Ulster 2014/2015

First topic message reminder :

Details of pre-season games to confirmed- we take on Exeter Chiefs at Ravenhill on Friday the 22nd August and then travel to Donnybrook to face Leinster on Friday the 29th August. On the transfer front, it seems like our business for the year is concluded. Second row looks strong and our back line is stronger than ever, but there are concerns about our depth in the front row and back row of the pack. A lot depends on Wiehahn Herbst turning out to be a hit and Chris Henry staying fit- our decision to spend a valuable NIQ spot on Louis Ludik and Sean Doyles departure leaves us exposed at open side with two new, extremely untested players in Reidy and Butterworth vying to be Henrys understudy. Rob Herring is another player who needs to avoid injury at all costs. Niall Annett has been allowed to leave along with Brady in recent seasons and the 3rd choice hooker is not obvious. With seedings in Europe determined by league performance, Ulster may very well rue their lack of depth in the forward pack come May.

Players Out
Johann Muller (retired), Paddy Wallace (retired), Stephen Ferris (retired), Chris Cochrane (retired), Chris Farrell (Grenoble), Niall Annett (Worcester), John Afoa (Gloucester), Tom Court (London Irish), James McKinney (Rotherham), David McIlwaine (Rotherham), Paddy McAllister (Aurillac), Sean Doyle (ACT Brumbies), Adam Macklin (Rotherham), Ian Porter (Connacht)

Players In
Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions), Louis Ludik (Agen), Wiehahn Herbst (Natal Sharks), Ruaidhrí Murphy (ACT Brumbies), Dave Ryan (Zebre), Ian Humphreys (London Irish), Charlie Butterworth (Lansdowne), Sean Reidy (Counties Manukau)

Ulster don't do turbulent off seasons but if we did...

We've also been rocked with the seismic revelation David Humphreys is leaving the province- indeed has already left- for Gloucester. Anscombe was slated to be seeing out the last year of his contract before being quietly let go but the Humphreys bombshell left him as the odd man out, and he's been pushed out the door. The decision was partly because he was hired to work under a Director of Rugby and Ulster are looking for someone with more experience in the market to take on Humphreys role in addition to the coaching responsibilities. As usual, the rumour mill is on overdrive and opinions are polarised- but this is Ulster Rugby after all. Les Kiss is our interim Director of Rugby and it seems Allen Clarke is filling the role of forwards coach in the short term. More changes or appointments could be forthcoming.

If all that wasn't enough we've been dealt a real group of death in the new Champions Cup- double-winners Toulon will brave the Ravenhill roar along with old friends Leicester Tigers and old foes the Scarlets. All in all, this team should be capable of securing a Top 4 finish at the very least in the Pro12 and we need to target the top two, our prospects in Europe look more occluded- it might come down to best runners-up and our pool promises to be tight and competitive.

Opening fixtures

F; Exeter Chiefs (H)
F; Leinster (A)

Pro12; Scarlets (A)
Pro12; Zebre (H)
Pro12; Cardiff Blues (A)
Pro12; Zebre (A)
Pro12; Edinburgh (H)

Gloucester is a team steeped in tradition with a great level of support. Similar to Ulster. Their truly dire AP showing this year is not a fair reflection on the talent at the club and certainly not indicative of what will be available to Humphreys next season. Only a few years back Glaws were topping the AP and were holding their own in Europe.

As a career move it's a bold one which could seriously raise his stock given the rather expensive talent that has been accumulated by Glaws this summer. Cash will have certainly come into it as well.

Yeah I know.... Gloucester! Are they the new moneybags of rugby though?

Apparently Logan says we're looking for a coach. So we may get a proper director of rugby who actually directs the rugby. What about Conor O'Shea? Harlequins have plateaued a bit.

Voting with his feet on the level of confidence (or otherwise) he has in the revised Pro12 - courtesy of his new overlords, PRL?

Ringing endorsement, David, of the harsher qualifying landscape.

Will Gloucester become Saracens Mark 2 now?

toml wrote:What about Conor O'Shea? Harlequins have plateaued a bit.

