I would think that with the exception of 2 of 3 clubs, every other team is also experiencing a similar yoyo effect.... And most would probably happily swap to have a couple of league final appearances.
Ultimately, it's a sign of a healthy league if it's difficult to predict the final standings...... And then there's saracens
Including Saracens, 3 clubs is a quarter of the league who are there or thereabouts. Our yo yo is pronounced, and really only the last two, 2nd 8th, is with the current modus operandi. We need to have a couple of solid top 4 seasons. Wasps are new to the area geographically and have a diaspora of fans. We need three things to keep crowds up- to play attractive rugby, to play at the top table, and to play successful rugby- not all at once and not constantly, but those ingredients need to be there over a three year period. The easiest to maintain is the first, because it us kind of the DNA and our pack can't grind matches out.
If we had 3 solid years in 6 to 9th slot, crowds will suffer in a way they do not at Glaws, say.
My big worry is Sarries will devalue the league and people like me will simply pull the plug on BT and live attendance because they cannot take the hypocrisy and carpet brushing by their commentators and media pundits. Fans walking away from the game might be the only way broadcasters take note- Sarries have not 'had their troubles' - they cheated- and the players have not ' shown courage' - they cheated too, and if that is all we are going to get from BT, they won't be getting my renewal, and I won't put my meagre money into a game that refuses to police cheating.
We’ll said WWW
I would think that with the exception of 2 of 3 clubs, every other team is also experiencing a similar yoyo effect.... And most would probably happily swap to have a couple of league final appearances.
Given the quality we have in the squad
(today & in recent seasons) and our history, we should be a club with serious aspirations to be contenders every season. Our benchmarking should only be against the best teams … that’s how we develop, remain at the top of our game and win titles.
I don’t disagree but you also risk losing them if they feel they are playing for a club that has no real intent (or perhaps ability) to put together a squad that will position them as title contenders every season.
If this was all it was about for players why would anyone sign for Worcester?
There's only really a handful of clubs that could seriously expect to win anything in any given season. Should every player only want to sign for them then?
Like everything else in life, playing professional rugby isn't as simple as only signing for the club that's going to win, or pays the best, or is in the nicest part of the country, or is the club you supported as a boy, or discovered you playing for a grass roots club & brought you through to stardom. Players have to weigh up a lot of different things before committing themselves.
It goes without saying that many factors come into play when a player moves clubs, but it is very much part & parcel of our game and loyalty isn’t always high up on the agenda. Yes there are several factors at play when making such a decision, but there is no denying young & talented individuals
(the group referred to in the original post) will want to win trophies - this is a competitive profession after all. Daly, for all his faults, stated one of the reasons behind his move to Saracens was to play for a club with title ambitions.
Putting aside salaries & locations, a club like Worcester will certainly find it harder to retain & attract proven talent, compared to the likes of Exeter, Bristol and even Saracens. That is primarily driven by their performance, ambitions and league standing.
Since moving to the Ricoh we have finished the league 6th, 3rd, 1st, 3rd, 8th, 2nd & 8th. Irrespective of the reasons, that ‘yo-yo’ performance will weigh on the minds of any talented player with aspirations. Yes the business climate has been tough but we also can’t be stuck in a ‘perennial transition’ mode.
To finish in a play off place 4 times in last 7 seasons and top half of table in 5 ain’t too shabby and all clubs would be happy with that in such a competitive league.
The one thing I’m am disappointed with is converting one of the top 3 places into a trophy. We need a sustainable squad (either larger or keeping fitter) with a harder ,more pragmatic ,edge.
I can see your point, and I acknowledge a club could have the odd off season, but there is no fundamental reason for Wasps to drop off like we do every other season. To go from 8th to Premiership finalists back down to 8th in a short space of time means lessons must be learnt.
Agree with your second paragraph and that’s what I alluded to earlier on.
Always a Wasp
