Pontypridd

[The Watcher]

Blown away in the first 15 minutes, some excellent rugby by Pontypridd and some pretty inept tackling and kicking from Ebbw. Why do we kick the ball into space against a rapid back 3 and then compound the kick with a non existent chase, the players need to ask themselves that, the chase its nothing to do with coaching but points at those on the field
I was embarrassed at the first 15 minutes and being sat near our Chairman and Secretary they were also clearly far from pleased with what they were seeing. I took the opportunity at the end of the game to ask about selection and a few other issues I felt needed asking as I too was a little perplexed, the Chairman (Jon) I have known for years and has never pulled any punches, this is what he had to say on selection

Dai Langdon - unavailable as was on holidays
Dai Jones - went home ill from training on Tuesday - not available
Josh Jacas - reaction to Saturday against Bargoed with his ankle, hence bench, then gets a further reaction to training on Works 3G on Thursday and pulls out injured with swollen ankle late Friday night
Jon Davies - picked up a minor knee injury training with Dragons select BIC squad, thats why he did not play last week and was due to get 80 minutes in for Ynysddu on Saturday but called in to cover for Jacas

I asked him about help for the young coaches, he had this to say
Just as Mostyn Richards acted as a mentor for Jason, Nick, Duane etc there is a person in place providing this to the coaches, this is a person very well known and highly respected in Ebbw and Wales for his rugby knowledge. Those of you who have attended training on a regular basis would have seen him, he has also been present at a number of games and meets the coaches away from Ebbw and talks to them regularly. He and Jon are close and he speaks to Jon a lot as well, this person who loves Ebbw has assured Jon that there are no issues with coaching or structure and that a lot of issues come down to desire and attitude. He did tell me his name but asked that this not be put on any social media as the person does not want that, it was not a huge surprise on who it was and all of our supporters would approve of this mentor
He also said that the coaches had asked about adding to coaching staff to give them support but the club cannot do this at the moment due to lack of finance but he will continue to look at it
He also pointed out that a large number of the Ponty players have been coached by both our coaches for several years as part of Blues system, he felt that was clear evidence of ability of the 2 young coaches

I asked him about why we are so easy to score against, he gave this answer
This question came up at Q&A and the main answer is that the tackle policy is 1 + 1, that is one tackler and one at breakdown, he asked me did I think we did that in first 20 minutes, I said no way, he replied exactly we were committing 3 to 5 at every breakdown and inviting overlaps as the line shuffles in leaving the gaps out wide.

Finally I asked him what could be done to help out, he had this to say
Find some money for us and keep calm, if 100 of our supporters each sold 20 lottery tickets a week for a year that would generate around £50k for the club, that would help cash-flow, pay for additional coaches and several quality players. The other point he made was volunteer to help out, all help and ideas gratefully received!! He also said he is happy to discuss anything with our supporters, just approach him, you will get an answer and a truthful one
He also recalled how the call was to sack Nigel after we had won 5 from 10, we then went on to win Championship!!

It was an easy conversation as Jon is straight forward and loves the club as much as anyone and only wants the best for all connected .

I left still hugely disappointed by the result but a little wiser on what drives some of the decisions

[JohnCoffey]

There is not and never has been any criticism of Jon Jones and his committee who are doing a fantastic job in very difficult circumstances. They are being let down more than any of us ! And I would expect the Chairman to publicly support the coaches.

I would love to see Justin Burnell's reaction when he is told that his success is down to our coaches.

We are not talking about a single game here & criticism over selection is not confined to Saturday.

The facts are that we are over half way through the 'conference' and we are joint bottom, have scored less points than any other side, have the worst defensive record, have the least bonus points, are the only side which has no try bonus, have the worst points difference by some margin, & show no signs of improvement and it is all down to the players "desire and attitude", & yet there is nothing wrong with the coaching !

I think it would be a great idea to see if Mostyn Richards would get involved again - look what those coaches have gone on to achieve with the help of his mentoring. There is no harm in asking.

