At the moment Delaney isn't available. Smith, BJB and Hardaker have all been unavailable so bringing Watkins off the wing might not be an option. Besides, Watkins has looked much more comfortable there than he did at centre when many fans on here were calling for his head.



With Hauraki now joining Ali on the injured list moving a second rower might not be an option.



All I am saying is that there may not be a better option available at this moment in time. If there isn't, there is little point dropping a player to "punish" him for a poor run of form. Especially a player who, when on form, can still be one of the best in the competition. If options become available and his form doesn't improve then by all means make the move. Now doesn't appear to be that time.

And the message to the players becomes "play as badly as you like lads, you're not going to lose your place because I haven't gone anyone else"?

Would you prefer the message to be "I'll drop one of our longest serving and most decorated players 9 games to teach him a lesson"?



With the problems that will no doubt come from a poor set of results I am sure a new coach would not want to divide his dressing room at this moment in time.

I'd prefer it to be "if you don't perform over a run of games your place is in jeopardy".



If the dressing room divides because one of its number gets left out after a poor performance then that says much more about a poor attitude amongst the players than it does about the coach.



What's the point having someone in place to manage team affairs if he's too worried about upsetting the players to do what he thinks is necessary?



Personally, reading McDermott's comments after the game, I expect to see some changes this week. I'd be surprised however if it's one of the "big" names that gets left out, more likely to be a fringe player such as Pitts or Clarkson that gets the bullet.

For me Wigan last season were a classic example of a team that played well. You can have a squad of superstars but if they don't gel as a team you'll win nothing. It's also a reason why come the end of the season all the supposedly best players get picked for internationals and don't look half as good as they did for their club because it was the team that made them look good, not them that made the team good.

I can't help but feel that Brian McDermott is going to be another Daryl Powell.



I just can't decide if Brian has got the job of doing the clearing out and building another team for someone else, or if he's going to be a nearly coach where another coach takes over this team and achieves more than him with the same squad

Sadly I agree with the last part, After calling the team "soft" I would have thought some changes would be made, but sadly only frindge players will be dropped. Mind you maybe we dont have the bodies back to make any serious chsnges.

Bump for subject question.

What's the shortest reign for a Leeds coach?

118 118

999?

Graham Murray was a great coach, but even Clark Kent couldn't solve all our defensive problems at the moment.