[SSR]

You are trying to light a fire on a hot day with wet kindling.
There is no need for a fire and you are going the wrong way about it.

[Jalyn Mills]

This proving my point with a soggy analogy. We are failing. He is accountable but as per the first post, excuses are rife and many just won’t have him questioned.

[chris1850]

This proving my point with a soggy analogy. We are failing. He is accountable but as per the first post, excuses are rife and many just won’t have him questioned.

You are of course entitled to your view. But perhaps take a step back and reflect before expressing it so vehemently?

AS has been with the club for 11 months. Its his first position as DOR. He inherited a side put together by Dimes and I think, we can all agree, that side probably exceeded expectations during the 2nd half of last season. It certainly 'came good' following the brief period that Deacs was in charge. How much of the improvement can be directly attributed to AS, I have no idea, but I suspect that at least part of it was down to him

Come this season and our already small squad has suffered through injuries to key players (eg Faf all season, AJ for most of it), international call-ups and absences, SC cut and Covid issues and I think we need to cut AS some slack. He needs a chance to get more of his own players (and coaches) in and start to mould the team in his own vision. This time next year is the time to start marking his progress (or lack of it).

He has already spoken about his lack of appreciation for the extra duties a DOR has to perform and it may eventually turn out that he is better equipped to be a coach than a DOR - who knows? I too get a little fed up with the psycho-babble, but it has worked for him in the past and I am happy to give him the opportunity to supplement regular training/coaching with other methods. There is plenty of evidence out there to suggest that marginal gains can be achieved in a whole host of ways. There is enough in that Rugby Union Weekly interview to maintain my faith for the immediate future. That doesnt mean that AS has a 'free' ride whatever happens. Just that I think we have to accept that Rome wasnt built in a day. I still think that we have the right builder though - just give him a chance to progress from being an apprentice.

[dinogyro]

Whether or not we think AS is doing a good job, we are not the ones paying the bills. I think the Oranges seem to be passionate about the club and wise business people. They surely didn't think AS would turn up and everything would be rosy on year one? More likely that they discussed a three and five year plan with AS and agreed the pathway to execute the plan.

The fact that things clicked for a little while last season maybe was a false dawn.

Pretty sure AS is here to stay, so let's support him and the club over the next few years and see what happens. Worst case, the Oranges lose a lot of money and we see some bad results. Best case, Sale are Prem Champs in two or three years.

[Jalyn Mills]

So as fans, just pay your money and shut up?

[chris1850]

So as fans, just pay your money and shut up?

Of course not. It is perfectly reasonable to have a view and to express it - as I acknowledged about your views in my earlier post. I just happen to think that you have formed a very critical view in a very short time frame without fully appreciating all the ducks AS needs to get in a row before you can hold him fully accountable for results and performances on the pitch. Give the guy some time to make his decisions and then judge him a success or failure. As I said above - you are at least a year too soon, in my opinion.

[ageinghoody]

So as fans, just pay your money and shut up?

Your very first sentence apparently said "shut up" to anyone who didn't accept your premise.

[Carlos]

I was firmly of the view that he should have cleared out the coaches and brought in his own team last summer. I still hold that view.

Who are "his team" and are they currently contracted?

[poyntonshark]

I doubt he has a team of his own "trusted Lieutenants" yet. My guess is that @aleshark meant he should create one. I was a little surprised that he kept the coaching team intact, but as I said he is unlikely to have that ready made team following him around and building one has the same issues as building a squad of players. As @Carlos mentions most good ones are contracted elsewhere, COVID creates restrictions, he likely wouldn't know who he wanted to join him (he may have a better idea by now).

[Jalyn Mills]

Bizarre from Sanderson this one… inventing faux outrage about AJ missing a game for the birth of his son. Not seen anyone complain about that at all. Still I guess it’s nice to be reminded that he is just in a higher mental state than mere spectators.




“I apologise to all our spectators who would rather have AJ play than be present at his daughter’s birth but that is the truth of it, that is what I believe. Some things are bigger than the game.”

[Clutch]

Aren’t you also displaying faux outrage. In fairness I’ve not heard anyone suggest that AJ shouldn’t be at the birth.

[45jumper]

Has Axe personally offended you in some way, @Row Z? Absolutely relentless

[Clutch]

Gives a bit of balance.

[dinogyro]

How's he doing now?

[IOL Shark]

Can’t pass, can’t tackle, can’t catch.
Far too much kicking.
No backs to speak of

Get rid now and bring back Dimes for God sake!