Maybe it's Conor who has plateaued?

BTW.. I've been warning you folks that it won't be just players attracted away to the "salary capped...???" English sides and the non-capped French ones.  It seems some of you got the impression that even if more players drift away now for ever increasing wage packets abroad, somehow that isn't going to impact on the quality of coaching and administers left?

Uh Oh - the truth is that big money will be offered to attract all best peoples - coaches and directors too.  What then?  Zilch, that's what.

BTW - what salary cap is Gloucester being contained by that allows them to purchase Humphreys for twice the rate he gets at Ulster?  This new 'level playing field' Europe is sweet, sweet fantasy.

Well the Salary cap is only for players anyways so wouldn't effect Humph. Besides the salary cap is a complicated thing in England they get a 4.76 million cap for the 14/15 season, plus they get one excluded player so basically you can stick your top paid player outside the salary cap. Plus then some credits for academy player. It's a complicated business. The excluded player thing is pretty useful means you get 1 player who is not included in your salary cap limit so long as he hasn't played in the league the year before or played for the club for 2 full years or was included in the national squad of any team that played in the RWC 2011 so basically most times this will be your top earner so for example Ulster could have Pienaar outside the cap completely so you can see how that would make a difference

I see we're going to be drained
- and the centre (England and France) will succeed on their real agenda after continually mouthing their cover-story platitudes about wanting a 'level playing field' Europe.

Nope - they want to suck their neighbours dry.

SecretFly wrote:I see we're going to be drained  
- and the centre (England and France) will succeed on their real agenda after continually mouthing their cover-story platitudes about wanting a 'level playing field' Europe.

Nope - they want to suck their neighbours dry.

If ya can't beat em, buy em.

Well in fairness we have only really lost Sexton so far playing wise and Humphreys went but we will just have to do what we do and keep on moving on. Him moving on is a chance for someone else and yes I am preparing my CV as we speak if Shane Logan is reading this, I'm ready anytime

Very strange. Although I'm as in the dark as everyone else, I think there is more to it than Humphs simply leaving for extra cash. The reason I think this is the manner of Humph's departure, sudden and without much explanation, and the fact that Logan claims he was only told two days ago. The same day of Ravenhills renaming. Some suggest that this could be a reason, but I doubt it. The straw? Who knows?

Anywho.... sometimes change is for the better. Upwards and onwards Ulster.

P.s some silly tin hat thinking going on in this thread.

Unlike me   

Of course it could just be he simply has ambition and being DOR of the place where he is a legend isn't cutting it in terms of getting the recognition he wants.

That said its a bit of a mess that it's just come out like this, totally out of the blue. Logan's biggest challenge since he took over now so I hope he steps up

It could be for the best. Very difficult to get a really top head coach who would be happy to have Humphreys looking over his shoulder. While he did well recruiting Pienaar & Muller, he made a big mistake letting Botha go. I think Ulster's propping situation would be in a better place now if he had stayed. BJ has been excellent with bringing on Munster's young props and has put in some serious shifts for Munster in the last year with Archer injured.

Sin é wrote:It could be for the best. Very difficult to get a really top head coach who would be happy to have Humphreys looking over his shoulder.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...Sin could have a point there.  Hmmmmmm............. maybe Anscombe himself started getting a tad unhappy/ratty/snappy with Humphreys looking over his shoulder?  He certainly seems the kind of self-contained no-nonsense coach that would begin to tire of the hints and advice coming his way about the team dynamic or prospective new signings needed to push Ulster higher.

Sin might have a point there - but in a way he mightn't have initially intended.

Then again.............. ............... Humphrey's first act as director of Gloucester might be bringing his new head coach in................ straight from Ulster!

Want to make a number of points re Humphreys will reply to those Emails as I read them.

On a general point nobody but nobody knew this was coming.

In the long term I actually think it is for the best.
We ended up taking the 3rd choice of three when we appointed Anscombe because Humphreys would not allow the
other two (Cheika and Sexton) to bring in their own staff.
With less control above the coach we will be able to attract a higher level  of coach.

