Bradford Bulls new coach, runners and riders.

[Mumby Magic]

According to me:

Brian Noble

Rhys Lovegrove

Leon Pryce

Any others. Remember we won't spend aload under Wood.

[Blind side johnny]

Well, allegedly Lee Greenwood isn't applying as the money won't compensate for giving up his proper job.

You may need to aim lower!

[The Blues Ox]

Throwing random names about but how about Liam Finn? Maybe could be tempted by the bigger budget he would have to spend at Bradford and a very shrewd rugby league mind.

Ive seen Richard Marshall mentioned but I don't think he is cut out for the head coaches role and with the culture that Bradford have would be a recipe for disaster in my opinion.

[David Shepherd]

Hope Pryce isn’t interested. Doing a cracking job at a Fev club pushing for promotion. It’d be a bit of a step down going to Bradford

[Mumby Magic]

Shows our potential when that's my last tbh. Brian Mcdermott maybe?

[Fevrover]

McDermott in on loan ?

[Wolford6]

We had fewer than 3000 attendance on Sunday and 20%(?) of those will maybe only have come because they've paid for season tickets. A few more gaes like that and the business plan will go to pot.

Nigel Wood needs to demonstrate that the club has a credible programme to reach the playoffs this season.

He won't do that unless he can get the players on board. If I was one  of those players who has been left out to accommodate a Leeds player , I wouldn't want a coach who's already allied to the management regime.

For me, that would eliminate Brian Noble.

Edited May 16, 2023 by Wolford6

[Expatknight]

31 minutes ago, Wolford6 said:

We had fewer than 3000 attendance on Sunday and 20%(?) of those will maybe only have come because they've paid for season tickets. A few more gaes like that and the business plan will go to pot.

Nigel Wood needs to demonstrate that the club has a credible programme to reach the playoffs this season.

He won't do that unless he can get the players on board. If I was one  of those players who has been left out to accommodate a Leeds player , I wouldn't want a coach who's already allied to the management regime.

For me, that would eliminate Brian Noble.

In my opinion for what it’s worth, they need to go for one of the younger coaches out there, not  one of the old school, no disrespect to Brian Noble, who was a Bradford Legend and a top coach in his day, but the game has moved on and is different now to when he played and last coached. Lovegrove could be a good fit, he will certainly have the determination to show his previous employers they were wrong to dispense with his services. 

[The Blues Ox]

8 hours ago, Wolford6 said:

We had fewer than 3000 attendance on Sunday and 20%(?) of those will maybe only have come because they've paid for season tickets. A few more gaes like that and the business plan will go to pot.

Nigel Wood needs to demonstrate that the club has a credible programme to reach the playoffs this season.

He won't do that unless he can get the players on board. If I was one  of those players who has been left out to accommodate a Leeds player , I wouldn't want a coach who's already allied to the management regime.

For me, that would eliminate Brian Noble.

Because of a lot of posts on here about Bradford lately I have to make it clear any digs i get in are in jest and friendly banter. I don't hate Bradford and I have a number of good friends who are Bradford fans and their fans have had it tough now for a while.

That out of the way I just get the sense that they are in a slow spiral down before heading out of control again. Anyone who followed all the news surrounding the move to Dewsbury and the discussions that took part must be thinking that there is no way on earth that Bradford are even breaking even this season. It does not take a rocket scientest to see that their squad spend is huge, and it would be a surprise if they were not having the 2nd/3rd highest spend in the league and all these panic moves, loans, sackings, just seem to suggest the owners feel like they should be doing better than they are. I mean they are not in a bad position in the league but you get the feeling a lot more was expected and those expectations normally come about from money spent.

In theory Bradford should have people lining up out of the door wanting the job but the reality seems to be its not as desirable job as it should be. Like for a new coach this season has probably gone in terms of player changes and its clear a big clear out it needed but for an aspiring coach having that sort of spend available has to attract somebody decent.

[Just Browny]

Radford?

