Mike Ford

[tsof]

Fissler - who's usually spot on when it comes to rumours - has just tweeted that Ford is leaving Bath.

Not surprising given this season but can't help but feel a little disappointed.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Confirmed by Bath

http://www.bathrugby.com/news/mike-ford-leaves-bath-rugby/

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Bit surprised to be honest.
Bath had a crap season but was that all down to him? He won coach of the year last year

 

[Which Tyler]

Fissler - who's usually spot on when it comes to rumours

Sorry, I can't let that go unchallenged. He's really, really not spot on; generally the precise opposite.

Anyway, it seems that Ford's man-management has cost him; there have been rumours of unhappiness in the squad all season; it may be something as simple as Hatley's departure signalling the end of Ford, as he needed someone on the coaching team to clean up his messes.
I'd personally have given him more leeway - I'd said elsewhere that were I Bruce I'd be sounding out potential options; and only pull the trigger now if a perfect option was interested (say Wayne Smith), but otherwise give Ford until Christmas to see if he could turn it around. This season has been as bad as the previous was good; though at no stage has he shown that he knows how to address the issues.
I'd have given hims pre-season and half a season to pull the club together and answer the critics (man-management, rotation, etc) before shopping around; but I'm not too surprised that Bruce is less patient than I.

 

[ncurd]

I think the lack of answer to the problems and loosing so many games through indiscipline were the main factors. TBH its harsh I'd have given him another season but you have owner who's pouring money into the club and wants success badly and was telling us last season its time to stand up and be counted. No European rugby and a bottom third of the table finish just isn't good enough for a club with those ambitions. He probably would of let the group stage drop Europe slide considering the group we drew but the rest yeah you can see the thinking.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Fearns leaving was the start of it all IMO.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Pretty Savage by Bath

The Chronicle understands the news was broken to him this morning. Over the weekend, he was fully expecting to be in charge for pre-season training this summer, and the 2016/17 season.

Read more: http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Bath...tory-29279121-detail/story.html#ixzz48pwRuKAT
Follow us: @BathChron on Twitter | BathChron on Facebook

Will George be happy with that.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Fair point, the reason he went to Bath was because his Dad was there

 

[Which Tyler]

There are rumours floating around that there is a rift between father and son anyway; which may or may not be related to rifts elsewhere between coach and other members of Bath Rugby, making his job untenable.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Interesting stat:

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There definitely seems to be a fair bit more to it than just the results - various comments by people on the fringes of the club suggest so, anyway...<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><iframe id="rufous-sandbox" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: 0px; height: 0px; padding: 0px; border: none;"></iframe>

 

[Peat]

Link to the tweet, as it doesn't seem to be loading?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Last year Eastmond/JJ combo started 14/24 games, this year - 0/24.

Not that I think it has much to do with Ford's dismissal, in all honesty, I don't think the results were the primary factor.

Edit: I see the rumour has already come out on some other forums... won't be long until the journos get hold of it... possibly goes a long way to explaining George's drop-off in performance this season.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

It's a bit football isn't it?

Might be v liberating for George though.

Whoever comes in has a rebuilding job up front. The current mob aren't exactly Cooch, Dawe and Hall in the intimidation stakes.

Agree that Fearns was a big loss. I wonder how divisive Burgess was.

 

[ratsapprentice]

It's a bit football isn't it?

More like footballer's wives, if rumours are to be believed... and it seems like they should.

Don't think Burgess had much to do with it tbh, and I think that situation was more a symptom of the problem, than the problem itself.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

More like footballer's wives, if rumours are to be believed... and it seems like they should.

What rumours?
You can't say something like that then leave us hanging

 

[Peat]

Well, if it's what I've just read then yeah, has to go. What I'd expected after reading certain posts in this thread tbh.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Won't repeat them in public until it's more than just rumour, I don't doubt you'll see it posted somewhere before long though.

 

[Which Tyler]

Me either.
All I will say is that the rumours and evidence of my own eyes about a split dressing room appear to be true and then some.
There also appears to be an unrelated event causing a split between GF and MF.

Slightly unclear which causes the sacking; whilst I trust my sources; I'm not willing to say more on a public forum.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Well, if it's what I've just read then yeah, has to go. What I'd expected after reading certain posts in this thread tbh.

Yeh if true then it was the obvious call

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Just read a couple of opaque insinuations elsewhere. Whatever the truth, it sounds like things may have been lively.