Dupont named head coach

jenks33

Well-Known Member
#41
Depends on the 5 or six changes. There were 2 changes this season which arguably had they been there from the start would have put us higher up the table. Gassing BOC and bringing in McNulty and replacing an injured Dupont with Coughler made a huge change
There's no doubting that Coughler and Mcnulty gave us impetus. Particularly Coughler. Personally i think people have been a bit over the top about Mcnulty's impact. Fair play he was solid and kept things simple but some people saying they want him back next season is a bit much. The fact O'connor was so bad made Mcnulty's impact look far more important than it was. Coughler was the real season changing signing.
Even at our best times though i still felt we were lacking size up front. I'm guessing (guessing being the key word here) that Martin, Crandall, Reid, Coughler, Sanford, Cox will all be here next season. Even if we add size to the third line i still worry about the lack of size on our top two lines.

Belfast and Sheffield will strengthen again no doubt.
 
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moggy#9

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #42
There's no doubting that Coughler and Mcnulty gave us impetus. Particularly Coughler. Personally i think people have been a bit over the top about Mcnulty's impact. Fair play he was solid and kept things simple but some people saying they want him back next season is a bit much. The fact O'connor was so bad made Mcnulty's impact look far more important than it was. Coughler was the real season changing signing.
Even at our best times though i still felt we were lacking size up front. I'm guessing (guessing being the key word here) that Martin, Crandall, Reid, Coughler, Sanford, Cox will all be here next season. Even if we add size to the third line i will still worry about the lack of size on our top two lines.

Belfast and Sheffield will strengthen again no doubt.
This is all fair comment. We have to remember that we don't just have to match where Belfast were last season, we have to exceed where we think they'll need next season.

It's also worth pointing out that with decent netminding Sheffield could have won it all, and that Nottingham and Glasgow will be significantly better next time out.
 

jenks33

Well-Known Member
#43
This is all fair comment. We have to remember that we don't just have to match where Belfast were last season, we have to exceed where we think they'll need next season.

It's also worth pointing out that with decent netminding Sheffield could have won it all, and that Nottingham and Glasgow will be significantly better next time out.
Can you imagine Sheffield's recruitment this summer after their nightmare finish to the season?! A lot of us suspect they take the mickey with wages at the best of times but i'm sure they'll be flashing the cash this summer.
 
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ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#44
I don't know why people are so worried! Often, ill feeling and off ice politics can be as negative as niggling injuries with regard to individual performance. Give some of these players a bit of slack...with those factors resolved, some players who temporarily dropped in performance will return to previous levels.
As for Belfast and Sheffield, I don't think they found it easy to play against the Devils, despite many fans believing those teams had 'superior' rotas.

A bit of flexibility in roster size will now allow for 4 line hockey. I would love to think there is room for Matthew to return.

The Ownership and coaching team clearly have known for some time what changes are required. Excited to see what will happen.
 

jenks33

Well-Known Member
#45
I don't know why people are so worried! Often, ill feeling and off ice politics can be as negative as niggling injuries with regard to individual performance. Give some of these players a bit of slack...with those factors resolved, some players who temporarily dropped in performance will return to previous levels.
As for Belfast and Sheffield, I don't think they found it easy to play against the Devils, despite many fans believing those teams had 'superior' rotas.

A bit of flexibility in roster size will now allow for 4 line hockey. I would love to think there is room for Matthew to return.

The Ownership and coaching team clearly have known for some time what changes are required. Excited to see what will happen.
Personally i think it's natural that some fans are excited and some are apprehensive. I'm sure most fans are a bit of both if they're honest. Excited as we've got a new coach that seems motivated and popular in the dressing room and we've got rid (or going to get rid) of possibly one or two bad eggs. But also it's perfectly natural to be slightly concerned when you've got a coach with 5 minutes of coaching experience and it looks like you're bringing back the majority of a 3rd placed team. I don't think either viewpoint is wrong at the moment
 

moggy#9

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #46
I don't know why people are so worried! Often, ill feeling and off ice politics can be as negative as niggling injuries with regard to individual performance. Give some of these players a bit of slack...with those factors resolved, some players who temporarily dropped in performance will return to previous levels.
As for Belfast and Sheffield, I don't think they found it easy to play against the Devils, despite many fans believing those teams had 'superior' rotas.

A bit of flexibility in roster size will now allow for 4 line hockey. I would love to think there is room for Matthew to return.

The Ownership and coaching team clearly have known for some time what changes are required. Excited to see what will happen.
The devils problem didn't seem to be playing against top teams. It was taking the night off against teams that they should have destroyed. That's where the league was lost.
 

