Sack Adam O’Brien

[mickmcc]

Yep if you've got smaller forwards who move across the ground quicker, the only advantage you could possibly have physically is defensive line speed.

Manly have got bigger & stronger forwards, but ones who are lower on lateral mobility, and honestly some of their players are just really old now and they're going to struggle more if you force them to make more high speed efforts.

So if you want to get rolling - stretch the line first, go back the other way and force Brooks or especially DCE into making the first up contact on a back rower or centre. Quick play the ball, then see how committed the defensive line is to sliding the other way and preventing an overlap or mismatch on the other edge. Losing Lehi early in the game, which forced Ben Turbo to mark up on Gagai, gave us a constant mismatch to exploit... but honestly if we kept playing the way we did in the first half, we wouldn't have given Dane any chance to do so.

And then if you start making breaks those same bigger, slower middles have to hustle back in D to defend their line. More gas out of the tank. More disorganisation and disarray in the line. Opportunities.

It's not going to work against everyone, but if you want to know how the Dogs have been one of the better field position sides over the last couple of seasons with a pack full of smaller, lighter forwards (besides Max King & Suluka-Fifita, who only plays 15 minutes a game) and utilities, this is how. They get rolling by attacking the edges, by turning the game into a "track meet" as they say in basketball parlance. And then if you generate time and space and all of a sudden you've got the wrong defender on Stephen Crichton (which is half the defenders in the comp)... good things happen.

It's not a "win every game" cheat code (the Dogs just this year got neutralised by a good defensive game by Brisbane's big outside backs & Payne Haas gapping their little forwards through the middle)... but it's a style of play which aligns with the roster.

100% this. Once you get those bigger forwards hustling back , you get chances of Sharpe catching them napping with his speed and footwork. As well as bringing more 6 agains into the game. Trying to knock the front door down with a much smaller pack in craziness. As we saw in the first half and many other games this year.

Not sure if anyone saw the 9 footy show last Sunday morning and Fittler was scathing of the Knights and Broncos lack of ball movement. He showed clips of the Tigers throwing it around in their comeback last week ( admittedly yhey didn't win but got close ) , and how well they attacked. Basically said Knights and Broncos you need to take note.
Cameron Smith was also saying in the commentary last night , they have to move it wider earlier , then go back the other way. Move some players around , wait for a gap to appear.

Second half , what happens.

 

[bremsstrahlung]

Good presser from AOB.
Thought he spoke well.
Addressed the comments and explained them. No hard feelings. Think the educated supporters will understand and appreciate his words, put it down to an emotional response (same as the booing) and move on.
I can’t fault him for his defence of our players.

I still think he’s a little delusional re our gameplan and that’s personal preference that I just don’t like to watch the way we play.

Coaching is a terrible job. I’d argue refereeing is probably equally as bad, if not worse. Rarely is anybody pleased with you. Reffed soccer for years and some of the things I heard and saw, were horrifying as a 16-20 year old. Had people follow me to my car etc. There’s some pretty terrible people out there in the world.

I think as a head coach of an NRL team, you are subjected to the same levels of criticism as CEOs of companies, doctors etc. Everyone has an opinion. You listen to those that matter to you. It’s certainly not for everyone and it does suck if you don’t get much positive feedback. Often “no feedback is good feedback”.

The Schiller stuff is disgraceful. Think it’s the UK where they started policing things like this like ACTUAL threats, because well, they are. Nobody should be subjected to that.

 

[R_A]

If thats our full strength team out there at halftime, then its justified. We had 5 players with less than 15 NRL games. Lost Friz early, and he was our only pretend prop!
Due an apology, but I think the dislike for AOB is driving everyones opinions on this.

I'm sure Paul Crawley will give us is irrelevant 2 cents at some point to fill his quota on commenting on everything involving AOB

 

[Rupert Murdoch]

So on nine Gal interviewed KPP in the sheds. I have to rewatch to exactly remember, but he said the coach said throw the ball around in the second half.

Actually video or It did not happen.

 

[Kurriboy]

I think if you take on such a public role, you do so knowing you are going to get feedback from that public. You need to be accepting of that and separate the criticism or feedback from the person.

I work in a job where I get direct feedback about my decisions, or the rules, as long as they are f bombing that stuff it's ok, but attack me personally is the line.

I also have a bunch of performance metrics I need to meet monthly, if I'm not, I'll be getting feedback about it. I can't say oh but I'm a human being it's not fair.

AOB, players etc are going to cop feedback. Booing is feedback. Death threats are personal.