In the short term it stinks.
He has left us with a lame duck coach and without adequate cover in the backrow.
If it was me I would pay off Anscombe and get a top coach asap.

As to reasons for leaving - simple money, desire to try his hand elsewhere and a realization Ulster need to rebuild with Muller, Afoa leaving and Ferris, Wallace retiring.
Ground name change is completely and utterly irrelevant.
Smart move he has taken Ulster a long way in 4 years but the next step will be hard, Gloucester on the other hand have been awful - but they have virtually rebuilt their front five and got rid of a disaffected 10.
Even if he does nothing Gloucester will improve an he will get the credit

Sin é wrote:he made a big mistake letting Botha go.

Botha had to go - he agreed a contract and then came back and asked for more
As a matter of principal we had to refuse that

toml wrote:Massive shock!

Money corrupts. DH is a smart man... His stock is at an all time high, if Ulster don't win anything in a couple of years it will be questioned a failure. Bowe is 30, Best 31, Trimby 30, Henry 30... Maybe DH thinks we have peaked and he wants maximum return from his stock

You have added a year to Chris Henry and Andrew Trimble there.

As a point on information - we have only 3 players who will be over 30 certain to be with the club next year - Best, Wilson, Williams
We have a very healthy age profile

SecretFly wrote:

Sin é wrote:It could be for the best. Very difficult to get a really top head coach who would be happy to have Humphreys looking over his shoulder.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...Sin could have a point there.  Hmmmmmm............. maybe Anscombe himself started getting a tad unhappy/ratty/snappy with Humphreys looking over his shoulder?  He certainly seems the kind of self-contained no-nonsense coach that would begin to tire of the hints and advice coming his way about the team dynamic or prospective new signings needed to push Ulster higher.

Sin might have a point there - but in a way he mightn't have initially intended.

I'm not sure what you think I intended, but the reason why I think this is that Alan Quinlan said on tv around the appointment of Anscombe & Penney that he had been talking to D Humphs who said that he had looked at Penney for Ulster but thought he was too strong a character for them.

I think Humphs was useful to Ulster at the time because Logan had no rugby pedigree in comparison to Dawson at Leinster & Fitzgerald with Munster. Now that Logan is established and seems to be doing really well on the commerical side of Ulster, he would be well up to dealing with player agents etc.

geoff999rugby wrote:

Sin é wrote:he made a big mistake letting Botha go.

Botha had to go - he agreed a contract and then came back and asked for more
As a matter of principal we had to refuse that  

I think he made a mistake though not renegotiating. I seem to remember a bit of crowing as to how 'cheap' Afoa was. BJ knows his worth and you can't blame him for looking for it. He dug his heals in for a 2 year contract with Munster (and Munster had to let Wian go to facilitate that). But he has been fantastic for Munster both on (maybe not as flashy as Afoa) and off the pitch.

Sin é wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

Sin é wrote:It could be for the best. Very difficult to get a really top head coach who would be happy to have Humphreys looking over his shoulder.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...Sin could have a point there.  Hmmmmmm............. maybe Anscombe himself started getting a tad unhappy/ratty/snappy with Humphreys looking over his shoulder?  He certainly seems the kind of self-contained no-nonsense coach that would begin to tire of the hints and advice coming his way about the team dynamic or prospective new signings needed to push Ulster higher.

Sin might have a point there - but in a way he mightn't have initially intended.

I'm not sure what you think I intended.

God, even when I say you might be right, you needle me  What I thought you intended was that Humphreys might have a tough time getting a Head Coach that will be happy with Humphreys looking over his shoulder?  I'm saying maybe that was the developing issue in Ulster itself.

Anyway, maybe you were wrong all along    as I don't picture Anscombe as being an easy (weak as distinct from 'strong') character at all.  And Penney proved he didn't have the strength to fight his case when Munster realised they didn't want him no more. So - weak v strong? All relative.

Will Humphreys now attempt to attract certain Ulster players away from Ulster in the next few years?  Olding?  Payne, etc?