[dinogyro]

Really? Or are you trolling me?

[dinogyro]

Second thoughts, I realise it is humour.

[H's D]

Second thoughts, I realise it is humour.

I suspect Row Z will post a little less from now on, I think he may have a new job and has his hands full.

[RinTin]

One swallow does not make a summer. Back on track but we need to win comfortably against Wors, with Saints away being the big test.

In Axe we trust.

[Clutch]

There’s a general underestimation amongst fans as to how much squad disruption impacts on performance. We haven’t been great, but the injuries and international absentees have made a huge difference.

[RinTin]

There’s a general underestimation amongst fans as to how much squad disruption impacts on performance. We haven’t been great, but the injuries and international absentees have made a huge difference.

I think that is understood, certainly is by me. But our form was terrible earlier in the season injuries and call ups or not. Other teams were hit harder on both fronts, but we still couldn't kick on. Even our wins were close calls where we struggled to shut others down.

I'm hoping we've turned a corner. Worth noting our starting line up yesterday was broadly the same as it was in the autumn but no Ben Curry. We were also still exposing Roebuck and Reed to top level rugby slowly.

[H's D]

...........
As DoR the buck stops with him. Hence he is currently failing.
My biggest gripe here is that there are far too many wanting their cake and eating it too. ...........

One of the most perceptive and reflective posts from Row Z...
Certainly did when Dimes was here!? Some would say he ate more cake than he was entitled to!
What was it? A 10 years tenure encompassing consistent outstanding success for the club.

[Elgar]

Compare where we are now with the aftermath of the Bristol game and it's chalk and cheese - even though we still probably can't afford to lose more than two of our remaining 10 games and we go to both Saints and Exeter in the next 4 weeks. 

The great thing for me - apart from the obvious run of wins and manner of victory - is that whereas conversation had been starting to turn towards team selection for the rest of the year being about exposing certain players in preparation for next season now that selection criteria, at least in Ashman, Luke James, Reed and Roebuck's case, has converged with the case for picking the best side to win each game.

And we're in the last 16 of Europe with a winnable tie against Bristol for the last 8!

[RinTin]

Compare where we are now with the aftermath of the Bristol game and it's chalk and cheese - even though we still probably can't afford to lose more than two of our remaining 10 games and we go to both Saints and Exeter in the next 4 weeks. 

The great thing for me - apart from the obvious run of wins and manner of victory - is that whereas conversation had been starting to turn towards team selection for the rest of the year being about exposing certain players in preparation for next season now that selection criteria, at least in Ashman, Luke James, Reed and Roebuck's case, has converged with the case for picking the best side to win each game.

And we're in the last 16 of Europe with a winnable tie against Bristol for the last 8!

Really exciting times ahead.

[The Back Row]

Wonder how the Sanderson cult is progressing now?

[dinogyro]

If it's a cult, I'm in it.

[SSR]

Warning! Warning! Autocorrect failure.

[poyntonshark]

Same position as it was in when your alter ego was slagging him off last season. He has serious questions to answer, but there are also other factors.

[Yareet]

Wonder how the Sanderson cult is progressing now?

Hmm let’s see. Final last season. Currently going through a run of bad form yet still in touching distance of top 2 and ahead of last year’s champions.

Is it all sunshine and roses? Far from it but it’s also hardly a sackable performance so far.

There are 8-9 teams who feasibly came into this season expecting to make top 4 (I’m not sure Exeter would have been that bold before the season started). A couple of slips can leave you in the pack but likewise a run of 2-3 wins can propel you up the league.

[RinTin]

Wonder how the Sanderson cult is progressing now?

Hmm let’s see. Final last season. Currently going through a run of bad form yet still in touching distance of top 2 and ahead of last year’s champions.

Is it all sunshine and roses? Far from it but it’s also hardly a sackable performance so far.

There are 8-9 teams who feasibly came into this season expecting to make top 4 (I’m not sure Exeter would have been that bold before the season started). A couple of slips can leave you in the pack but likewise a run of 2-3 wins can propel you up the league.

I see complete logic in what you are saying, but we were top of the league recently and have not actually performed very well. I always felt we were lucky to be in the position we were in (one example is Bath sending a second string team to us in the league). You make your own luck I appreciate, and a win is a win, but I did not really feel that confident we could sustain that position.

