17/07/2024
Spare a thought for Sean Long, the man who, as head coach, is paid to make difficult decisions. They don't come any more difficult than when you have two wing positions with quality players to fill them like Mo Agoro, new-boy Kieran Dixon and Cian Tyrer, whose 23 tries this season (ten of them in two consecutive games, a 6 and a 4) have lifted him to top try scorer in all three divisions.
Three into two won't go – so, if you accept that there is little to choose between them, whatever Longy did he couldn't win in terms of pleasing everyone. Such tough decisions, of course, come with the territory – and as managing director Mike Ford knows only too well from his many years as a coach at the highest level in Union, as a coach at club level in League and as a player at the highest level in League, any coach has to make decisions like this from time to time and any coach worth his salt has to stand up and be counted, writes ROGER HALSTEAD.
Longy made the decision he thought was the best for the team and the best for him --- not for him personally but for him as the one guy who picks the team, who trains the team, who listens to each player's problems and anxieties, who acts accordingly, and who lives or dies by the decisions he makes.
"Cian certainly wasn't dropped," said Ford. "He wasn't in the team, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's dropped. In his case it would be fair to say that these were exceptional circumstances and he was rested.
Cian has recently signed to stay here until the end of the 2025 season. That shows what we think of him and what he thinks of us."
Next up is the big one – Keighley at home – and it will be interesting to see the team Sean goes with given that Agoro and Dixon each scored two tries against North Wales, that George Hirst, who has had a terrific season up to now, went off injured last time out, that Danny Craven has disciplinary problems, that Jamie Ellis hasn't played for a bit, that Elijah Taylor was concussed against North Wales, that Pat Moran pulled out of the last game on the morning of the game because of a knock and that, as one would expect, quality players like Agoro and Dixon didn't make life any easier for Long by each catching the eye and doing well.
It's what we want, of course, but it does beg the question: who'd be a coach?
Incidentally, Sean made a major change last time when he switched Matty Wildie (now, there's a clever player) from hooker to half-back; named Taylor at hooker and Craig Kopczak at loose-forward, although in truth Koppy played his usual role as a 'middle'.
What a pleasure it was, too, to see young men like Bailey Aldridge, George Hirst, PLT and Logan Astley doing so well, even though all eyes were on those 31-year-old wingers Agoro and Dixon.
I was lucky to be sitting next to Latics owner Frank Rothwell and close to Roughyeds chief Bill Quinn and it was interesting to listen to their light-hearted banter when Dixon trapped a crosskick and dribbled forward with all the panache of a soccer player before picking up at speed and racing in – a great try.
Said Bill (to Frank): "Sign him up. He's a footballer in the making."
Replied Frank (to Bill): "We will – no danger"
They won't, of course. The Cockney kid (well, not so much of a kid any more) is ours now – and Widnes's loss is our gain. Roll on the big one v Keighley at BP on Sunday,
+ Oldham have confirmed that Mackenzie Turner and Kieran Tyrer, two young backs, played for Salford reserves on dual-reg last Saturday in the Red Devils' defeat by Leeds Rhinos. Tyrer is the cousin of Cian Tyrer and both are grandsons of the famous Colin Tyrer, with Kieran the son of Colin's boy Sean, another ex-Oldham player.
"They went to Salford to get a game," said Ford. "It is important they play."