The enigma that is Brian Smith.

[Guest]

It's also worth noting that Newcastle didn't really put up much of a fight to keep him

And who replaced him? Rick Stone. Not a marquee signing but they preferred him over Smith.

Let's face it, we've not had a decent coach since the Muppet.

[bondi paul]

Being bored at work I’ve given some thought to our much maligned coach and I think I’ve figured out why Brian hasn’t won a premiership and why, imo, he never will.

Smith is on record as stating he has no defined coaching style, strategy or game plan that he employs or trains his chargers to follow. Rather he prepares his side based on what he perceives are his opposition’s weaknesses, which is different for each team and therefore he has to prepare his team differently each week. This over complicates the game and confuses his players; particularly the less experienced ones as their roles will change from game to game due to Smith’s ever changing game plans. Mortimer confirmed this in a recent interview where he stated the Roosters have a very “adhoc/adlib” approach to games rather than have a tested and refined strategy that the team consistently follows.

It is also a well known fact that Smith’s background is as a school teacher and he prefers to coach younger players as his “school teacher” approach to coaching grates on older, more established players. Whereas the younger guys are more inclined to accept this method of coaching as most of them are fresh out of school anyway and are accustomed to it.

To me these two parts of Smith’s coaching are in direct contrast. School teacher thinking is regimented, structured, refined and based on tried and tested methods that work. Whereas his coaching is the direct opposite of that thinking being adhoc and adlib and changing from week to week.

This contrasting approach can work if the stars/players align ala Parramatta 2001, where he had the perfect balance between power and finesse, speed, youth and experience. The 2001 Eels were downright unstoppable and if it wasn’t for the fact Andrew Johns got a hold of some really energising coke and tore the 2001 GF apart; Smith would have won a title. (Oh by the way mods- John’s admitted to taking coke before that GF in his autobiography). This fluky balance occurred again in 2010 when Smith had Carney and a whole bunch of luck. I’m purposely ignoring 1992-93 as I don’t remember much form back then and can’t comment on the Dragons roster at that time.

The problem I see with Smith is while he’s had two “successes” in the past 10 years getting teams to Grand Final’s, he refuses to refine or learn to coach any other way than he has been for the 26 years he’s been in the game. He stubbornly adheres to his contrasting method of coaching come what may. And that is why I am beginning to believe his coaching approach will never win him a title.

Chook.

well said and written chook. never been a smith fan.i dislike the term loser but my opinion of smith is he is not a winner. his poor game plans are mentioned here numerous times and it was glaringly obvious he never implemented plan b in our recent grand final once the rain commenced.
the signing of weirdo elliott to be co coach is bewildering. people think politis gets what he wants but it is clearly evident those people whether quality coaches or players dont want politis nor smith and elliott.the roosters would have been better in keeping cleary or resigning him.he obviously has the x factor. 3 teams in last years grand finals.

[SConcierge]

It should be pointed out while everyone is crapping on about Bellamy being the messiah that he has never won anything without cheating the salary cap, and that he had absolutley nuthen when he coached origin and the heart of his salary cap cheating side in Slater, Smith, Inglis & co were playing for the other side.

Smith is doing ok. The team is just limited by some ordinary players in key positions. That's not his fault.

True BUT it should also be pointed out that every team is trying to copy his style of game!! Except for us of course we couldnt wrestle our lunch out of a brown paper bag. Also mate being realistic which coach could have won those SOO games?? lets put things into perspective eh.
So what is it exactly that Smith is doing ok?

[Guest]

Since 1991 until 2011, in that 20 years Smithy would have gone the way of Shine, Frier etc if he really couldnt coach.

The thing is he goes to club, does OK then the next few years are duds. Do the players lose faith after year 1 ?

Atm our side looks very poorly coached, that may change. Hard to figure how we go from contenders, looking really sharp to a side that looks like a quickly formed pub side.

I would reckon, that if 2012 goes badly, Smithys for the shove.

[redwhiteblue]

True BUT it should also be pointed out that every team is trying to copy his style of game!! Except for us of course we couldnt wrestle our lunch out of a brown paper bag. Also mate being realistic which coach could have won those SOO games?? lets put things into perspective eh.
So what is it exactly that Smith is doing ok?

He got a bunch of headline grabbing misfits & no-names into a grand final after a wooden spoon year without the assistance of two sets of books..

[Ray Stehr]

I doubt anyone would be succesfull with this current team.

[Red.]

The real problem at Easts, IMHO, is that we have no patience.

Players and coaches are discarded way too quickly.

I reckon the only coach in the last 20 years that wasn't constantly looking over his shoulder was Gus and even he couldn't win us a premiership.

Give him time and give him job security and I reckon he will develop a very, very good team.

[Guest]

True BUT it should also be pointed out that every team is trying to copy his style of game!! Except for us of course we couldnt wrestle our lunch out of a brown paper bag. Also mate being realistic which coach could have won those SOO games?? lets put things into perspective eh.
So what is it exactly that Smith is doing ok?

Yeah. Good post mate. Teams are only copying Bellamy's wrestling tactics because they have to. It's not in the spirit of the game, it's pretty much a form of cheating, but like anything once somebody starts cheating and getting away with it then everyone else has to do it to keep up. Its a horrible blight on the game and coaches would much rather not do it but they have to because Bellamy is doing it. That's Bellamy's legacy. Cheating the salary cap and wrestling.

Smith is doing plenty of things ok. Besides the achievements of 2010 he has also won 5 of the last 6 games after last year was sabotaged by Carney and Smith had to start again. Everyone is panicking after the Penrith game but forgetting we won the 5 games before that.

