Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread II

justsomebloke

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Here I don't think it can be said that Ross is holding out for a massive contract.

If he isn't then he needs to fire whoever is representing him given how strong a position he holds going into the negotiations.

jacothelad

ssaye wrote: »

How are you 100%. Possibly but not End of until it happens. Sure without rumours and gossip we may as well stop all threads. Thats what makes boards great.

Muller got a years extension at Ulster. Botha will get one at Munster now the precedent has been set. Both these guys have an integral part to play off the pitch in developing young players. Botha however might have to work the harder of the two.

ssaye

jacothelad wrote: »

Muller got a years extension at Ulster. Botha will get one at Munster now the precedent has been set. Both these guys have an integral part to play off the pitch in developing young players. Botha however might have to work the harder of the two.

We will see, I suppose. Fair enough.

totallegend

Bent and Goodman added to the ERC squad.
http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/news/19744.php

My reading of the rules was that only one player could be added, but there it is. [Edit: Just read that can add two if one is a front-rower.]

Tom Sexton and Luke McGrath deregistered.

Quint2010

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

It's disgusting behaviour to be honest.

Would love to know whether this is coming from Kidney, because if it is, it's a fairly damning indication of his 'man management'.

Actually, Ross played well against Saf, but more than that, he's saved Ireland's bacon in the past few years.

Idiotic.

This is the press trying to engineer Ross a move to Munster. No way Leinster should let him go. I think his play has improved this year-especially in the loose. Anyone see his pickup last Sat? I still think he has a chance of a Lions spot if he keeps going

leftleg

Quint2010 wrote: »

Anyone see his pickup last Sat?

Spotted that alright, thing of beauty, especially from a tight head. His link play has come on leaps every year.

jm08

totallegend wrote: »

There are two aspects of this that really get my goat:

1. If Kidney had an issue with Ross, he should have dealt with it privately OR come out and been open with it. This business of leaking info to journalists is atrocious management.

2. None of these journalists have said "well hang on, Ross played ok against SA". The post-match reviews were all reasonably positive about Ross, it was only a few days afterwards that we found out that Ross was.actually terrible.

The whole thing stinks and it's a terrible way to treat one of our key players.

Elsewhere, there were clearly concerns over the performance of Mike Ross against South Africa after the concession of two penalties prompted him being replaced by Michael Bent. But Declan Kidney made it abundantly clear Ross needed game time in the aftermath of the Fijian game.

Hardly massive criticism - only explaining why he was playing in the Fiji game - thats why it was mentioned a few days later!

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/1122/1224326950316.html

leftleg

jm08 wrote: »

Hardly massive criticism - only explaining why he was playing in the Fiji game - thats why it was mentioned a few days later!

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/1122/1224326950316.html

And over and over and over - he didnt need game time, he didnt play badly against South Africa, his performances arent a cause of concern, so why does every single journalist mention it every week in the media??

jm08

leftleg wrote: »

And over and over and over - he didnt need game time, he didnt play badly against South Africa, his performances arent a cause of concern, so why does every single journalist mention it every week in the media??

It seems to me like the media were questioning (which is what you all want them to do, isn't it?) why Mike Ross was used in the Figi game. Some of them must have been reading boards, because a few came to the same conclusion that Kidney was punishing him!

Declan Kidney made it "abundantly clear" after the Fiji game that the only reason that Mike Ross played was because he needed gametime (which I would interpret that he thinks that Mike Ross is by far his best TH and would prefer to have him for as long as possible).

edit: If Ireland hadn't conceeded 2 scrum penalties before he was subbed, no one would have questioned it.

CatFromHue

Is there any quotes from the Irish management team about Ross?

leftleg

jm08 wrote: »

Declan Kidney made it "abundantly clear" after the Fiji game that the only reason that Mike Ross played was because he needed gametime

Do you think he needed "game time" ?

Higher

CatFromHue wrote: »

Is there any quotes from the Irish management team about Ross?

According to a well regarded journalist Declan Kidney was openly critical about the performance of Mike Ross.

What a manager. Going behind players backs and telling his darlings in the media that he isn't happy with the performances of certain players. I would hope that it is the lesser of two evils and that Kidney simply made a mistake but something tells me there's a strategic element to this 'leak'

CatFromHue

Higher wrote: »

According to a well regarded journalist Declan Kidney was openly critical about the performance of Mike Ross.

What a manager. Going behind players backs and telling his darlings in the media that he isn't happy with the performances of certain players. I would hope that it is the lesser of two evils and that Kidney simply made a mistake but something tells me there's a strategic element to this 'leak'

Is there any direct quotes though?

jm08

leftleg wrote: »

Do you think he needed "game time" ?

