Pontypridd

[JohnCoffey]

Questioning answers has nothing to do with questioning a person's integrity. In some cases Jon can only repeat what he has been told.

Apologies if I seem to be hogging this thread but Welsh rugby is indeed a village & we are all about 2 contacts away from someone who knows someone & can get all your questions answered !

Mostyn Richards has had no involvement with Pontypool for at least 9 months, - he still however, apparently, still mentors Jason Strange !

So - worth a call ?

[Malpas69]

I am not sure that all of this 'in-fighting' is really helping our cause. I don't think that anyone in their right mind can question the time, work and (personal) finance that the Chairman has put into this rugby club. Posts are being negatively misinterpreted and 'twisted' to imply things that are not being said.

There is something fundamentally wrong at the moment and no-one can seem to 'put their finger' on exactly what it is. I still happen to think that we have good players. OK, we might lack a bit of class and experience in certain positions, but overall, I am not too disheartened with the players and the squad that we have at our disposal. So, again, the question for me is why are they not performing to the best of their ability or not fulfilling their potential? Some people are saying that it is the coaches and other people think that the coaches are doing an admirable job in very difficult circumstances. Those 'difficult circumstances' are being mitigated against by bringing in someone to mentor them and help out with training. OK, so the question still remains, why are these players seemingly struggling on the field - is it solely down to a lack of confidence maybe? Is it down to inconsistency in selection (for whatever reasons) and combinations not having the playing time together to gel? We just seem so disorganised and unstructured on the field with no clear game plan (again, is that down to lack of confidence to execute that game plan)? We seem to attack and defend so narrow that teams always seem to be able to create overlaps easily out wide and we are easy to defend against as we all seem to be 'bunched up' in midfield when we do have the ball. At the start of the season it was mentioned that we were looking to play a more attacking style this year - are the players 'caught between two stools', trying to play a more expansive style, but because of a perceived lack of confidence, they are reverting back to a style that they are comfortable with? I am really at a loss to explain why we are playing so poorly - I know that the players are so much better than this, who would not want the likes of Dan Haymond, Toby Fricker, Ross Jones, Lance Randall, Rhys Clarke, Rhys Francis, Joe Franchi (that list is not exhaustive) in their team - they would absolutely 'walk' into any other premiership team. I reckon that Friday night's game against Cross Keys will be a real 'barometer' as to where we are and where we are going. I am not saying that it is a 'must win' game or anything like that, but Cross Keys are in a similar position to ourselves in that they have lost a few 'old heads' (the likes of Dan Hodge) and they are trying to bring through more youngsters and trying out different combinations. The only difference between us and them is that they have not been on the receiving end of two hammerings where we were not even competitive. Hopefully we will be able to put our strongest 23 players (including the bench of course) on the field and grind out a win. Who cares if it is not pretty, any win at the moment is very much needed.

[viewfromthestand]

I agree Malpas 69. As a band of supporters we are a close knit community all friends or better still a family of steel. I have posted on this forum for many years Some of my posts have been slated , some have been applauded. This can be said of every other contributor to this forum. People will have differing opinions and sometimes after discussion a conclusion cannot be found therefore , in the past we have begged to differ but there is a conclusion and that's where the thread has ended. Most of all there is no ill feeling. We then move onto the next game and it all starts again , with a fresh set of opinions. A new discussion whereby all previous posts have been forgotten. it s a new dawn to a new day etc.That's until this season where we have a new contributor Mr John Coffey who seems to hold grudges and has a better knowledge and understanding of the game than any other person who has ever written on this forum. A person who has managed in a short time to cause ill feeling on this site. Mr Coffey has a fine understanding of the game and has obviously some sound knowledge of people still operating in the higher echelons of Welsh Rugby . His knowledge would be very beneficial to all involved in the running of our club but when asked to assist there is always an excuse as to why he can't . He has been on our young coaches backs since very early on this season. I ask this question Mr Coffey have you got a hidden agenda.
I will not be replying to any reply from Mr Coffey on this site. I would however suggest a meeting with chairman, committee and coaches of our club and let s workout in what capacity your knowledge and expertise can be best used by our club.
So, I have decided that my fingers will be rested and viewfromthestand will be mothballed for the immediate future, as I feel my opinions and I reiterate they are my opinions hold no weight on this forum any longer.

