You are right about the mixed messages. Last year Neil Hudgell stated in his programme notes that as fans we needed to be prepared for the team to take one step back in order to take two forward while we blooded some youngsters. He accepted himself that some may have to play before they are really ready.

After the next 3 games there is a chance that we could be in 8th position after more than half the season gone and plenty of youngsters given game time. How many of us would have taken that at the beginning of the season? All of us I suspect.

Would be harsh to relieve Craig Sandercock of his position on that basis. Personally, I think the decision has already been made not to renew his deal and it will be brought forward if we lose the next 2 games. Chester and Gene in charge I would imagine until the end of season.

Why? He came to do a job, identified where improvements were needed most, and failed to implement any measures to address the problems. I would expect anyone to be treated similarly if they failed in their job.





I don't recall the board giving him carte blanch to concede an average 35 points per game. This is steadily rising, so even minor improvements are not apparent. Business has to look after the here & now as well as planning for the future. It's not an "either/or" decision, and whether we like it or not, HKR is a business (albeit a struggling one).



With the fixture list in front of us, I'm anticipating a similar finish to 2012, which is simply not acceptable.

And after the next 14 we could be in the top 3.



Could being the operative word. Can you honestly see us winning another away game this season?

Well said Stan. That's exactly my response. A team earning good money and letting that amount of points every week! RBA, and Mild Rover, give your heads a bang as you are talking a right load of guff!!

They always do, when they open their mouths to speak, all that comes out is a trumpety trumpety trump sound.



Sandercock correctly diagnosed the deficiencies in the Rovers teams performances and has succeeded in exacerbating them into club record defeats.



Good achievement that.="Hessle rover RBA, and Mild Rover, give your heads a bang as you are talking a right load of guff!!'"

Yep, we was all there when Sandercock highlighted Rovers poor defence under Morgan's regime. Then took it to epic levels in less than two years! How anyone can defend the bloke should start hugging tress or become a democrat!

Careful, Sandercock's love child (aka Zod) will be along shortly to smack the back of our legs.



I see t'other forum has taken a vote. 61% says Sandercock in. Thankfully, HKR isn't a democracy. The lunatics have taken over the asylum.

61%!!

Who was voting? RBA, Mild Rover and Zod?

I'm not a huge fan of using SL as a development tool to 'give the kids a run', and realise that the average fan's patience is probably less than they might state, with all the revenue implications that brings. And it always struck me that, despite what Smokey told us, if we did what Cas do we'd not end up like Leeds, but like Cas. But if you're trying to cut costs, your options are limited and your sights have to be lowered, so here we are.

But given this strategy and accepting CS should be judged purely on results, after 14 rounds of SL how many wins should we have, as a bare minimum? Whether he's got enough to have secured a new deal, even I'd prefer to wait and I've got one or two major reservations. However, he's got enough runs on the board that sacking him at this stage would seem very harsh, IMO - unless we're getting new money and a new plan with it.

I just think we need to look at the bigger picture. The young players that have been blooded this season are going to be far better next season for the experience. High earners like O'Hara and Withers will be replaced by players who hopefully we will get more game time out of. Who knows, we may even see Sean Gleeson. Travis Burns will be available from the word go and will even have 2 good shoulders.

Craig Sandercock deserves the opportunity to bring in some more of his own players and start next season with hopefully a fully fit squad.

I can see both your points. But as results go, we was close last year, now this year with a similar budget, we are no where near. Budgets on playing squad don't determine how good a tackler you are.

Are you happy with how many points we have shifted this year?? I know i'm, not. One thing this points to is........yes, Mr Sandercock!! and to a lesser extent Mr Chester who has dodged much criticism this year.

Sacking him would not be harsh, enough is enough. The kids will come through if there good enough with other coaches, so as far as I can see, his departure is win/win for the club.

If the board think he deserves another year/two, fair enough - that's their call. I can't say I've really seen enough to agree with this though. For me, it's not who is or who has not been on the pitch that's been our problem. It's whatever 13 we've fielded (this/last season) our flaws/failings are repeated on a consistent basis. To add to that, we have (imo) weak leadership on the pitch, a lack of desire to tough games out, that leads to an acceptance that we're going to get beat. I do feel some of has to stem from CS downwards.



Last year the verdict on CS' season was more or less along the lines of ... give him time to get his own team together...the likes of Clinton/Webster/Galea will be off the wage bill and should allow us to attract younger/better value players who want to be here etc. Now, it's almost like deja vu - give him another year to build his team. High earners like O'Hara/Withers will be gone. Injured players will be back and all will be well again. It seems like we're looking for excuses as to why Rovers under CS have not really gone forward and if anything gone backwards in some areas.



I'd love CS and Rovers to suddenly click and we all see sustained improvements in key areas like our discipline and tackling. AS changing coach next year will probably only lead us to the same problems we have now. Give the new guy time to build his team etc.



I agree with the mix messages from the top ie transitional period etc. I also recall CS' remit was to develop/oversee our entire junior development as well. I can't help but feel the job he's been asked to do is perhaps too big for him/one man alone. If he had the resources like Wigan's coaching structure around him, who knows his future may be a bit brighter. But, then again - I'm making excuses for him (irony alert).