The Great Divide

To say things are rocky in the Haven camp at the moment is putting it mildly. The fact of been knocked out of the two cup competitions at the first hurdle, a seemingly paper thin squad in terms of quality, accompanied with the signings of the Workington quartet and the struggle to sign overseas players has let a depressing feeling take hold of a number of Haven fans. That's not to mention Ged's outburst in his after match interview against Gateshead which left many fans incensed and calling for his head.

Crashing out of the Northern Rail Cup was a bitter blow and actually does mean more than some fans realise. If, and it is a big if, our new BOD are to be believed when they say we have Super League aspirations, then it is imperative that we make a Championship Grand Final or win the Northern Rail Cup in the next 3 years. With the latter now out of the question for this year, it makes it that little bit harder. It might be a narrow way to look at things, but it is one opportunity missed.

As I mentioned in my post last week, losing at Gateshead was very disappointing indeed. I always thought the players would make up for it on Sunday though in the first Championship game, and they didn't disappoint as far as the scoreline went. However I mentioned last week that Ged took some flack at Gateshead, and going by his comments in his after match interview on Sunday, he wasn't best pleased.

Whilst not at the Recre for the game on Sunday, I do know exactly what was said due to reports both from friends and the press. To repeat the expletives that were directed at him at Gateshead in the club where children were present is inexcusable. Some people on the forum have said it's no worse than what is said on the terraces and they are correct. However, as a person who is the figurehead for the club, professionalism should be paramount and he should not have stooped to the same level as the person who abused him at Gateshead.

What annoyed me personally were his comments that were documented on the Whitehaven News website on Monday. For starters, it's clear he is very defensive and not very apologetic with his comments. However what I found most annoying were his comments on players being abused personally on websites and that the focus needs to be on driving these people out of the club. As the owner and one of the Administrators of the HavenFans forum, the largest Whitehaven RLFC forum, I can say that abusing players personally is not tolerated. In fact, abusing anyone on the forum isn't tolerated! Whether they be a player, coach, BOD member, club official or just another member on the forum. A number of people have had their membership terminated because they broke this rule and this will continue if people abuse this rule.

What is tolerated is critical discussion on players/coaches performances and their impact on the team. As fans, we have the right to share our thoughts on the team and the playing staff. Providing these comments are not abusive or libellous then they are allowed to run their course on the forum. Perhaps it might be better for a coach not to read internet forums as there are bound to be items on them which will criticise certain aspects of the team? What I will say though is that it's sometimes hard to control people at a match shouting abuse, but you can easily on an internet forum as it is all written down. I provide the fans with the platform to communicate with each other and along with a team of moderators, try to keep things abusive free. My message to Ged is simple, if you have a problem with abusive messages on the forum, come to me direct and discuss it. A lot of people know who I am and I certainly do not hide behind a name on the forum. What is not appreciated is when a coach brands critical discussion as personal abuse in the press.

Enough of that rant though as I think Ged has really got to get things together on the field or I fear for his future. Let's face it, he has made plenty of mistakes so far. The 4 signings from Workington, sending a weakened side to York, leaving Dexter Miller bench warming for 74 minutes at Gateshead and the comments in the after match speech on Sunday are hardly positive points. However, all of this could well be swept to one side if he can get this team to gel and play some good rugby. I personally believe that Ged is a good rugby coach, a very good one. The players think very highly of him and many have said he is the best coach they have played under. He is letting himself down badly in other off the field areas though but as long as he gets the results on the field, then it wont matter.

Whilst I'm still sat on the fence over the future of Ged, the majority of fans fall well either side. Some say they wont go to another game until he's gone, others think he is still the saviour. One thing I do know is there is a definite divide between the fans on this issue and others at the club. After speaking with Steve McCormack the other day, one thing he pointed out was during the 'glory years' everyone was pulling together. Players, coaches, directors, fans, sponsors etc... we were all together and united. We are far from united at the moment which is extremely worrying. Crowds are dwindling, confidence in the team is low and Ged is becoming very defensive. If we are going to move forward then we as fans need to find a way to unite.

I don't know what the answers are, but it is clear that major changes need to happen soon otherwise we could find ourselves slipping at a rapid rate.

On a much more positive note, I hear that Karl Long had an excellent debut and we could we be looking to offer him a permanent deal if his form continues. Also the new general manager Nigel Beaty has impressed me greatly and we have exchanged many emails and phone calls already. He seems to want to use the website as a tool to communicate with the fans and also is passionate about taking the club forward. A breath of fresh air if you ask me.

To tie it all together, Ged needs to concentrate what he is best at which is purely rugby coaching. If he does that and we manage to stay lucky on the injury side of things then I am cautiously optimistic about the season.