I don't know AOB, I've never attacked him personally. But his coaching to me is rubbish. That's nothing personal. Results business and he isn't producing to what I hoped.

The booing isn't personal, it's just feedback. Maybe see it as a sign the fans are sick of seeing the same tripe. Change things.

 

[Rupert Murdoch]

That win was in spite of Obi , not because of him!

This Is the most Newcastle thing I read on the forum this morning.

 

[Defence wins games]

Can anyone at the ground confirm pre game AOB booing when the coach was announced. That is important information in the context of the half time booing.

Someone said it didn't sound like the AJ stand booing. And on the cameras on TV it sounded more closer to a mic than general stadium booing, which could indicate the eastern stand booing.

They pay the most for their tickets in their sun shielded wonderland. They have more money invested to be booing.

We do recall Adam O’Brien being booed when his name was announced before the game kicked off.
We are on the 50 m line in the AJ stand and didn’t hear the alleged booing at half time, but definitely heard booing when O’brien’s name was introduced with the team.

 

[Newygirl]

I don’t go to the game but I had family that did and they said the loudest boo was actually for AOB when they flashed him on the big screen.

Given the comments everywhere seem to be the same, I thought the booing was probably more directed at him than the players just watching it on TV. Nobody likes him and they’ve had enough. I think he’s also well aware of that and this got his back up.

I understand him wanting to protect the players but Jesus read the room. These fans have put up with so much crap from this club for two decades yet still show up in numbers. He has the nerve to say they don’t know anything about league yet he’s the one that’s dished up 10 scoreless halves with his awful game plans.

The players can actually play, they proved that and they proved his game plan is wrong. His game plan causes the errors because they’re swarmed in defence and offer nothing in attack so there’s no reprieve. They’re just forced to defend the whole game.

Anyone who messages a player privately to abuse them should seek help. That’s disgusting behaviour. I hope he reports it. Nobody should have to cop that

 

[Defence wins games]

I think if you take on such a public role, you do so knowing you are going to get feedback from that public. You need to be accepting of that and separate the criticism or feedback from the person.

I work in a job where I get direct feedback about my decisions, or the rules, as long as they are f bombing that stuff it's ok, but attack me personally is the line.

I also have a bunch of performance metrics I need to meet monthly, if I'm not, I'll be getting feedback about it. I can't say oh but I'm a human being it's not fair.

AOB, players etc are going to cop feedback. Booing is feedback. Death threats are personal.

I don't know AOB, I've never attacked him personally. But his coaching to me is rubbish. That's nothing personal. Results business and he isn't producing to what I hoped.

The booing isn't personal, it's just feedback. Maybe see it as a sign the fans are sick of seeing the same tripe. Change things.

This is written with excellence, and from positions in mainstream occupations in modern society.
This is reality, and is correct.
Adam O’Brien’s press conference response was emotional, selfish and a cheap shot at a very knowledgeable Newcastle Knights supporter base.

 

[OnTilt]

I'll have to watch it back. I just remember them being killed through the middle but a lot of the game in that half was played coming out of our own 20 & you need a bit more of the field available to play expansively in your own half.

We seemed to go ok until the first interchange and after that I just remeber thinking we looked like little kids trying to tackle men and we were really struggling to hold the middle together.

 

[Sarge]

This is written with excellence, and from positions in mainstream occupations in modern society.
This is reality, and is correct.
Adam O’Brien’s press conference response was emotional, selfish and a cheap shot at a very knowledgeable Newcastle Knights supporter base.

As someone said , it reeks of feeling very insecure!

 

[Les Misérables]

I think AOB spoke purely from emotion, and unfortunately, it came across poorly. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s an apology today. That said, I don’t blame him for sticking up for his players—he just didn’t express his message in the most appropriate way.

Yes, I’m in the camp that thinks we may need a coaching change. But I genuinely believe he’s trying his hardest, as are the team.

I also want to offer an alternate perspective.

I work in an industry with a high suicide rate, where online abuse, bullying, and harsh opinions are sadly among the reasons some of my colleagues have taken their own lives. Not just random names—people I’ve actually known. I’ve been slammed online by clients despite having done nothing wrong.

So I can only imagine how hard it must be for players and coaches to read some of what’s written and not have emotional reactions. Booing no doubt would also hurt. Just look at the death threats Schiller received last night, that’s next level fk up. I hope he is getting the support he needs.

It’s a different story if the team wasn’t trying, but clearly they were. It’s just not been clicking. It was great to finally see some attacking play come together and stick.

Serious question, how long have you known Adam OBrien personally?

