Ulster in Crises ?

First topic message reminder :

To answer my own question. Not yet, quite, but very very close.

A defeat in any of the next three matches would make it one.
A lose to Scarlets and it would be 6 out of 7 in the Pro 12 and down to 9th or 10th - probably below Connacht
A lose to Aironi and HC and Amlin over and losing to the worst team in the competition.

There are obviously serious coaching issues. Doak is pants as a backs coach but he is popular and part of the cosy old boy network.
Muller is a fine captain and a good leader - he has shown no signs of being a forwards coach
Bell as defensive coach - ditto re old boy network
Longwell - in charge of the academy with zero coaching skills
No front row coach
McGlock at the top is an excellent technical coach but with such a poor team is doomed

The whole set up is too cosy - bullits up backsides is required. The above cant/wont deliver that.

Also the blazer are showing signs of incompetance.
No plans to change the above team for next year at the moment and also an assumption that a few high profile signings are a cure all - there not.
I am not talking Humph or Logan here but the committee that appointed them. The maleovant Voldermort aka Cedric Wilson still pulls strings. The man is an odious toad who has been playing local politics to the detriment of Ulster rugby for years. There are signs that Humph and Logan are coming into conflict with the blazers as to the way forward.

On to the players - we have a handful of big names. Payne, Muller, Afoa, Ferris, Best, Trimble and Pienaer who are able to stand up and be counted. The rest follow. Without those 7 we are spineless. Too many who dont take the responsibility they should given their experience e.g Court, Tuohy, Wallace, Danielli, Humphreys, Wannenberg, Diack.
I'll absolve Cave, Henry and Marshall who are giving their all in very trying circumstances.

This failure to stand up and be counted is detremental to the development of our younger players who will go backwards if not handled properly.
I was struck by the freedom and enjoyment I say in NOC and TJ's performance for Connacht recently. They were not highly strung nervous wrecks as they were most times at Ulster. I wonder why ?
Another ex player who has shown what can be done is Roger Wilson. In the last 2 Saints games I have seen him play he has been magnificant. Outside of the big three (literally) - Ferris, SOB and Heaslip he is Irelands best back row forward (in fact his performances have been better than Heaslip and in a totally, superior, league to Leamy). Henry could be that good if handled properly.

It seems to me that Ulster do not put players out of their comfort zone and as a result when the pressures on they crack. Its too easy at Ulster. We survice because we have a handful of players who have gone to the next level because of their own drive and because of their experiences elsewhere.

Very depressing

I needed to get that off my chest.

Is Dan really that desperate?

There would probably be some young up and coming guy who the fans would want playing ahead of him.

Should amend the title to- Ulster in crises if we don't win our next three games comfortably.

I mean, this is CRUNCH time. Win or bust in the Heineken Cup and we can't slip too far down the table, especially playing at home against a rival.

But I think we will do it, for some reason.

15 points from the next 3 games and all of a sudden we are looking good in europe and from that we will have a massive confidence boost.

That isnt to say things should then be accepted. Any successful enterprise has to constantly re-evaluate itself in order to maintain its success. I hope those in charge at Ulster do this/are allowed to do this