Can Nigel Wood deliver?

[Martyn Sadler]

Now that he is the Chair of the RFL, can Nigel Wood put the organisation on the right track.

Do we have an opportunity for Rugby League in Wales.

And is the long-predicted revival of rugby union in Australia with the arrival of the British and Irish Lions coming undone?

This is my 'Talking Rugby League' column in this week's issue of League Express.

[Hopie]

I wonder how many ways the regular contributors can say no?

[Barley Mow]

Based on two of the three subjects discussed, this should be in cross-code.

The third subject already has at least one long thread discussing it in detail.

Edited July 23 by Barley Mow

[Ethereal]

My mother was a teacher, and when she wrote school reports "tries hard", and "fully committed" etc were always the phrases used when struggling to find positive things to say about a pupil's achievement.

I suspect the diminished criticism is more down to a flurry around the appointment being announced and then people moving on to other topics rather than Martyn's podcast causing mass conversion.

(Also football has been the dominant sport in Wales for decades now).

[The Daddy]

56 minutes ago, Martyn Sadler said:

Now that he is the Chair of the RFL, can Nigel Wood put the organisation on the right track.

Do we have an opportunity for Rugby League in Wales.

And is the long-predicted revival of rugby union in Australia with the arrival of the British and Irish Lions coming undone?

This is my 'Talking Rugby League' column in this week's issue of League Express.

No

[Toby Chopra]

In the end - as both Martyn and Wood's themselves say - those actually employed to do the delivering haven't changed. That is, Tony Sutton, Rhodri Jones and RLCom, and IMG. 

So it would appear Wood has been brought in to ensure better performance by those people and bodies, rather than do it all himself. (Plus save £250k on the board)

 

[Bostik Bailey]

If we look at his track record then NO he won't deliver any long term meaningful improvement to the game.

[JohnM]

Deliver what?

Deliver when? 

What is his role as Chairman?

To what extent is he just a puppet Chairman? 

Is it an executive role? 

Is it correct to say that until formal agreement of the actions mandated by the club-led review is confirmed, nothing changes?

Still, given the junta's distain for following rules,  transparency,  consultation, we won't get meaningful answers. We ALL know in our heart of hearts that the outcome was pre-ordained by the plotters. 

[RigbyLuger]

23 minutes ago, Ethereal said:

(Also football has been the dominant sport in Wales for decades now).

Very true. We do have opportunities in the womens game in Wales, if we can look beyond our noses.

[OriginalMrC]

The answer is no. The evidence of that is based on his previous track record and the fact the conditions for succeeding in a minority sport are even tougher now.

[dkw]

Ive tried to type a reply several times but Im struggling to see the screen properly through streams of tears from laughing.

[Damien]

So this thread repeated again:

Edit: Didn't realise the link picture would be so apt!

 

Edited July 23 by Damien

[Harry Stottle]

11 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Deliver what?

Deliver when? 

What is his role as Chairman?

To what extent is he just a puppet Chairman? 

Is it an executive role? 

Is it correct to say that until formal agreement of the actions mandated by the club-led review is confirmed, nothing changes?

Still, given the junta's distain for following rules,  transparency,  consultation, we won't get meaningful answers. We ALL know in our heart of hearts that the outcome was pre-ordained by the plotters. 

I should imagine your worst nightmare will be if Mr Wood introduces anything positive John, you are actually refusing to give him a chance before you have had the chance to do any evaluation, be patient.

I thought you would be over the moon, he has expressed that the 'Reimagining' lot will be staying in office, albeit I suspect he may be being a bit clever here in that being the experts they are I expect they will be in the front line on the next TV contract negotiations, surely that is there forte so I expect they will acheive nothing less than a substantial increase, won't they?

Junta and Plotters, you are going to run out of descriptives soon John, you must be well into the teens by now with what you conceive to be derogatory terms.

[my missus]

a big fat nothing same as he did the last time he robbed super league.

[Harry Stottle]

6 minutes ago, dkw said:

Ive tried to type a reply several times but Im struggling to see the screen properly through streams of tears from laughing.

Yeah we know, we have seen your laughing emoji response thousands of times.

[Dave T]

What I am interested in is what his role actually is. 

Johnson was NED / Chair of the RFL. I dont think Wood has this role.

@Martyn Sadler any clarity on what is role is?

[Harry Stottle]

3 minutes ago, Dave T said:

What I am interested in is what his role actually is. 

Johnson was NED / Chair of the RFL. I dont think Wood has this role.

@Martyn Sadler any clarity on what is role is?

"However, it’s important to bear in mind that Nigel isn’t returning to the RFL as its chief executive but as the Chairman of its Board of Directors.

Tony Sutton will remain as the RFL CEO and he is the full-time employee who will answer directly to Nigel and the other members of the RFL’s new board of directors.

Nigel is not an Executive Chairman and he will therefore be working in an honorary capacity, not drawing a salary but only drawing his expenses."

[Click]

11 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I should imagine your worst nightmare will be if Mr Wood introduces anything positive John, you are actually refusing to give him a chance before you have had the chance to do any evaluation, be patient.

I thought you would be over the moon, he has expressed that the 'Reimagining' lot will be staying in office, albeit I suspect he may be being a bit clever here in that being the experts they are I expect they will be in the front line on the next TV contract negotiations, surely that is there forte so I expect they will acheive nothing less than a substantial increase, won't they?

Junta and Plotters, you are going to run out of descriptives soon John, you must be well into the teens by now with what you conceive to be derogatory terms.

Pot calling the kettle what?

[Dave T]

5 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

"However, it’s important to bear in mind that Nigel isn’t returning to the RFL as its chief executive but as the Chairman of its Board of Directors.

Tony Sutton will remain as the RFL CEO and he is the full-time employee who will answer directly to Nigel and the other members of the RFL’s new board of directors.

Nigel is not an Executive Chairman and he will therefore be working in an honorary capacity, not drawing a salary but only drawing his expenses."

Thanks, however his role that he was given was Senior Executive Director. I know this was an interim, but the title is important here.

[Eddie]

I know Martyn said that NW spoke decisively in the podcast but I didn’t, there were a lot of sound bites, it was like listening to Ralph Rimmer. 

[Dave T]

5 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I know Martyn said that NW spoke decisively in the podcast but I didn’t, there were a lot of sound bites, it was like listening to Ralph Rimmer. 

I can generally accept and understand that early in a tenure, until the strategy is laid out a bit of vagueness is to be expected. But we can't keep being in this vague space which some of our leaders seem to live in. 

That's one of the biggest differences between a strong leader and a weak one.

[Just Browny]

God that article's embarrassing.

[Archie Gordon]

Executive or not executive, that is the question.

And how many titles has this lad had in the past few months? It's absolutely deserving of ridicule.

[Damien]

11 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

God that article's embarrassing.

It really is. It's cheerleading, not journalism. Martyn has given up all pretence of that.

The negatives are still barely acknowledged, and when they are, they’re quickly brushed aside with a convenient positive spin. No critical analysis, no examination of any downsides. Nothing, just PR and damage control.

Edited July 23 by Damien

[The 4 of Us]

He’s talking something.

And it ain’t Rugby League. 

Gaslighting sufficient to warrant a cease and desist letter from a prominent lawyer.