Lots to think about for Ulster when Humphreys sits across the water with his new cheque book toy.

geoff999rugby wrote:

toml wrote:Massive shock!

Money corrupts. DH is a smart man... His stock is at an all time high, if Ulster don't win anything in a couple of years it will be questioned a failure. Bowe is 30, Best 31, Trimby 30, Henry 30... Maybe DH thinks we have peaked and he wants maximum return from his stock

You have added a year to Chris Henry and Andrew Trimble there.

As a point on information - we have only 3 players who will be over 30 certain to be with the club next year - Best, Wilson, Williams
We have a very healthy age profile

Just using a little artistic licence there Geoff, both Henry and Trimbly will be 30 in October, a couple of games into next season.

I noticed you omitted Tommy from the list of over 30s definately with us next year, is there doubt over his future?

SecretFly wrote:Will Humphreys now attempt to attract certain Ulster players away from Ulster in the next few years?  Olding?  Payne, etc?

Lots to think about for Ulster when Humphreys sits across the water with his new cheque book toy.

He is very fond of Gilroy

SecretFly wrote:

Sin é wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

Sin é wrote:It could be for the best. Very difficult to get a really top head coach who would be happy to have Humphreys looking over his shoulder.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...Sin could have a point there.  Hmmmmmm............. maybe Anscombe himself started getting a tad unhappy/ratty/snappy with Humphreys looking over his shoulder?  He certainly seems the kind of self-contained no-nonsense coach that would begin to tire of the hints and advice coming his way about the team dynamic or prospective new signings needed to push Ulster higher.

Sin might have a point there - but in a way he mightn't have initially intended.

I'm not sure what you think I intended.

God, even when I say you might be right, you needle me  What I thought you intended was that Humphreys might have a tough time getting a Head Coach that will be happy with Humphreys looking over his shoulder?  I'm saying maybe that was the developing issue in Ulster itself.

Anyway, maybe you were wrong all along    as I don't picture Anscombe as being an easy (weak as distinct from 'strong') character at all.  And Penney proved he didn't have the strength to fight his case when Munster realised they didn't want him no more.  So - weak v strong?  All relative.

Anscome was out of a job and his stock was low when he came to Ulster. My point about Penney is that Humphreys wanted a coach that would be under his thumb from the get-go.

And for the record, Munster offered Penney a year extension on his contract. From what I hear, the intention was for him to go to Japan then to make some cash before heading back to NZ. A job came up a year sooner than expected in Japan which he decided to take.

Munster had trained up Foley and wanted him.  QED.

Anyway, back to Humphreys.  It's no secret that I've never liked his style as Director.  No, not the behind the scenes stuff which he seems to have been very good at but the public vision stuff that seemed a tad obsessed with using a camera for self promotion.

Now you could argue that the camera and his use of it helped him walk into a job that seems to be double the take home pay of his old one, but I tire of Directors sitting prominently behind or beside their head Coaches on match day, or taking opportunities to talk the talk in post or pre-game interviews.

That might seem small stuff to be annoyed about but it always does, as it undermines the authority of a head coach and promotes the director's own 'link' to what's happening on the field of play.  

If a Director wants to coach - coach.. and then suffer also the blame for bad performances.  But if the coach is doing the coaching work, the director should have the courtesy to step back from the public visuals and leave the coach to it

Monkeyan wrote:Humphreys is saying that he accepted the offer for career reasons. I think he owes it to the Ulster fans to at least be honest and say 'hey, these guys offered me a shedload of cash and I couldn't say no'. On one level it is disappointing  that someone who is synonymous with Ulster rugby turned out to be a mercenary, but I guess he has to think about his and his family's financial security.

  


Whatever he has and hasn't done after 22 years he doesn't deserve to be insulted by being described as a mercenary - wash your mouth out

No doubts on Tommy just he will be 30 at the start of the season.

anyway 30 is fine - the point is we are a young side overall with a young age profile.

People wondering about Humphreys luring people need to be aware his not particularly liked due this hard nosed attitude.
I would not worry on that count.

