To be positive or not be positive that is the question…? My rational head says one thing and my irrational head another… It was time for more cake and coffee.

The Negatives

Nearly every preseason forecast I’ve read has Falcons down for relegation, the so-called experts out there are all in agreement we are going to struggle this season and are out right favourites for the drop, only The Times has us avoiding the drop and even then it’s by just one place.

I wasn’t in favour of Steve Bates being made Commander-in-Chief  – yet another in-house “cosy” appointment was my initial thought and I believe he still has to prove himself in the role. Yes he got Borders into the Heineken Cup, but lets face it all you had to do to achieve that was be Scottish and slightly better than another poor Scottish side! Not exactly anything to shout about. Bates’ initial record on appointment wasn’t inspiring either, bar the match against Leicester Tigers, nor were the first two preseason friendlies, so why am I now warming to the guy and am prepared to give him a chance to prove himself?

Let them eat cake!

Maybe I’ve eaten too many slices of chocolate fudge cake but my slightly excited optimistic feeling that started to emerge from the doom and gloom of the off-season a fortnight or so ago has blossomed - I simply do not believe we will be relegated.

When I’ve heard Steve Bates discuss the season he makes sense, no over the top (a la Rob Andrew) ‘it’ll be our best season ever’ type comments but an honest appraisal of where we are. Ok so the cynics out there will say every coach has to big up the team going into a new season and it’s just papering over the cracks, but I disagree since the match against Racing Metro I reckon we are not the cannon fodder the experts have pronounced us to be. Racing Metro scored 1 try early on, which was a fluke (for those who didn’t see the match it was a rebound off the posts which unfortunately caught us napping), and then never really looked like scoring again. The handling was better, the lads looked like a team. Sources at the club (hehehehe do I sound like a proper journo?) say this is the best coaching team we have had in ages, with Alan Tait in particular being held in high regard. So I’m prepared to give them a chance to prove themselves.

It’s not as bad as I first thought…

We’ve 3 scrum-halves fighting it out for the number 9 shirt, Wilko, bar the ‘orrible haircut, is reportedly fit and ready to go, we have not one but two decent rapidly improving understudies for him in Rob Miller and Rory Clegg (the young ‘un who looks like Prince Harry), two sets of back rows, and can play McDonnell and Hayman together in the front row! Oh and a special mention to Spencer Davey, as even though a back and therefore not my personal cup of tea, he does rate highly on the totty scale according to Wino 1 & 2.

So Mally’s Sale match Wish List

I want to see:

1. John Rudd flattening Mat Tait and not letting him nip past.
2. Our pack stomping over Sale - being dominant and fronting up.
3. Decent handling - passing the ball at a catchable height and no fumbles.
4. Quick support at the breakdown and a sharp scrumhalf – no pontificating at the ref – get on with it!
5. Tries! Lots of them! Give Rudd the ball at speed and slam him up the middle of the pitch – use him properly!
6. Charlie Hodgeson being given another lesson in “How To Be A Flyhalf”.
7. Sebastien Chabal in shorts – err for purely personal girlie reasons….

So for me it’s a home win – Sale Sharks have never won at KP and I damned if I can see why that should change now.

So make some noise, get behind the team, if need be eat cake and have a little faith – the season is about to begin!

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