No question that his apology is sincere and the points you make are generally valid. But we are a competitive sports club. People's lives are made or broken on nothing other than their ability to perform.

I dont have any sympathy for him. He's made millions offering mediocre results. And now he's offering up these embarrassing representations of our club, notwithstanding the insult to fans. **** him

 

[Kurriboy]

AOB has to get some credit for the turnaround also. Can't kick him in the bum when we lose, and not give some credit when we win.

If the squad played like that second half more consistently, this thread doesn't exist.

 

[Thailands Novacastrian]

AOB has to get some credit for the turnaround also. Can't kick him in the bum when we lose, and not give some credit when we win.

If the squad played like that second half more consistently, this thread doesn't exist.

So he should get credit for finally throwing he's crap game plan to the curb after yet another scoreless 1st half
Nah he don't deserve credit
For finally waking up and doing he's friggen job

 

[JOJO82]

Honestly that win last night was a big up yours to AOB.... After the game Gags was interviewed and they asked him what inspired the second half performance.

He said that he and a few others had identified Ben Turbo was out in the centres and they could exploit it, they stuck with it and it worked.

No way in a millions years is AOB clever enough to identify a weakness and use it to our advantage as we have seen time and time again.

So go have a cry Adam about the booing, it was more for you.

 

[Les Misérables]

Honestly that win last night was a big up yours to AOB.... After the game Gags was interviewed and they asked him what inspired the second half performance.

He said that he and a few others had identified Ben Turbo was out in the centres and they could exploit it, they stuck with it and it worked.

No way in a millions years is AOB clever enough to identify a weakness and use it to our advantage as we have seen time and time again.

So go have a cry Adam about the booing, it was more for you.

Exactly.

That win wasn't due to OB's coaching, it was in spite of his coaching.

 

[Good Times]

Exactly.

That win wasn't due to OB's coaching, it was in spite of his coaching.

Wonder how many games we've lost in spite of AOB's coaching then, if the point now is that the coaching is irrelevant.

 

[Tackleslikeagirl]

Serious question, how long have you known Adam OBrien personally?

No question that his apology is sincere and the points you make are generally valid. But we are a competitive sports club. People's lives are made or broken on nothing other than their ability to perform.

I dont have any sympathy for him. He's made millions offering mediocre results. And now he's offering up these embarrassing representations of our club, notwithstanding the insult to fans. **** him

Why do you think I know AOB because I offer an alternate opinion of empathy?

I live 5 hours away from Newy and have a busy life so other than having been in the same stadium as AOB on a few occasions that’s about as close as I’ve ever been to meeting him.

Football is sport, an interest (passing or serious) maybe even as hard core as a religion for some of us. As for players a few who are talented and they will see success at the highest level but to say people’s lives are made or broken is a tad dramatic? It’s not life and death. At the elite level it’s a job, while it might be a dream job it’s still a job. Other than people who gamble their paycheques and loose their assets/savings, do football results generally destroy lives? If it does people need to seek help like the moron abusing Schiller.

 

[The Gidley flick]

Terrible comments from the coach and he shouldn't have said it but at least he was defending his young players that didn't deserve that reaction from the crowd. In his time here he has said some great things about our fans and always talks about wanting to play well in front of them. He has also been apart of watching us play badly but it falls on him and he looks like it's affecting him, so his comments were just a reaction against those who booing what is essentially his life's passion and something he would most definitely take home with him.
I'm sure most people here would hate it if people started attacking something you spend all of of your time working on. Who would honestly be crazy enough to be a full time coach.
I know I have always asked for the coach to show a little passion and show some kind of reaction in the pressers and he did, he defended the team that those who booed support.
People are frustrated and oh boy do I get it but try being in his shoes for that one.
Maybe the booing was a bit harsh for this game? If it was our full first grade side then maybe it's more warranted I don't know.
The comments by the coach were not good and you shouldn't speak out against the fans and supporters of the team but sometimes something has to be said.
AOB made some great coaching decisions in the 2nd half, he changed players positions and changed the game plan so it's clear there is someone who has at least watched a game there.
I know it sounds like I'm defending him on this one but I just wanted to point out that he was defending his team and his job and so he should.
At least he didn't call people weak gutted dogs

My opinion also

 

[Les Misérables]

Wonder how many games we've lost in spite of AOB's coaching then, if the point now is that the coaching is irrelevant.

Lol his coaching is anything but irrelevant, that's my point.

We won because the players decided to start doing everything that they're seemingly prohibited from doing each week - when we get absolutely pumped.