I wouldn't worry about him stealing players. Glaws have spent up to the cap before next season. Unless they cut some contracts I doubt they'll be room to spend. Ad to that I don't think there are many Ulster players Glaws would desperately need.

As I said I don't think there are many, if any, Ulster players who would want to go.

I can't see them bidding for any. They've grabbed the only one they needed already. Next summer they'll be after a lock or two but by then it'll be the world cup and they'll be plenty of SH players ready to move North.

formerly known as Sam wrote:I can't see them bidding for any. They've grabbed the only one they needed already. Next summer they'll be after a lock or two but by then it'll be the world cup and they'll be plenty of SH players ready to move North.

Didn't know Glaws was on par with Ulster in European rugby terms    They must have really underachieved this year eh?

Afoa is a world class prop, but not much use when on the other side of the world most of the time. Here's hoping his Mrs likes sunny Gloucester   

They aren't on a par with Ulster at the minute but they did massively under perform last season. They've signed 3 international tight five forwards, the most promising back row In the Championship, England's under 20 scrum half who is also the captain, Hook, Laidlaw and several young pacey squad backs. Given the limitations of the salary cap who are they going to bid for?

The Ulster players they'd need are Tuhoy but currently they have five first team locks under contract for next season so what's the point. Cave but they have the pacey England capped Trinder who is a local lad, old boy Tindal and cover from Issacs and May. They've got a squad in place. Irrespective of what they were last season (Glaws were an unmitigated shambles) next season Glaws are expected to be significantly improved.

Certainly the ability to keep Afoa in Gloucestershire as opposed to New Zealand will be crucial to their scrummaging success.

Geoff, as you said yourself, his reason for leaving was money. It is therefore quite reasonable to describe him as a mercenary. However, if you read all of what I wrote, rather than cherry picking one word, you'll note that I don't hold it against him. After all, as much as I enjoy my job, if someone were to offer to double my salary, then I'd be happy to be labelled a mercenary also.

DH is and always will be an Ulster legend, but what he achieved on the pitch does not elevate him beyond reproach.

formerly known as Sam wrote:They aren't on a par with Ulster at the minute but they did massively under perform last season. They've signed 3 international tight five forwards, the most promising back row In the Championship, England's under 20 scrum half who is also the captain, Hook, Laidlaw and several young pacey squad backs. Given the limitations of the salary cap who are they going to bid for?

The Ulster players they'd need are Tuhoy but currently they have five first team locks under contract for next season so what's the point. Cave but they have the pacey England capped Trinder who is a local lad,  old boy Tindal and cover from Issacs and May. They've got a squad in place. Irrespective of what they were last season (Glaws were an unmitigated shambles) next season Glaws are expected to be significantly improved.

Certainly the ability to keep Afoa in Gloucestershire as opposed to New Zealand will be crucial to their scrummaging success.

There's no doubt that Gloucester will improve on this season, but I don't really think they have massively under performed when looking at the player pool they were working with. They seemed to have a decent back line, but were weak in the pack, and Davies went shopping to rectify that problem. I did feel bad for Davies when he was sacked. There's only so much a coach can do with the players available to them, and now he is without the chance to show what he could have done with those signings. Ironically, Davies' new signings will make it much easier for whoever the coach will be that Humphs picks. Such is life   

Humph is a good move for Gloucester, and I think it might actually be a good move for Ulster also, depending on who the new DoR, and head coach will be. Sometimes change, and a clean sweep is needed to move on.
I was a big Afoa fan when he was with Ulster, but his flying off to NZ was becoming a pain. There were legitimate reasons for that, and I doubt he will be as an unsettling influence on Glaws as he was with Ulster. Hopefully not anyway.
We have Wiehahn Herbst now anyway. John Afoa wears Wiehahn Herbst pajamas, and hopes to be just like him one day   

Fewf. Good news for Ulster fans on these boards:
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/27756108

geoff999rugby wrote:

Monkeyan wrote:Humphreys is saying that he accepted the offer for career reasons. I think he owes it to the Ulster fans to at least be honest and say 'hey, these guys offered me a shedload of cash and I couldn't say no'. On one level it is disappointing  that someone who is synonymous with Ulster rugby turned out to be a mercenary, but I guess he has to think about his and his family's financial security.

