Mike Ford

[Every Time Ref]

Can someone at least drop a couple of Google search terms which might lead me to these "opaque insinuations"...?

 

[willutalk]

Mike worked well with Gary Gold. Who I believe was the master behind last seasons success. However on his own, with pressure and a few things going against, fragility was apparent. All talk, no play. Always making excuses. It really showed on the pitch too. The players seemed lethargic, absence of concentration. Like they didn't exactly want to impress Ford. Furthermore I didn't like the whole George/Mike thing, which can really mess up club performance at professional level.

I do look forward to a 'fresh' new start. A DoR and possibly Head Coach who inspire what is a cracking team to play great rugby again, one who the fans can trust to take the club on too. We need our own Eddie Jones!

 

[Every Time Ref]

Wow turns out that's quite a story.

I would say though, it's very much the kind of story where a kernel of truth takes on a life of its own, I'd believe the original basis more readily than the various escalations of detail

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Meyer being linked to bath by Telegraph.

Not sure about that IMO.

 

[Tony Manx]

Ah come on?

Was MF playing away from home?

Was GF involved in keeping it from his Mum?

Was the position reversed - and please take that as meant?

Was the team involved and MF missed out?

What was going on.......?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Fine I'll tell you but promise to keep it to yourself...........................................................

Apparently Mike Ford was sleeping with Bath rugby's Head coach/Director of rugby.

Even used to see him during training.

Talk is he went out with George Fords mom as well.

 

[Groundhog]

Apparently old Mike had pretty much everyone including the players turned against him, which isn't the juicy stuff.
EDIT: Just read the full rumour. Hahaha that's quite bad lord almighty.

 

[Which Tyler]

Rumours on MF seem to have taken on a real soap-opera feels; most of which simply can't be believed; and most of which isn't mentioned at all by my sources.
That he'd lost the dressing room seems cast-iron fact; and to a degree much greater than I had supposed for most of the season. It appears that Hatley was the only coach to emerge with credit from the end of season review; whilst Mike got a real slating.

Mike worked well with Gary Gold. Who I believe was the master behind last seasons success. However on his own, with pressure and a few things going against, fragility was apparent. All talk, no play. Always making excuses. It really showed on the pitch too. The players seemed lethargic, absence of concentration. Like they didn't exactly want to impress Ford. Furthermore I didn't like the whole George/Mike thing, which can really mess up club performance at professional level.

He really didn't work well with Gold; and Gold really wasn't the mast behind last season's success - he left 3 years ago.
I pointed out when we signed Ford that he'd yet to play well with others as a junior coach, and has caused disruptions in every coaching team he's been a part of. Within a year he forms a coup to oust Gold - that's really not "working well with..."

When Gold was with us - we tried to play without the ball; the polar opposite of what we were doing last ear under Ford.

Last year, with Ford in his second season of full control, the players did not look lethargic, absent in concentration etc etc. However, this year they've looked like a bunch of individuals with no bond or desire to perform as a collective - which is how speculation that he'd lost the dressing room started; and people started asking questions. Sources confirmed various tidbits of this as the season progressed; but I don't think anyone on the outside knew how bad it was until yesterday. It appears that the dressing room had dissolved into many cliques (as opposed to a few individuals and their mates) - none of which was supportive of MF.

 

[ncurd]

Well it seams by Internet searching powers have left me behind can't find anything outright accusations anywhere. Which is surprising for a story like this.

Ah well either way sounds like he definitely lost the dressing room for whatever reason and Hatley was the only one supported by the players. Hope the new guy finds a way to reconnect the players. Wouldn't be surprised to hear Burgess was the start with what happened to Fearns.

 

[McTallshort]

Since an interview I saw him do in the 2007 World Cup I always had a low impression of Ford, in his interviews after games he always struck me as a slightly thick football manager. He tended to talk a lot about journey's, team spirit etc never really much rugby talk like you got from the like of Baxter and Ryan. It was obvious to anyone that by the 4th or 5th game this season that everyone had worked out Baths game plan from last season and where very effective at stopping it. Geech even wrote an article in the telegraph about how a few simple changes would bring back their form but Ford didn't seem to know what to do. He got so far with the big money that was ploughed in but in the end was just not up to it intellectually. Reminds me a bit of Kevin Keegan.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Lol Lancaster apparently turning Bath down in hopes of getting a super rugby gig.

Not sure why a super rugby team would want a failed England coach?

 

[ncurd]

Lol Lancaster apparently turning Bath down in hopes of getting a super rugby gig.

Not sure why a super rugby team would want a failed England coach?

I don't think turned down is the right words more like not considering taking the job if approached.

Not that I want him anyway.

 

[Every Time Ref]

I don't think turned down is the right words more like not considering taking the job if approached.

Not that I want him anyway.

His main success as an England coach was taking a squad in crisis and getting them to pull together and start to take some pride in the group. For one season, maybe that's what we need?

 

[Peat]

The season runs a fair bit further than that five game period - plus do you just hire him for one season? What after?

Tbh, I'm still not sure whether Lancaster has in it him to be a head coach of any note. I'd love for some club to hire him and find out, but would be less keen on it being my club.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Probably right, just looking st the positives. Not sure who the options are at this stage, lot of names flying about but no real substance. Same as always

 

[Maverick1987]

The season runs a fair bit further than that five game period - plus do you just hire him for one season? What after?

Tbh, I'm still not sure whether Lancaster has in it him to be a head coach of any note. I'd love for some club to hire him and find out, but would be less keen on it being my club.

I think he'd do ok as long as he had an experienced back room behind him . I'm with you on the fact I wouldn't want it to be my team that it happens to though !