Record loss away to Exeter, loss of home record to a Bristol team well below us in the table, lack of attacking threat. What was most disappointing was the lack of real response to the Northampton loss.

Bristol was a must win - we ended up playing very poorly. Next 2 prem games are Glos away and Bath away... Both are must wins, preferably at least one with a bonus point. We have made life very hard for ourselves.

None of this leads to Axe being fired though! The man bleeds Sale. He stays.

[Yareet]

Wonder how the Sanderson cult is progressing now?

Hmm let’s see. Final last season. Currently going through a run of bad form yet still in touching distance of top 2 and ahead of last year’s champions.

Is it all sunshine and roses? Far from it but it’s also hardly a sackable performance so far.

There are 8-9 teams who feasibly came into this season expecting to make top 4 (I’m not sure Exeter would have been that bold before the season started). A couple of slips can leave you in the pack but likewise a run of 2-3 wins can propel you up the league.

I see complete logic in what you are saying, but we were top of the league recently and have not actually performed very well. I always felt we were lucky to be in the position we were in (one example is Bath sending a second string team to us in the league). You make your own luck I appreciate, and a win is a win, but I did not really feel that confident we could sustain that position.

Record loss away to Exeter, loss of home record to a Bristol team well below us in the table, lack of attacking threat. What was most disappointing was the lack of real response to the Northampton loss.

Bristol was a must win - we ended up playing very poorly. Next 2 prem games are Glos away and Bath away... Both are must wins, preferably at least one with a bonus point. We have made life very hard for ourselves.

None of this leads to Axe being fired though! The man bleeds Sale. He stays.

I fully agree that to some extent we were in top spot despite playing poorly rather than because of our excellence. I've said elsewhere on this board that the optimist in me is excited that this means we have much more room to progress than our competitors do.

IF (@Alex, how do I make that a very big "if"?) we can turn things around over the Gloucester game and (perhaps more pertinently) during the 6N break, we could well be very set for another tilt at the championship.

[ale shark]

Some absurd posts on here. Sure things could be better but we’re well placed for the play-offs and in the 20 odd years I’ve followed Sale I can’t ever remember us following a good season with another good season.

[Bucks1861]

Couldn’t agree more.

Easy to say there are problems. Not so easy to offer solutions.

Simon Orange thankfully appreciates that not every day is filled with sunshine - otherwise we just might look like Falcons.

[ageinghoody]

Why on earth rise to the bait?

This thread was never an invitation to any sort of meaningful debate (as is obvious from its deliberately prejudged heading), just a needy provocation to garner a bit of attention.

Don't feed the trolls!

[poyntonshark]

Is it worth noting that this is a resurrection of a 2 YEAR OLD thread, created by someone with an obvious axe to grind (pun intended)? No proof, but I wouldn't be surprised if each resurrection of this weren't by the same person.

[RinTin]

Why is it not a good place to debate? Some here, including myself, feel we are not currently well placed given our form, or lack thereof. The table does not tell the full story and, as loyal fans, some of us are understandably concerned about how this season will pan out given we had such a brilliant springboard to launch from this year. Hearing thoughts from every perspective is what this forum is about.

As things stand we will not be finishing top 4 looking at the teams around us. I don't have answers to this potential problem. Team building? Less training? More training? New captain? Trust youth more? More rotation? Less rotation? No idea!

HEAVY CAVEAT - I do not believe in any shape or form that Axe's job should be questioned. The title of this particular thread is terribly biased with a clear and controversial intention from the creator. I have simply ignored it and all comments from 2 years ago as we all should do and moved on.

[ageinghoody]

Why is it not a good place to debate? Some here, including myself, feel we are not currently well placed given our form, or lack thereof. The table does not tell the full story and, as loyal fans, some of us are understandably concerned about how this season will pan out given we had such a brilliant springboard to launch from this year. Hearing thoughts from every perspective is what this forum is about.

As things stand we will not be finishing top 4 looking at the teams around us. I don't have answers to this potential problem. Team building? Less training? More training? New captain? Trust youth more? More rotation? Less rotation? No idea!

HEAVY CAVEAT - I do not believe in any shape or form that Axe's job should be questioned. The title of this particular thread is terribly biased with a clear and controversial intention from the creator. I have simply ignored it and all comments from 2 years ago as we all should do and moved on.

Oh I agree entirely RinTin, this is an excellent place for debate!

My issue was that (as you've noted) this thread clearly wasn't intended to invite debate and so shouldn't be rewarded with our attention or efforts.