  


Whatever he has and hasn't done after  22 years he doesn't deserve to be insulted by being described as a mercenary - wash your mouth out

I don't get why folks think mercenary is such a foul word. It is what it is. And Humps move rightly defines it. It doesn't diminish his loyalty in the past. But it does indicate that money has drawn him away from staying somewhere for purely sentimental reasons.
But in this day and age, few rarely turn down money for sentimental reasons. Except St. Pienaar of course!   

MrsP wrote:Mercenary?

Seriously?

This guy has dragged Ulster up from the most horrendous pit of a mess which the previous management had dug us into.

He was responsible for the most impressive signings we will probably ever see.

Maybe he feels he has put us in the best place he can and it is time for different challenge?  I would hope that Gloucester know what a star they are getting and are renumerating him appropriately.

Good Luck Davy. You have done an amazing job!

Here here. Haven't read all the posts but totally shocked by this one, particularly the timing.

Surely he doesn't want to get back at John Afoa that much!

Seriously though I can't believe this is just about money - Humph and Logan were working towards a long term plan, so either Humph feels things have gone as far as they can go, he's not needed anymore with less big imports on the horizon or things are not rosy in the camp between him and Logan....

Anyway Humph's is an Ulster legend, on and off the pitch, so best of luck at Gloucester....well not too much luck in Europe maybe...

geoff999rugby wrote:
As to reasons for leaving - simple money, desire to try his hand elsewhere and a realization Ulster need to rebuild with Muller, Afoa leaving and Ferris, Wallace retiring.
Ground name change is completely and utterly irrelevant.
Smart move he has taken Ulster a long way in 4 years but the next step will be hard, Gloucester on the other hand have been awful - but they have virtually rebuilt their front five and got rid of a disaffected 10.

Sounds logical enough. I don't see how anyone could blame someone for leaving for more money and a new challenge, especially after giving so much to Ulster. I think he's earned the opportunity to move on.

In terms of timing, well he waited until recruitment was finished (more or less), and the sponsorship deal was finalized so that is fair enough for me.

Time to get Mark McCall back.....

Monkeyan wrote:Geoff, as you said yourself, his reason for leaving was money. It is therefore quite reasonable to describe him as a mercenary. However, if you read all of what I wrote, rather than cherry picking one word, you'll note that I don't hold it against him. After all, as much as I enjoy my job, if someone were to offer to double my salary, then I'd be happy to be labelled a mercenary also.  

DH is and always will be an Ulster legend, but what he achieved on the pitch does not elevate him beyond reproach.

Cherry picking? - pot and kettle come to mind - to fully quote myself

'money, desire to try his hand elsewhere'

I suspect the later was as important if not more than the simple cash difference

clivemcl wrote:

geoff999rugby wrote:

Monkeyan wrote:Humphreys is saying that he accepted the offer for career reasons. I think he owes it to the Ulster fans to at least be honest and say 'hey, these guys offered me a shedload of cash and I couldn't say no'. On one level it is disappointing  that someone who is synonymous with Ulster rugby turned out to be a mercenary, but I guess he has to think about his and his family's financial security.

  


Whatever he has and hasn't done after  22 years he doesn't deserve to be insulted by being described as a mercenary - wash your mouth out

I don't get why folks think mercenary is such a foul word. It is what it is. And Humps move rightly defines it. It doesn't diminish his loyalty in the past. But it does indicate that money has drawn him away from staying somewhere for purely sentimental reasons.
But in this day and age, few rarely turn down money for sentimental reasons. Except St. Pienaar of course!   

Because mercenary means:
1. Motivated solely by a desire for monetary or material gain.

As I have said they were other, non monetary, factors, which is why the term is inappropriate

Humph is no mercenary, A mercenary goes were the sun shines then clears off when the going gets tough - Humphs did the heavy lifting at Ulster and whoever comes in will benefit from it down the line.

