Dean Ryan
Fans will be delighted to hear the positive vibes coming from the coach, who was clearly upset, angry and frustrated after his team's avoidable defeat at the hands of Tigers.
Everybody at Kingsholm knows that over the season, Glaws were the best team in the Premiership, but let themselves down in the crunch match.
But Ryan has now recovered from the setback, which prompted him to say he was sick of rugby after the game, and is determined to make sure that it doesn't happen again.
Just named the best coach in the Premiership, Ryan starts his preparations for the new season knowing that he has the three best players in the competition at his disposal. James Simpson-Daniel was voted top player with Akapusi Qera third after his first season in GP rugby. Olly Barkley (right), who was voted into second place, joins Glaws next season.
No wonder Ryan is now feeling upbeatagain. He told the Citizen: "There's a feeling across the group that we're disappointed we didn't go on to the final and probably for the first time felt this was something we could certainly challenge for.
"But that's the nature of knockout rugby. It can happen and it did happen and we've got to come to terms with it.
"When you work for nine months for something and it gets taken away in 80 minutes there's bound to be a deflated moment.
"I felt the loss was something that we had control of, something we had covered before. When you've talked and covered and worked at things before you lose a bit of enthusiasm when they go wrong.
"You can't guard against losing games. You can't guard against people making wrong decisions in the game.
"That's what's so attractive about watching competitive sport. If it was something that could be scripted, it would be a sterile game. Everything you do you learn from. If not, you have to change personnel."
On the trio of award-winners in his squad, he added: "To have them here is good news if they can maintain their form - it's a new season and a new challenge next year and those guys will certainly contribute largely to the season."
The fact that DR appears to have recovered his appetite for the game is good news for Glaws - as long as the same applies to players who were so deflated over their own poor team performance a couple of weeks ago.
Bookmark or share this story with:
| 4 Jun, 2008 00:18 | Report |
|
cheerycherry (IP Logged) Registered User |
Date Joined: Apr, 2007 Location: Posts: 3387 |