[String]

When you see comments such as "we are not in a position to compete with the likes of BEDWAS" its then you realise just how much we've fallen and how low we've set the bar in such a short space of time. A comment like that would have been utterly laughable a short time ago, now its accepted as fact.

Ultimately the league structure is a pathetic joke (it would appear the WRU would rather the premier didnt exist and will do anything possible to make it meaningless). That structure is responsible for lack of interest, low crowd, odd scheduling with corresponding lack of income and so on...... but all clubs are in the same structure as us. The world might of Bedwas has exactly the same restraints as we do regarding that. We're bottom of the conference and deservedly so - we're handling it far far worse than any other club given where we started from and have now sunk to.

We've got a problem - we've got talented individuals and we KNOW they're talented as they're delivered for us in previous seasons. They haven't all suddenly lost talent at the same time. What we seem to lack is any sort of cohesion and ability to play as a team. Individual talent is worthless unless its linked into a broader team strategy. The main issue i can see is there seems to be no sign of improvement. Every game is the same, no little building blocks falling into place, combinations clicking or signs or progress. Every game is groundhog day (maybe cardiff excepted).

Winning is contagious but sadly, so is losing. If you go out not expecting to get anything from the game its unlikely you will. That works for playing staff and fans. Giving too much credit to the opposition just sweeps the problems under the carpet to continue next week and into the future. We're not being outclassed by the all blacks each week.

[html junkie]

There is not and never has been any criticism of Jon Jones and his committee who are doing a fantastic job in very difficult circumstances. They are being let down more than any of us ! And I would expect the Chairman to publicly support the coaches.

I would love to see Justin Burnell's reaction when he is told that his success is down to our coaches.

We are not talking about a single game here & criticism over selection is not confined to Saturday.

The facts are that we are over half way through the 'conference' and we are joint bottom, have scored less points than any other side, have the worst defensive record, have the least bonus points, are the only side which has no try bonus, have the worst points difference by some margin, & show no signs of improvement and it is all down to the players "desire and attitude", & yet there is nothing wrong with the coaching !

I think it would be a great idea to see if Mostyn Richards would get involved again - look what those coaches have gone on to achieve with the help of his mentoring. There is no harm in asking.

This post is meant constructively.

Just wondering, John, if you share the miraculous healing powers of your namesake in The Green Mile. If so, perhaps there'd be a role for you in assisting the club in some way! Even if not, and you're a mortal like the rest of us - well, like me anyway, I mustn't make assumptions about others - perhaps there'd be a role for you in assisting the club in some way! All help will be very gratefully received, and you sound like you know your rugby. Of course, I do realise that you might already be volunteering for the club in some capacity.

[Phillip Grey]

Not admitting there is a problem is half the problem and if something isn’t working then you change it.

We’ve gone backwards since the start of the season, gone backwards since last season and gone backwards since the season before that.

I’m pretty sure we get the same funding as all the other premiership clubs and believe we would also sell more season tickets and sponsorships than them yet we can’t compete with them on the field?

It’s a slippery slope, only a few seasons ago we were feared, but now a laughing stock and the source of an easy 5 pointer for other teams and that hurts.

Attendances are also looking like they are falling, probably due to no one can bear to watch such poor performances every week.

This reminds me of the season before the relegation year, If nothing remedial gets done, then when the ring fence comes down I’ll be honest and say I’m fearful that the writings on the wall.

[JohnCoffey]

When you see comments such as "we are not in a position to compete with the likes of BEDWAS" its then you realise just how much we've fallen and how low we've set the bar in such a short space of time. A comment like that would have been utterly laughable a short time ago, now its accepted as fact.

Ultimately the league structure is a pathetic joke (it would appear the WRU would rather the premier didnt exist and will do anything possible to make it meaningless). That structure is responsible for lack of interest, low crowd, odd scheduling with corresponding lack of income and so on...... but all clubs are in the same structure as us. The world might of Bedwas has exactly the same restraints as we do regarding that. We're bottom of the conference and deservedly so - we're handling it far far worse than any other club given where we started from and have now sunk to.