[SConcierge]

He got a bunch of headline grabbing misfits & no-names into a grand final after a wooden spoon year without the assistance of two sets of books..

I asked what Smith is doing OK .... NOT what carney did!!

[SConcierge]

Yeah. Good post mate. Teams are only copying Bellamy's wrestling tactics because they have to. It's not in the spirit of the game, it's pretty much a form of cheating, but like anything once somebody starts cheating and getting away with it then everyone else has to do it to keep up. Its a horrible blight on the game and coaches would much rather not do it but they have to because Bellamy is doing it. That's Bellamy's legacy. Cheating the salary cap and wrestling.

Smith is doing plenty of things ok. Besides the achievements of 2010 he has also won 5 of the last 6 games after last year was sabotaged by Carney and Smith had to start again. Everyone is panicking after the Penrith game but forgetting we won the 5 games before that.

I agree it is rubbish but these days U have to have the wrestle and defense in order and we dont havnt since 04...I am not in a panick that we lost I am just fully annoyed that you can come out after a preseason unfit and fricken disorganised we had absolutly nothing and I am not accepting this its only rnd 3 rubbish.. Its piss poor that we have 3 THREE first grade coaches in the club and we could not even beat an egg.

[Guest]

he goes to club, does OK then the next few years are duds. Do the players lose faith after year 1 ?

Care to explain what you base that on? He made back-to-back grand finals with the Dragons, and made the finals 8 out of 10 years with the Eels including 2 minor premierships. Both clubs had been lingering in the cellar for years before he took charge btw. Also 2011 was the first time in Smithy's entire 20-odd year career that his team did worse in the second year of his coaching tenure than the first.

[stsae]

And who replaced him? Rick Stone. Not a marquee signing but they preferred him over Smith.

Let's face it, we've not had a decent coach since the Muppet.

Garbage, they preferred Waynekerr over Stoned. Smiff had already asked for a release, they cut their losses, as they were within their rights to do.

Muppet, you don't mean Graham do you??? Cos I always thought Muppet was Mark, the ex-QLD 1/2. And he was a shit coach.

IMO our best coach since Bozo was Gus.

[stsae]

The real problem at Easts, IMHO, is that we have no patience.

Players and coaches are discarded way too quickly.

I reckon the only coach in the last 20 years that wasn't constantly looking over his shoulder was Gus and even he couldn't win us a premiership.

Give him time and give him job security and I reckon he will develop a very, very good team.

I couldn't have said it better myself mate.

[stsae]

I agree it is rubbish but these days U have to have the wrestle and defense in order and we dont havnt since 04...I am not in a panick that we lost I am just fully annoyed that you can come out after a preseason unfit and fricken disorganised we had absolutly nothing and I am not accepting this its only rnd 3 rubbish.. Its piss poor that we have 3 THREE first grade coaches in the club and we could not even beat an egg.

So how many coaches have we had not wrestling since 04???

Why just blame Smiff after 2 games???

Boing.

BTW would it surprise you to hear the players didn't follow the game plan last week??? That's what I've heard from someone I trust and knows people involved with the team. Others here know who I mean.

Fark me some of you are tanty chukkas. I don't know what's going on after 2 weeks, I'm gonna stamp my feet and tear up. Man up you gaylords FFS. So LOL@Souffs like it's embarrassing.

As I've said many times if it's going on later in the season, the coaches and players will be the 1st to know about it, cos they will get the arse.

[stsae]

Being bored at work I’ve given some thought to our much maligned coach and I think I’ve figured out why Brian hasn’t won a premiership and why, imo, he never will.

Smith is on record as stating he has no defined coaching style, strategy or game plan that he employs or trains his chargers to follow. Rather he prepares his side based on what he perceives are his opposition’s weaknesses, which is different for each team and therefore he has to prepare his team differently each week. This over complicates the game and confuses his players; particularly the less experienced ones as their roles will change from game to game due to Smith’s ever changing game plans. Mortimer confirmed this in a recent interview where he stated the Roosters have a very “adhoc/adlib” approach to games rather than have a tested and refined strategy that the team consistently follows.

It is also a well known fact that Smith’s background is as a school teacher and he prefers to coach younger players as his “school teacher” approach to coaching grates on older, more established players. Whereas the younger guys are more inclined to accept this method of coaching as most of them are fresh out of school anyway and are accustomed to it.

To me these two parts of Smith’s coaching are in direct contrast. School teacher thinking is regimented, structured, refined and based on tried and tested methods that work. Whereas his coaching is the direct opposite of that thinking being adhoc and adlib and changing from week to week.

This contrasting approach can work if the stars/players align ala Parramatta 2001, where he had the perfect balance between power and finesse, speed, youth and experience. The 2001 Eels were downright unstoppable and if it wasn’t for the fact Andrew Johns got a hold of some really energising coke and tore the 2001 GF apart; Smith would have won a title. (Oh by the way mods- John’s admitted to taking coke before that GF in his autobiography). This fluky balance occurred again in 2010 when Smith had Carney and a whole bunch of luck. I’m purposely ignoring 1992-93 as I don’t remember much form back then and can’t comment on the Dragons roster at that time.

The problem I see with Smith is while he’s had two “successes” in the past 10 years getting teams to Grand Final’s, he refuses to refine or learn to coach any other way than he has been for the 26 years he’s been in the game. He stubbornly adheres to his contrasting method of coaching come what may. And that is why I am beginning to believe his coaching approach will never win him a title.

Chook.

Great post Chook.

I may not agree with it all, but at least you think for yourself and don't just post reactive rhetoric like a lot of the goobers who post too often.