It was always going to be hard to replicate the number of wins last year without new signings but the total collapse of the season, with it being over by Halloween and us realistically looking like being in a dogfight for worst Welsh region with the Scarlets, is down largely to a catastrophic philosophical error by Booth.
We have tried to change our style too fast and without good reason.
I no longer have faith in Booth as the person to take us forward. We have so many players out of contract that there is a chance to reshape the squad. What we need is someone who understands how to build a squad - where is the evidence Booth understands this? This is a huge recruitment window and I do not see how you can trust someone who has tried to impose expansive rugby on this set of players to recruit to an effective plan.
We should be a direct and physical team - a failure to be this has cost us wins against the Turks, Dragons, Stormers and Lions. Now we’re looking at not having a winnable game until the end of December.
We are staring down the barrel a bit, selection is patchy and the gameplans are going against what we have. If we do get rid of Booth whom else is coming into the insane asylum that is Welsh rugby?
I think we were stuck between a rock and a hard place for so many issues.
Yes we won the Welsh Shield but we missed out on the playoffs through a lack of try BPs so we alter the way we play and that has resulted in the poor results.
Morgan Morris was a unanimous POTY for everyone last year but this year he has made some poor mistakes that have cost us tries that have ended up costing us games.
We signed some players to contracts who then turned out to be busts so we missed out on being able to sign NWQ replacements.
We signed an inexperienced attack coach who could not devise an attack with the players we had so we went and signed an even more inexperienced attack coach.
It is not easy to plan to win games when at least 23 of your better players are not available to you. In what other sport does that happen?
We all know that the WRU are royally messing things up with the 38. I was told on Saturday that somehow Cardiff have at least 5 of their backrow in the 38. We are providing 14 players to Wales but not all of them are in the 38 so we are not being compensated for them.
There are a lot of players who are Out of Contract at the end of the season. The big question is do we allow Booth the chance to finally be able to build a squad in his own image and recruit quality NWQs or do we look for a replacement Head Coach and allow him the same opportunity?
I can say that the Ospreys are in a far more favourable place off the field than they have ever been, and I am optimistic that we will get the Squad more balanced and full of quality that stands us during the international windows.
We have a MUCH stronger squad NOW than the one under Clarke.
Both draws were achieved by the skin of our teeth, I certainly don't claim either as acceptable especially the one against Scarlets .
Your views don't apportion any blame on Booth but against finances, he picked the teams, and I fully understand the Connacht and Ulster selections but to loose matches or DRAW matches with fully loaded teams is I repeat unacceptable.
Whilst I partially agree with those sentiments I think the position is far more nuanced. Booth's skillset is set piece and he has had to work heavily on defence to support Darren Edwards who is not a specialist defence coach The big issue is that he does not understand how to build an attack and has brought in Fussell to build an attack for him. This is clearly a cost decision and Fussell is likely to be a very good skills coach but the attack needs to start with somebody who can devise patterns and select players who can get over the gain line and get numbers to the breakdown when needed. Sometimes it is simple attack patterns that players can understand that are the most effective. I think we need to reassess our whole approach to attack because the system looks too complex for the players to handle and bring in a more direct system and put it in the hands of someody who knows how to run a direct system and how to build attack in a way players can comprehend
Totally agree with you, I am really hurt by the awful rugby we are currently turning out, it’s worst than previous seasons and I hate the fact that the apologists straight away point go out improved scrummage and driving mauls etc, but guess what? All the other sides have improved scrummaging and driving mauls, yes, even the Drags.
Couldn't agree more the buck stops with Booth.
A complete and utter disaster.
This stands in results comparison with Clarke and Millward era.