We've got a problem - we've got talented individuals and we KNOW they're talented as they're delivered for us in previous seasons. They haven't all suddenly lost talent at the same time. What we seem to lack is any sort of cohesion and ability to play as a team. Individual talent is worthless unless its linked into a broader team strategy. The main issue i can see is there seems to be no sign of improvement. Every game is the same, no little building blocks falling into place, combinations clicking or signs or progress. Every game is groundhog day (maybe cardiff excepted).

Winning is contagious but sadly, so is losing. If you go out not expecting to get anything from the game its unlikely you will. That works for playing staff and fans. Giving too much credit to the opposition just sweeps the problems under the carpet to continue next week and into the future. We're not being outclassed by the all blacks each week.

What a great post - the assessment of a realist !

[JohnCoffey]

Not admitting there is a problem is half the problem and if something isn’t working then you change it.

We’ve gone backwards since the start of the season, gone backwards since last season and gone backwards since the season before that.

I’m pretty sure we get the same funding as all the other premiership clubs and believe we would also sell more season tickets and sponsorships than them yet we can’t compete with them on the field?

It’s a slippery slope, only a few seasons ago we were feared, but now a laughing stock and the source of an easy 5 pointer for other teams and that hurts.

Attendances are also looking like they are falling, probably due to no one can bear to watch such poor performances every week.

Dare I say it, we are a premiership team in status only and certainly not performance, and the longer this drags on the worse it will get.

This reminds me of the season before the relegation year, If nothing remedial gets done, then when the ring fence comes down I’ll be honest and say I’m fearful that the writings on the wall.

Another great post - while one or two others blame the players & shuffle the deckchairs !

[The Watcher]

Just to clarify a few points

1. A very high quality mentor in place, Mostyn is helping Pontypool in a similar role, so cannot do both
2. The point is that the coaches can't be as bad as they look, they have developed very good players, Pontypridd had a number playing Saturday, I was not claiming they were responsible for Pontypridd's performance

In relation to finances, again ask the officials, they gave a pretty brutal picture of where that was at the AGM, they asked for assistance on that as well

As one other person has also said , Step forward and help if you care so much!!

[JohnCoffey]

That’s very kind of you HTML but names are of course, not unique.

I am however, like many others, only concerned about the success & brand of Ebbw Vale RFC, although I may see causes & remedies slightly differently from some but I do know there are many who share my view - & I might not be as diplomatic as some would like.

The executive are doing a great job in running the club finances & operations (as are a lot of unpaid volunteers around the country) so I would be of no added value there - but if I ever win the lottery………….!!

And it appears that we don’t need any help with the rugby side of our great club, that’s all under control !

It’s all the fault of the players. There “are no issues with coaching or structure and that a lot of issues come down to desire and attitude” – Seriously ?
Desire & attitude is the one thing I would not criticise the players for. Looking lost & not knowing their roles seems much more relevant.

They also make pointless kicks and then don’t chase & that’s ”nothing to do with coaching” – Seriously ?

Poor selection decisions in the last 9 games are all down to players taking holidays, getting ill during the week, having injury niggles & adverse reactions to training loads. No other clubs have these things to worry about - Seriously ?

The coaches have a “well known” mentor, who attends training sessions, some games & even has 1-to-1s with the coaches away from the club. Therefore, all the committee, coaches, & all the medical, analysis, conditioning, kit & other support staff, and 30+ players & anyone who has ever watched a training session know who he is, but his name can’t be disclosed on the club’s supporters forum – Really ?

There is no point in adding to coaching staff to give our coaches support as this would place any additional resource under the management of our current coaches & that is where our problems start & the last thing that we need. We need someone to come in over them, take responsibility for selection & manage & direct them.

“A large number of the Ponty players have been coached by both our coaches for several years as part of the Blues system, clear evidence of ability of the 2 young coaches” – Seriously ? Their names don’t appear in the list of Blues U16 coaches, Blues U18 coaches or Blues academy coaches so part of the system means exactly what ? I couldn’t resist texting this comment to a friend who knows the inner circle at Pontypridd – he received a swift reply which can’t be posted before the watershed.

