Re: Mike Cooper : Tue Aug 30, 2022 11:49 am  

I like Mike, tough lad, but the bottom line is, he’ll be 35 before the end of the 2023 season. We still think of him as an academy player who’s just stepped up.
There can’t be many more players older than him next season. Hill being one, Roby another?

Re: Mike Cooper : Tue Aug 30, 2022 1:22 pm  

ratticusfinch wrote:

Mike well may have replied - 'Well have you won one Daryl?' Maybe the team would've all got on board had the man telling him he was there to take them to GF glory had he also experienced it as either a player or coach.

I doubt it. Tony had won one and they stopped playing for him after a while.

Re: Mike Cooper : Wed Aug 31, 2022 7:12 am  

Snaggletooth wrote:

Apparently (in the early days of DP's tenure) when having discussions with the team and MC was having difficulty getting on board with DP's methods, MC was asked by DP if he had won a Grand Final, MC said no and DP said I'm here to change that.

DP has given MC the best chance by moving him to Wigan.

At the risk of going over old ground, these comments land differently from a serial winner. If (for example, not suggesting he would have taken the job) Craig Bellamy had said this, and Cooper objected, it’s completely inappropriate. Bellamy has the credentials to back up the arrogant approach. Given that Powell can’t evidence that he can back up the comment, I think I would have taken that with a pinch of salt if I’m honest, especially if I’d have been at a more successful club over the past 10 years than the guy self appointed as the oracle.

Re: Mike Cooper : Wed Aug 31, 2022 8:03 am  

Barbed Wire wrote:

At the risk of going over old ground, these comments land differently from a serial winner. If (for example, not suggesting he would have taken the job) Craig Bellamy had said this, and Cooper objected, it’s completely inappropriate. Bellamy has the credentials to back up the arrogant approach. Given that Powell can’t evidence that he can back up the comment, I think I would have taken that with a pinch of salt if I’m honest, especially if I’d have been at a more successful club over the past 10 years than the guy self appointed as the oracle.

You can also sort of turn this on its head though (and I’m not taking taking sides here) by asking certain players how many times they’ve been on the losing side in grand finals. We have had a lot of those players in recent years. Whether it’s the coach or the players, who knows? But let’s remember that Smith lost 3 finals with a very good squad on paper.

Re: Mike Cooper : Wed Aug 31, 2022 8:46 am  

Barbed Wire wrote:

At the risk of going over old ground, these comments land differently from a serial winner. If (for example, not suggesting he would have taken the job) Craig Bellamy had said this, and Cooper objected, it’s completely inappropriate. Bellamy has the credentials to back up the arrogant approach. Given that Powell can’t evidence that he can back up the comment, I think I would have taken that with a pinch of salt if I’m honest, especially if I’d have been at a more successful club over the past 10 years than the guy self appointed as the oracle.

Every coach, even the greatest coaches, at some point in their careers haven't won anything of note. Club boards will have identified potential in a coach and given them the gig. We're all hoping this is the club where he'll have the resources to win the big one, where at Castleford, he over-achieved.

Cooper is nearing the end of his career where he's spent most of his time at Warrington, probably the highest spending club, yet hasn't won the big one along with many other 'renowned' players. So I think Powell has every right to justify making changes given that we've fallen short due to, in part, complacency.

Cooper has always been a top performer for us and at the start of the season, I'd guess, he'd hold more influence over the other players than anyone else, given his Warrington roots and his pedigree. Rather than make it difficult for the new coach and undermine him with regards to the proposed changes, he should have gotten on board out of respect to the club and its fans. Cooper is a top player but he isn't coach. What right has he to question the credentials and coaching methods of Powell.

The other major issue is that; which coach could we have potentially recruited with Grand Final winning experience - Brian Noble, Brian Mcdermot, Iain Millward? The only other possibility was Shaun Wayne who stated on Sky Sports at the beginning of the season that 'its a tough job Warrington'. I wonder why that is? Did he foresee the same problems Powell is encountering now? We're the biggest spenders and have been for years, yet Shaun Wayne said this. I don't think he would gave come anyway.

Who else would have been a realistic appointment given that the fans wanted 'entertaining' rugby with a coach who has a track record of improving teams and individual players? if the club were to sack him now, who would we bring in?

[Uncle Rico]

Re: Mike Cooper : Wed Aug 31, 2022 8:55 am  

John Kear

[Wanderer]

Re: Mike Cooper : Wed Aug 31, 2022 8:59 am  

Gazwire wrote:

Cooper has always been a top performer for us and at the start of the season, I'd guess, he'd hold more influence over the other players than anyone else, given his Warrington roots and his pedigree. Rather than make it difficult for the new coach and undermine him with regards to the proposed changes, he should have gotten on board out of respect to the club and its fans.

Fact or rumour / speculation?

Re: Mike Cooper : Wed Aug 31, 2022 9:06 am  

Barbed Wire wrote:

At the risk of going over old ground, these comments land differently from a serial winner. If (for example, not suggesting he would have taken the job) Craig Bellamy had said this, and Cooper objected, it’s completely inappropriate. Bellamy has the credentials to back up the arrogant approach. Given that Powell can’t evidence that he can back up the comment, I think I would have taken that with a pinch of salt if I’m honest, especially if I’d have been at a more successful club over the past 10 years than the guy self appointed as the oracle.

To be fair to Powell he won a LLS (with an unfancied side) more recently than we have won one. He has also made as many grand finals in the last 5 years as we have.

Re: Mike Cooper : Wed Aug 31, 2022 9:07 am  

Wanderer wrote:

Fact or rumour / speculation?

Snaggletooth wrote:

Apparently (in the early days of DP's tenure) when having discussions with the team and MC was having difficulty getting on board with DP's methods, MC was asked by DP if he had won a Grand Final, MC said no and DP said I'm here to change that.

DP has given MC the best chance by moving him to Wigan.

I've heard from others that there was apparently some disharmony between the two. But that's as far as it goes.

Remember when Cooper barged into Price after being substituted.

Re: Mike Cooper : Wed Aug 31, 2022 9:14 am  

Uncle Rico wrote:

John Kear

Would you have rather had John Kear over Daryll Powell at the start of the season?