BR - proud Scot

By Cherry Picker
August 10 2009

Is it just us here at Shedloads, or has this been the longest close-season in club rugby history? It seems to have dragged on for months and months after last season’s bitterly disappointing ending, but at last we can see light at the end of the tunnel and Gloucester are back in action on two fronts this weekend. The big game is at Kingsholm, where Glaws play Barff in a testimonial game for Andy Hazell and Lee Mears, while they also send a team to the Middlesex Sevens, where they play London Irish in the first round.
Surely the new season can only be an improvement 2008-09, when Glaws flattered to deceive for most of the time and then ended the season by pulling off the impossible – getting worse.
Once the fans got their way and Dean Ryan was pushed through the Kingsholm exit doors and it became obvious the days of big-name signings for the sake it because they were available are over, there was little to take us through the long summer months apart from the prospect of the new season starting at the beginning of September.
New coach Bryan Redpath says he plans to take Glaws back to basics, which is good news for the fans and should make the team better to watch than last season. Or at least we hope it does.
However, we are a bit flummoxed by Redpath’s claim during the summer that he needs to prove himself as a Scot in England as he takes his first steps as a coach.
He needs to prove himself as a coach, of course, but as a Scot?
He has told the Citizen: "I'm still a proud Scotsman and I want Scots to be proud of me doing well in England. I know every Scottish player down here feels the same – that we want to prove something."
Well, that’s a new one on us Bryan.
Prove yourself as a player or a coach, and I can tell you now that the people of Gloucester wouldn’t care if you came from Melrose or Melbourne. The fact that you are a Scot is of little or no relevance to the people who will be watching your team week in and week out, but if you want to use that as an incentive feel free.
In the meantime, do us a favour and beat Bath on Saturday, when we know it doesn’t REALLY matter, and you’ll be off to a flier.und.

At last - after weeks of waiting, Glaws get back in action

Discussion started by Shedloads (IP Logged), 10/08/2009 12:01

Shedloads
10/08/2009 12:01

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cheerycherry
10/08/2009 13:05

The close season does seem to of dragged more than usual but, for me, the tone was set with the protracted removal of Dean Ryan. Now everything has settled at Kingsholm (if everything is ever truly settled at Kingsholm!) we can all look forward to the coming season safe in the knowledge it can not be any worse than the last two months of the previous season. First things first, Glaws need to get back to making Kingsholm a tough place to come.

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Two Sheds
10/08/2009 15:45

I agree with the line about signing players for the sake of it ... there didn't appear to be any real planning, just flashing the cash because it was there (and to stop other clubs from signing the players concerned?)

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