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Pity Danny Ward probably isn't available.

[TrueBull]

It’ll come down to wage, but also assurances & guarantees on budget going forwards. 

[Tubby]

17 minutes ago, Chronicler of Chiswick said:

Pity Danny Ward probably isn't available.

Are you sure he couldn't be? It wouldn't surprise me.

Edited May 17, 2023 by Tubby

[Harry Stottle]

12 hours ago, Wolford6 said:

We had fewer than 3000 attendance on Sunday and 20%(?) of those will maybe only have come because they've paid for season tickets. A few more gaes like that and the business plan will go to pot.

Nigel Wood needs to demonstrate that the club has a credible programme to reach the playoffs this season.

He won't do that unless he can get the players on board. If I was one  of those players who has been left out to accommodate a Leeds player , I wouldn't want a coach who's already allied to the management regime.

For me, that would eliminate Brian Noble.

Why anyone would consider Brian Noble for a coaching position I do not know,  he did OK inheriting a team at the Bulls first time round, and given the accolades of saving Wigan with spending over the cap, but what has he done when he had to build a team, even those who had money to spend.

[Tim Streets tache]

How much do you reckon the salary of B-Bulls head coach would be?

[Mumby Magic]

23 minutes ago, Tim Streets tache said:

How much do you reckon the salary of B-Bulls head coach would be?

I reckon 25k tops.

[Amber Avenger]

19 hours ago, Mumby Magic said:

I reckon 25k tops.

Someone on RLfans is claiming a candidate was offered 18k! Think that's a bit unbelievable even for us

On 17/05/2023 at 08:49, The Blues Ox said:

That out of the way I just get the sense that they are in a slow spiral down before heading out of control again. Anyone who followed all the news surrounding the move to Dewsbury and the discussions that took part must be thinking that there is no way on earth that Bradford are even breaking even this season. It does not take a rocket scientest to see that their squad spend is huge, and it would be a surprise if they were not having the 2nd/3rd highest spend in the league and all these panic moves, loans, sackings, just seem to suggest the owners feel like they should be doing better than they are. I mean they are not in a bad position in the league but you get the feeling a lot more was expected and those expectations normally come about from money spent.

In theory Bradford should have people lining up out of the door wanting the job but the reality seems to be its not as desirable job as it should be. Like for a new coach this season has probably gone in terms of player changes and its clear a big clear out it needed but for an aspiring coach having that sort of spend available has to attract somebody decent.

This is a good post. What I would say is "heading out of control again" implies that there has been anyone in control to begin with. I remember reading someone somewhere at the start of 2021 saying the new regime should be praised for keeping things stable - to be honest I suspect at that moment in time the Bulls were one of the few groups of people on the planet thanking their lucky stars for Covid as it totally papered over the cracks of the highly suspect Dewsbury move in and move back. 

It's been (self inflicted) death of a thousand cuts since. I would be surprised if we were in the Top 3 highest spend in the league TBH - not saying money isn't being wasted - but there are a couple of players other people might not touch with a barge pole, even if they are a "name" and we see a result of lack of cohesion on the field.

We're a club of last resort for many - see George Flannigan for one, hailed apparently as an all conquering hero just because he's from Bradford, so it makes great social media content for someone controlling the official accounts with the sense of humour of a pre-pubescent boy. With his last 10 game ban, he should have been out the door, yet we give him a contract extension. Not sure which other club would have taken him, not who would we have got to replace him. Bradford "legend" my absolute backside and sums up the state of the club in so many ways. 

Like anything the attitude at the club comes from the top. I said the other day, what's our short to medium term objective? Publicly we haven't a clue, except occasional mumbles about Super League. How can any coach come into that and make a difference. The brand has become toxic, and it can be changed, but there is no desire that I can see to do that.

At every change of owner since 2012 I - and others - have highlighted the need to have an open dialogue with the fans, and it's never really happened. The current regime is the worst of the lot in this regard