I have for years respected BKM’s opinions, and still do.....however with respect I do feel you’re loosing quite a bit of credibility with your present stance.
Let’s cut to the issue being paraded this season, local players sign up, but leave apparently disgruntled after a few weeks of the season. Including Fox.
Let’s also put one argument to bed right away......we have not utilised DR or loans to the detriment of local player or other good club men this year.
All clubs have regulars and fringe players, because a coach must always pick what he see’s as his best team,.........meaning a number of players turn out more often than others, because of ability form, team structure, results and commitment, (training, execution of team plan and effort when picked).
Apart from Fox, the players who have left could only class themselves initially as fringe players, as they were pretty much unproven at the start of the season. But like everyone else, they were being given an opportunity to show what they could do......over time......no one has been shipped out, the opportunity was still there, they chose to leave......BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT IN THE TEAM.
If they left, and then simply said they were doing so because they wanted more regular rugby (Tyrone
) then we can all respect that, but in leaving while also claiming (or leading others to claim) they deserved a regular first team role is plainly wrong, because in doing that they are calling into question the club and coaches integrity, judgement and ability.
IMO the coaches integrity, judgement and ability can’t be questioned I’m afraid, as we have only lost one game throughout the season so far....players picked since the season began have always demonstrated their form, ability to slot into team structure, and shown commitment, (training, execution of team plan etc.),......... as that ongoing string of great results has shown.
Because of ‘leavers’, we have now been short of players on and off for a few weeks, and if any one of those who left of their own choice has stuck around, then they would have surely been given an opportunity to show their worth. That’s what rugby and squad structures are all about......the season throws up opportunities.
As has been often stated, Burns and Holliday are clear proof of the above, under like circumstances as the ‘leavers’, these two lads stuck around and are now pretty much accepted regulars and valuable proven squad players.
And Fox ? He was pretty much an accepted regular and valuable proven squad player too. He WOULD have been in the 17 more often than not this season, and could even have been a regular starter. Why he left is to my mind incomprehensibly, unless of course he felt he had lost form, the ability to slot into team structure, or the commitment, (training, and execution of team plan). The only other possibility would be that he had lost respect for club and / or coach. In either case he was right to leave, because respect, form and commitment are essential, without those you probably cannot give of your best when the chips are down, and the club/ team are reliant on you.
My advice BKM is to move on, let it go, return to the fold and support the team you have loved and accept that so many things have gone right this season, when so many of us expected they wouldn’t early on in the year.
We have a good coach, good team for this division, and may yet even secure promotion. We need your support and you need to get back supporting the club you love.
On a slight side issue, how many of those leavers have taken money out of the club this year, no matter how little, which now could have been used to secure the odd extra signing at this crucial part of the season. I don’t know for certain, but the comings and goings must have cost something...cash we can now ill afford to have lost.