The worst defensive record in the league is all down to our tackle policy. Very technical but seriously ? In 9 games shouldn’t we have fixed that on the training field ? I’m not sure any of that explanation was actually the cause of many of Ponty’s tries on Saturday ?

So, kind of you to say that I seem to know my rugby but we don’t need any help in that direction – we have it all covered. As Philip Grey, String & others have eruditely pointed out – we can’t address a problem if we don’t believe one exists, so neither me nor anyone else has anything to contribute. And when we finally admit we have a problem - & I hope that time does not come too late - there are some people in & around the club who could make a much bigger difference than me.

As I said bringing in Mostyn Richards or someone like him as a mentor would be a great idea – bringing him, or someone like him, in as DoR would be even better.

[viewfromthestand]

I have read all the posts on this issue today and there is one common comment. The coaches are not up to the job , I actually posted perhaps they need a mentor which has been addressed. . I ask this question who would you want to coach Ebbw Vale and why?

[Phillip Grey]

Difficult to answer as not in a position to know budget, availability, current contract agreements.

But if contracts posed no boundaries, then I personally would bring back Neil Edwards to call the shots as a director of rugby role.

I’ve never stated that coaches need to be sacked, as at this stage of the season I don’t know where we would find them.

I do know as I have stated above, there is a problem and it needs to be addressed.
Yes Neil’s history was chequered and he left us to go to Neath etc

He got his new team playing as a unit though, and everyone gave 110% under him and we saw progress week by week.
It’s commonly spoken about that when he joined after relegation, he had 2 or 3 players and that was it, yet as we know we won back to back div 1 and championship titles.

Probably going to be ridiculed but that is my opinion.

Phillip

[david brown]

Out walking this morning,i was approached by a stranger who pointed to my EBBW VALE anorak.He then announced his grandson played for us and last Saturday was on the bench .He had been asked to forgo playing for his club as he was needed by us.He the then said both himself and his son proudly went to PONTY to see him play.Both were disgusted when he went on for one minute only His father strongly questioned the stupidity of this and was disgusted with the coaches for wasting all the families time and his son in particular.Once again i will ask if anyone can explain that to me ,as yet once more i am baffled by the logic behind it.

[The Watcher]

Just called our Chairman, he's pretty disappointed that answers he gave freely are being deemed as rubbish and not believed. He's more than happy to meet anyone or take a call. He will also say who the mentor is but not in a public forum out of respect for the person concerned. He will be training tomorrow, and at club by 6 on Friday prior to Keys game and will willingly answer questions

He's also happy to do a Q & A with him and without coaches present if that what the supporters want.

He also stated that the officials need a lot more help and are almost fed up of asking, get involved and influence the future if you care as much as you all say

[JohnCoffey]

Just called our Chairman, he's pretty disappointed that answers he gave freely are being deemed as rubbish and not believed.

Don't put words into people's mouths.

As far as I'm aware the Chairman has not posted on this board & so no-one has deemed anything he is alleged to have said as "rubbish and not believed". I've re-read all the posts & am happy that no one has even implied that. His honesty & integrity is not in question.

If I may ask - what is your role in the club ?

It is fundamental to the success of any executive business team that there is harmony amongst the members of that executive & that they pursue a common goal. As you & I agree on practically nothing we would continually be butting heads & that would not be in the club's best interests either.

[The Watcher]

Not involved on committee as I do not have the time through working away. I know Jon very well, he explained selections for last week, there are similar reason's for other selection that appear odd. He explained a lot of other things as well and is open to anything that can help the club

He does not post on this forum, but does read it, he's formed his own view on your post that seemed to question every answer he gave on Saturday, he's more than intelligent enough to do that

I'll repeat. put your questions direct to Jon, either 1 to 1 or ask for an open forum, he's happy to answer in either format