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I have read with amazement the comments from many so called loyal BOP supporters over the last few weeks on this website and the mafia forum, and my mid has been boggled. My first write of this piece caused a mole hunt at HQ that was breath taking. Fortunately, no one looked in the Janitors closet, so a re write is in order, with less clues...
Anyway, the calls to sack this person, and sack that person, are just utter rubbish and all BOP people contributing to this type of nonsense should be stood against a wall and shot, preferably by Mafia hatchet man Sportboy - he enjoys a good execution.
The union has recently had to endure the most ridiculous letter ever, written by the father of an ex player, who shall remain nameless, to protect the poor bugger from being embarrassed by dear old 'Dad'!
Anyway, sort yourself out 'Dad', perhaps communicate with your family a bit more, as your son did not make himself available for Rep Rugby this year as, in his own words (he is after all, 34 years of age) - "we don't play in the National Pressies Grade".
How can you blame current operations staff for players leaving - operations staff don't negotiate player contracts - CEO's and managers and all those fish-head types do. I don't know if there are any operations staff in NZ who decide what players come or go, they just have to work with what they are given, so lay off them!!
It also so happens 'Dad' that in 2004 when your son was not selected in the Steamers, and went overseas that you stated to the coach at the time, your son was a better player than WAYNE ORMOND and the Team would be playing Promotion / relegation again in 2004. Hope you didn't take those ideas to the TAB...
As for the solution to the problems in the "I have the solution to the Bay's woes" thread, started by 'sackpaul', well, my crystal ball tells me that this is aimed more at stirring shit and a personal vendetta than solving problems. Incompetent people like this is are probably better off not involved with rugby in any way - that is the thoughts of many at any rate!
It is not a matter of sacking people as I know for a fact that the union has on board the best people it has ever had, well, they seem to be, as I get a new mop each season, and that is more than I used to get...
Let it be defined from word one - or maybe word 6 of the 8th paragraph - that BOP has been handicapped by being a part of a unproductive Super 14 franchise for many years - East Coast has received more contributions from Hurricanes than BOP has from Chiefs - and you could quite easily state that this could have cost well in excess of $500k over the last 3-4 years in funds that we could have put to very good use.
Not to mention the dubious selection polices over the years that have seen players have to leave too - One obvious case in point - Mark Sorenson getting shafted in 2006 and 2005 by the Chiefs, and consequently chasing the quid offshore right now.
Buying in talent or home grown? Decide on the latter, and there will be growing pains.
The BOP Union and its operations staff, have obviously made the decision to concentrate on local talent, rather than go out and buy teams like Tasman, Hawke's Bay and Northland have done over the past year. Ask them how many of their current players went to school in the region?
Of the 28 player Steamers Squad in 2007 - 21 players went to school in the BOP Region. Of the 22 players in the Squad that lost to Manawatu on Sunday - 6 boys played BOP Under 18 together just a few years ago.
For many years the BOP age group rugby was operated very poorly, but from what I have seen over the last 12 months and more importantly - at present - the BOP age grade teams and Development and Emerging Teams are doing very well.
In 2006 the Emerging Players (mainly U23 players) beat Auckland under 23. The BOP Union had the second best Under 16 team in NZ in 2006 and 6 of those boys are playing under 16 in 2007.
The Union have ex players like Mark Basham, Steve Axtens, Andy Miller, Andrew Hay, Jeremy Cotter, Bob Moorehead, Ron Rae, Ray MacDonald, Dave Murray coaching our young and developing players - these guys all wore the jersey with pride and passion and it is rubbing off onto our players at the age and development level
The Under 20 Team beat Waikato 2 weeks ago 20-19 (in 2006 they lost 70-0) and Hawke's Bay 52-12 last week. There are several boys in this team that will play for the Steamers in 2008.
The Union have made a huge effort to retain players over the last couple of years are I feel are doing a good job at it - the main losses have been offshore, not in New Zealand. And when the NZRFU can't compete with the pound and yen (McAlister, Mauger, Jack et al), how the hell can a middle of the road union do so...?? Senio (Canterbury), Upton (home to Wellington) and Afoa (North Harbour) have all been lost, the rest have headed overseas.
You can't get rid of somebody unless there is someone better to take their place.
Who is around that is better than Kevin Schuler?
Who is around that is better than Steve Miln?
Who is around that is better than Paul Abbot?
The amount of effort these people put into Bay Of Plenty Rugby is immense and their weekly wages would be lucky to keep Hori BoP in pies for a day.
If you want to pay outrageous money you can get anybody - go back to my earlier paragraph and see what we have missed out on by not being in the Hurricanes or Crusaders franchise!
The Mole is a long suffering Bay fan, and knows his way around the business end of a mop, and sometimes, a computer...
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