Total bogus comment.

I'm not certain who we could get but I tend to agree maybe the time has come to spend big on a top class coach. I'm not as down on Anscombe as most but do we need to think about a reshuffle now (it seems a decent time). I'm not sure of the dynamics of it because Anscombe would need paid off as would the other coaches (if we were giving someone new carte Blanche)

Are there any names even been mentioned for the DoR role?

I think making further changes would be a bad move, and given Anscombe has recently signed an extension probably not an option.

With Humph and Muller gone we need some stability and can reassess at the end of next season, there's no need to panic here.

Off field the facilities are in place, the squad is settled. We need to keep the powder dry...

That's the thing, Humps has moved on to pastures new but he's left Ulster Rugby in fine fettle. The staff, the players and the infrastructure is all there to be a very successful side. I don't feel anyone needs to panic and start reshuffling.

Good luck in all you do Mr Humphreys sir, you've been a legend on and off the pitch.

Anscombe will not get his contract renewed - we will be looking for a higher profile coach. Logan has said as much.

Number of options:

1. Dont replace Humph and get a high profile coach in next summer
2. Get a 'hands off' replacement for Humph now and get a high profile coach in next summer
3. Sack Anscombe now and get a high profile coach in now

It is my guess that is the order of likelihood but I wouldn't rule anything out.

geoff998rugby wrote:

Monkeyan wrote:Geoff, as you said yourself, his reason for leaving was money. It is therefore quite reasonable to describe him as a mercenary. However, if you read all of what I wrote, rather than cherry picking one word, you'll note that I don't hold it against him. After all, as much as I enjoy my job, if someone were to offer to double my salary, then I'd be happy to be labelled a mercenary also.  

DH is and always will be an Ulster legend, but what he achieved on the pitch does not elevate him beyond reproach.

Cherry picking? - pot and kettle come to mind - to fully quote myself

'money, desire to try his hand elsewhere'

I suspect the later was as important if not more than the simple cash difference

I'm not so sure. I could understand the desire to move elsewhere if he felt that it was mission accomplished at Ulster. As it is, whilst he has done tremendous work over the past 4-5 years, Ulster remains very much a work in progress. It seems very strange that with the new stadium just opened and the slow but steady improvement in Ulster's European form, Humphreys would suddenly decide that he'd rather try his luck elsewhere. Having worked so hard to lay the foundations, surely he would be keen to stick around for another 3-4 years, or at least until some silverware has been secured?

You can't sack him Geoff, they'd have to pay up his contract which has recently been renewed. I can't see this happening...

The better option would be to increase Anscombe's responsibilities to cover for Humph and review before Xmas whether to extend or not.

With Humphreys leaving, will Bell and Doak's positions come under threat?

Monkeyan wrote:Having worked so hard to lay the foundations, surely he would be keen to stick around for another 3-4 years, or at least until some silverware has been secured?

Yes but that ignores some factors beyond Humphreys control:-

1. The retirement and leaving of key players - Ferris and Muller in particular.
2. The new European set up, which effectively renders Ulster a 4 tier side undoing a lot of the hard work of the past 5 seasons.
3. Increased money in England and France, coupled with a reduced capacity for the provinces to recruit NIEs.
4. More interference from the IRFU via Nucifora and Schmidt gong forward perhaps reducing the scope of his role in the future.

Maybe with the new stadium in place, the recruitment done, he feels a big part of his role is fulfilled and its time to move on with Ulster now looking to rebuild their 1st team for the future?

I think he's done an awesome job and we could ask no more.

rodders wrote: 

The better option would be to increase Anscombe's responsibilities to cover for Humph and review before Xmas whether to extend or not.

Yes. Anscombe should be given more responsibility and I'll repeat, perhaps the tensions were there in the relationship between those two rather than Humphreys and Logan. Maybe Anscombe wanted to hire anything extra from his region of the world rather than Humphreys favourite hunting ground of SA?