[jadegoodiesfridge]

A sad day.I hope you will reconsider.

[david brown]

Enough is enough lads .it is a sad day when comments start to get personal.We all care enough about our club to express our emotions on this page I have been as critical as anyone ,but most certainly do not bear any malice against anyone.Please let all of us show common sense and agree that we have to pull together and get the team winning again even if it means in some cases eating humble pie.We would all prefer to see the team winning points .than all the apparrant points scoring on this page.

[JohnCoffey]

I agree Malpas 69. As a band of supporters we are a close knit community all friends or better still a family of steel. I have posted on this forum for many years Some of my posts have been slated , some have been applauded. This can be said of every other contributor to this forum. People will have differing opinions and sometimes after discussion a conclusion cannot be found therefore , in the past we have begged to differ but there is a conclusion and that's where the thread has ended. Most of all there is no ill feeling. We then move onto the next game and it all starts again , with a fresh set of opinions. A new discussion whereby all previous posts have been forgotten. it s a new dawn to a new day etc.That's until this season where we have a new contributor Mr John Coffey who seems to hold grudges and has a better knowledge and understanding of the game than any other person who has ever written on this forum. A person who has managed in a short time to cause ill feeling on this site. Mr Coffey has a fine understanding of the game and has obviously some sound knowledge of people still operating in the higher echelons of Welsh Rugby . His knowledge would be very beneficial to all involved in the running of our club but when asked to assist there is always an excuse as to why he can't . He has been on our young coaches backs since very early on this season. I ask this question Mr Coffey have you got a hidden agenda.
I will not be replying to any reply from Mr Coffey on this site. I would however suggest a meeting with chairman, committee and coaches of our club and let s workout in what capacity your knowledge and expertise can be best used by our club.
So, I have decided that my fingers will be rested and viewfromthestand will be mothballed for the immediate future, as I feel my opinions and I reiterate they are my opinions hold no weight on this forum any longer.

I agree with David Brown “enough is enough” but clearly I have to reply to the above post.
It seems to resent the introduction of a new contributor – I’m sure that isn’t the intention but please don’t confuse a new contributor as someone who is a new supporter. I started contributing because I don’t want to see this great club languishing at the foot of the ‘east conference’ with the worst playing record by any measure. I have considered it at times before but the depressions have always lifted - I fear the current situation is starting to look permanent.
Like VFTS, & everyone else, some of my posts have been slated & some applauded, & I accept that. Rugby is a sport followed by impassioned people & like all other sports, & especially rugby & especially in Wales, it is full of opinions. There’s nothing wrong with that. But we shouldn’t interpret another persons opinion, if different from ours, as someone who holds grudges & has a hidden agenda.
There are many people on this board who share my opinion & many who don’t - & I accept that. I have never posted anything personal about any other poster & so I resent that accusation, whereas the above post is quite clearly a personal attack & designed to be so.
My hidden agenda – I want to see Ebbw Vale consistently near the top of the Premiership table & what’s wrong with that. It has been clear from very early on that there are issues with our game which are not improving.
I have no ill feeling toward anybody on this forum, & am happy to close the debate after one game & move toward the next & put to bed all previous discussions - & indeed there is clear evidence that I have done that. I am not alone in prolonging this particular thread & that is probably because as each game passes we are getting more concerned about the future. I have always thought that robust debate is a positive thing.
Everybody in Wales knows someone who knows someone who knows someone in the higher echelons of Welsh rugby – that is not unique.
Where the post is entirely wrong is that I have never offered an excuse as to why I can’t assist the club because I have never been asked to assist the club but maybe like other posters who can’t assist there are other aspects to my life which make it impossible. I am not unique in that - but I pay my money & I am entitled to an opinion – as is everyone else.
I will be disappointed to see you go because although we have our differences of opinion I welcome that & find it stimulating & I repeat I have never issued a personal attack against anyone, hold no grudges & have no hidden agenda.

That's my final post on this thread.