked like they were gonna run it from behind thier line???

No direction or leadership in this franchise, right from the very top down.

@taniwharugby said in Blues v Jaguares:

@kirwan said in Blues v Jaguares:

Don’t Auckland and North Harbour control 60% anyway?

IIRC of the 60% Auckland owns about 40%, NH 14% and Northland 6%.

The 60% was split: 65/29/6

Supposedly calculated on previous investment. I believe Northland then sold half of their shares to Auckland

What I've never understood given that Bolton group only owns 40% why do they have most of the board members??

@taniwharugby said in Blues v Jaguares:

it was quite obvious of the plan at half time as the Ass Coach mentioned it, then they didnt follow it...cant blame the coach for that, but you gotta ask why didnt they follow it? Dont trust coaches plan? PLayers just dumb? JUst inability to think on thier feet to execute?

The players don't listen to the coach. There has to some blame with the coach there too. Maybe the wheels have completely fallen off? Did it change when his hand picked, imported into the region, captain subbed on at 9?

Another article not criticising Tana in any way, don’t they get tired of blowing smoke up his arse?

You have to love the quote “We are not too far away”. From what? Bottoms of the table? Being a complete rabble?

Question. What can a coach do when a team/senior players are not playing your game plan (after sending on a waterman to remind them)?

You yank the players and make it clear there are consequences for not playing for the team. Or you could just moan in the press I guess.

The bigger question is why are the players ignoring him? Has he lost the dressing room? Hard to blame the players when he throws them under the bus publicly like this.

A bit hard to yank Pulu when he was a replacement himself.

Clearly there was a disconnect between the coaches and players regarding tactics. Parsons' lack of awareness in the post-game interview said all you need to know about his leadership qualities.

@bovidae said in Blues v Jaguares:

A bit hard to yank Pulu when he was a replacement himself.

Yes, the man Tana made captain subbed on and like the others ignored the instructions.

That tells you where the team is at. Tana either picked a retard to be leader or Tana’s right hand man doesn’t respect his instructions

@kirwan Interesting questions.

If you are leading 13-5 after playing into the wind in the pouring rain against the Jaguares - and if you keep pinning them back in their own half for the second half, they've probably not got the firepower to beat you from there.

Somehow the players have both disregarded Tana's plan and common sense.

I reckon there's plenty of players, when they get the ball into their hands their natural instinct is just to run - so maybe the ball was getting into the wrong people's hands at the wrong time. Perhaps needed Perofeta (and later Kirkpatrick) to step up and demand the ball - and boot it downfield.

Why didn't they do this? Lack of confidence? Certainly, when Kirkpatrick took that penalty kick for touch towards the end he seemed to be lacking in confidence - first priority seemed to be ensuring he didn't fuck up, rather than getting his forwards close enough to the line for a lineout drive.

4 losses in a row equals the worst sequence of home games in Blues history. Of course this current run includes the worst ever home defeat.

The next home game is vs the Hurricanes. Then it’s the Crusaders.

@kirwan said in Blues v Jaguares:

Another article not criticising Tana in any way, don’t they get tired of blowing smoke up his arse?

You have to love the quote “We are not too far away”. From what? Bottoms of the table? Being a complete rabble?

Question. What can a coach do when a team/senior players are not playing your game plan (after sending on a waterman to remind them)?

You yank the players and make it clear there are consequences for not playing for the team. Or you could just moan in the press I guess.

The bigger question is why are the players ignoring him? Has he lost the dressing room? Hard to blame the players when he throws them under the bus publicly like this.

Welcome to the world of the Hurricanes supportor from 2011 to the end of 2014. It's amazing how some coaches will have journalists gobbling on their knobs regardless of performance. Funny how the deficiencies and incompetence are seen by everyone other than the so-called experts who are paid to write about rugby. One thing that was clear about the Hammett era Canes was their complete lack of direction on field. They were all over the place. Umaga's Blues remind me of them. No proper structure, no confidence in the game plan, no leadership.

I have no advice other than to just let that anger out. Theres nothing else you can do at this stage.

@chris-b said in Blues v Jaguares:

Somehow the players have both disregarded Tana's plan and common sense.

this.

Not sure this Blues team is even in the right space to play spoilers like the Chiefs of old.

Mark Watson and Shane Howarth calling for Tana's head...from 8.53.

Endorsing pretty much everything Blues fans are saying here...fill yer boots!

One big positive from last night - Dalton Papalii. Keeping his standards high despite what's going on around him.