McLaughlin decides to put himself through the ringer for another season! BY:RUGBYPICTURE.CO.UK
Oh no, don’t they know what they have done!
Part one of O’Sullivan’s law states: -
As soon as a partially successful team shall announce the extension of a managers contract they shall immediately enter into a six game downward spiral where they can’t buy a win.
Part two states: -
If said six games involve any sort of international competition it is guaranteed that the team shall crash and burn in said competition in the most embarrassing way possible!
So there you go, the season is over!
However, we all know that O’Sullivan’s Law doesn’t apply if someone states publicly what everyone else is thinking so you can thank the FRONTROWUNION for saving the season – just remember that in May when Ulster are buying a new trophy cabinet!
I must say that I have warmed somewhat to McLaughlin this season – chiefly through his somewhat risky selection policy which has seen a plethora of youngsters break into the senior side.
It has been particularly pleasing over the last few games that, as the pressure builds towards Ulster’s biggest game of the last eleven years, he has refused to go for what would be regarded as the safe options and has continued to experiment with players and positions.
Granted, every decision hasn’t turned out 100% correct, but you can’t really argue when the team is winning as instilling that belief and ability to win games, we really should have lost, is one of those intangible characteristics that is so hard to cultivate in any side. It is however a characteristic that all the great sides have had.
Ulster are still a long way short of being a great side, but at least they are moving in the right direction. The fewer distractions they have along the way the better.
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4 Responses to “McLaughlin signs up for another year!”
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In some respects the selection policy was forced upon him when injuries to Trimble Danielli and Cave over lapped as well as international call ups . Then the future release of O Connor and the injury to Humphreys gave Jackson his opportunity to be given a taste of the big time .
I doubt if the selections you drool over would have been seen by McLaughlin as the teams he wanted to field
But such is the lot of an Ulster Coach
I am also thinking that his horizons may be beyond next year
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@mote: There are always going to be injuries mote it is not an unusual occurance in rugby? McIlwaine, Gilroy, Luke Marshall, Nevin Spence were always going to get a run at some stage of the season. Gaston has come through on the back of consistently high performances for Dungannon. Jackson is really the only surprise and even at that it’s not much of a surprise given his form this season.
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I would not have considered renewing McGlocks contract until the end of the season. Rugby is a results business and we are at the point in the season where it could go one of two ways, success or failure. It smacks of desperation and is akin to awarding EOS a four year contract before the RWC. What was the problem of waiting a few weeks until the season had finished and UR could make a measured decision?
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@Raging: I think INST were looking a decision from McLaughs. My guess is it was a use him or loose him senario for Ulster.
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