If his match fitness was the reason for giving away the 2 penalties, then yes he did.

leftleg

jm08 wrote: »

If his match fitness was the reason for giving away the 2 penalties, then yes he did.

both penalties on circa 65 minutes against a fresh loosehead prop called Heinke Van De Merve and the rest of the South African pack.

ScissorPaperRock

Think I must have accidentally wandered into the conspiracy theories forum...

tolosenc

Kidney should be fired on the spot, regardless of the fact that he is totally incompetent as a coach, if he is publicly criticising players in an attempt to get them moved to Munster.

It would also go a long way to proving that at the core, he is a Munster fan, who cares little for the national team of the the 3 other provinces.

However, if the IRFU are involved in any such plot, then we are in big trouble.

Jackass's rants about Kidney and the IRFU "saving Munster" might be more true than we think.

jm08

Higher wrote: »

According to a well regarded journalist Declan Kidney was openly critical about the performance of Mike Ross.

What a manager. Going behind players backs and telling his darlings in the media that he isn't happy with the performances of certain players. I would hope that it is the lesser of two evils and that Kidney simply made a mistake but something tells me there's a strategic element to this 'leak'

No links? Who is the well regarded journalist?

CatFromHue

tolosenc wrote: »

Kidney should be fired on the spot, regardless of the fact that he is totally incompetent as a coach, if he is publicly criticising players in an attempt to get them moved to Munster.

It would also go a long way to proving that at the core, he is a Munster fan, who cares little for the national team of the the 3 other provinces.

Lol where is the quote from Kidney? Where is the evidence that he's trying to get players to move to Munster? Were is anything of fact related to the last few pages of this thread?

jm08

tolosenc wrote: »

Kidney should be fired on the spot, regardless of the fact that he is totally incompetent as a coach, if he is publicly criticising players in an attempt to get them moved to Munster.

It would also go a long way to proving that at the core, he is a Munster fan, who cares little for the national team of the the 3 other provinces.

However, if the IRFU are involved in any such plot, then we are in big trouble.

Jackass's rants about Kidney and the IRFU "saving Munster" might be more true than we think.

You'd give Jim Corr a run for his money

.ak

Just to get everyone in the mood.... (fear)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4GU454kk4k

jm08

leftleg wrote: »

both penalties on circa 65 minutes against a fresh loosehead prop called Heinke Van De Merve and the rest of the South African pack.

So - no big deal about it. Just give him more gametime so that he is fitter. Seems the media & boards were reading far too much into him being played against Fiji. Its a huge compliment to Ross that the Ireland coaching staff were preparing him to last the 80 against Argentina.

Higher

jm08 wrote: »

No links? Who is the well regarded journalist?

there you go

leftleg wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/rumours-of-ross-departure-from-leinster-wide-of-mark-3316422.html

More of the usual..

"The recruitment of Michael Bent in controversial circumstances has heightened the competition for Ross' position and Ireland coach Declan Kidney was critical of the Corkman's display in the recent defeat to South Africa."

Higher

jm08 wrote: »

So - no big deal about it. Just give him more gametime so that he is fitter. Seems the media & boards were reading far too much into him being played against Fiji. Its a huge compliment to Ross that the Ireland coaching staff were preparing him to last the 80 against Argentina.

Apparently Kidney was critical of Ross after the South Africa game. To break that down for you, a journalist has claimed that Kidney criticized Ross after the South Africa game when speaking with him. It is completely unacceptable. No doubt Kidney said the same to Thornley considering he also questioned Ross.

CatFromHue

.ak wrote: »

Just to get everyone in the mood.... (fear)

j4GU454kk4k

I can't remember who I was listening to last night but they pointed out that Ulster gave Clermont a right good run for their money in the pool stages last season. If Clermont had only gotten a losing bonus point from that game they would have been relegated to the Amlin.

molloyjh

.ak wrote: »

Just to get everyone in the mood.... (fear)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4GU454kk4k

Am I the only one who can still feel the nerves when watching that?

ssaye

5:56 to 6:03 is shocking on Cullen at the post

There was other incident off the ball with him and others but that was bad.

.ak

molloyjh wrote: »

Am I the only one who can still feel the nerves when watching that?

+1

Especially the last few minutes. added years onto me.

jm08

Higher wrote: »

Apparently Kidney was critical of Ross after the South Africa game. To break that down for you, a journalist has claimed that Kidney criticized Ross after the South Africa game when speaking with him. It is completely unacceptable. No doubt Kidney said the same to Thornley considering he also questioned Ross.

The claim is worth nothing unless they can stand over it in print (most of them record their conversations, so that shouldn't be too difficult to do).

.ak

Folks, let's just settle the Ross thing here and now. Everyone loves Mike.



Credit to Dave Cahill over on LF for that.