MA18

Well-Known Member
#47
I am going by what Todd said, he said 5/6 new faces. That’s his statement not mine.
Sorry confused by the ‘just my thoughts’ at the end of your post. I know of at least 6 not coming back and that list doesn’t include some of the names mentioned on this forum.
 

Devil94

Well-Known Member
#49
Consistency not quality was the issue last year. That's why for the big games we were good, 4-2 wins against Belfast in the league and an even series against Sheffield if I remember rightly. And a one off final win v Belfast and a semi final demolition of Sheffield. That to me speaks of the quality of the team. And there were comments in that period after Christmas, when we were on a 12 or so game winning streak, that that was the best, most entertaining hockey we had seen for years.

As has been mentioned a few times, consistency was the issue, and the difference between us and Belfast over a season. That to me is down to off ice management, be it lack of motivation to the players, or a split in the locker room between players, or between players/coach or whatever. Whichever of those it was, is probably the reason Todd made the coaching change.

The players seemed happy that whatever the issue was, Dupont could fix it. That's why according to Todd, they all wanted him back. So of course a couple of player upgrades and replacements where needed, 6 sounds about right, but I think Duponts main job is to get them to play against Dundee and Fife in the way we know they can do against Belfast and Sheffield. If he can do that then we're in a very good place.
 

moggy#9

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #51
Consistency not quality was the issue last year. That's why for the big games we were good, 4-2 wins against Belfast in the league and an even series against Sheffield if I remember rightly. And a one off final win v Belfast and a semi final demolition of Sheffield. That to me speaks of the quality of the team. And there were comments in that period after Christmas, when we were on a 12 or so game winning streak, that that was the best, most entertaining hockey we had seen for years.

As has been mentioned a few times, consistency was the issue, and the difference between us and Belfast over a season. That to me is down to off ice management, be it lack of motivation to the players, or a split in the locker room between players, or between players/coach or whatever. Whichever of those it was, is probably the reason Todd made the coaching change.

The players seemed happy that whatever the issue was, Dupont could fix it. That's why according to Todd, they all wanted him back. So of course a couple of player upgrades and replacements where needed, 6 sounds about right, but I think Duponts main job is to get them to play against Dundee and Fife in the way we know they can do against Belfast and Sheffield. If he can do that then we're in a very good place.
Yes, but Sheffield and belfast will be better next time. That's what we have to match, and that's going to need some pragmatic thinking and careful recruitment.
 

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#52
We have no idea how good any of the teams are going to be. We don't know which teams are going to be better than the Devils, we have no idea which players are leaving the League or staying.
Dupont, TK, Franny and Ownership Group can only identify what our team weaknesses were and try to improve on those.
 

Devil94

Well-Known Member
#53
Yes, but Sheffield and belfast will be better next time. That's what we have to match, and that's going to need some pragmatic thinking and careful recruitment.
That's not a certainty at all. After winning this year, Belfasts players will be in high demand, plenty of them are good enough for better deals in Europe. The ones that want to stay will want more money. Their recruitment clicked this year but what's to say it will next year? Thats why it's hard for clubs in any sport to win back to back championships.
Sheffield have been quite poor recruitment wise for years now, considering the resources they have. And with no change to their off ice team what's to say that won't change.
 

moggy#9

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #54
That's not a certainty at all. After winning this year, Belfasts players will be in high demand, plenty of them are good enough for better deals in Europe. The ones that want to stay will want more money. Their recruitment clicked this year but what's to say it will next year? Thats why it's hard for clubs in any sport to win back to back championships.
Sheffield have been quite poor recruitment wise for years now, considering the resources they have. And with no change to their off ice team what's to say that won't change.
It was widely acknowledged on here that the standard of the league this year dropped significantly. It's not unreasonable to expect it therefore to improve next season.

Both Belfast and Sheffield usually manage to recruit well. Sheffield's main problem was in goal. They will resolve that. Even if Belfast have to replace players, I'm confident that they'll improve overall.
 

Devil94

Well-Known Member
#55
It was widely acknowledged on here that the standard of the league this year dropped significantly. It's not unreasonable to expect it therefore to improve next season.

Both Belfast and Sheffield usually manage to recruit well. Sheffield's main problem was in goal. They will resolve that. Even if Belfast have to replace players, I'm confident that they'll improve overall.
I don't think the standard of the top 2 dropped from previous years. In fact I think that was the best Belfast side since the 13-14 season (in comparison with the standard of the league), when they won the league in February. But the season following that they ended up 5th. When they won it in 18-19, the following year they were also behind the pace, ending 4th when the league stopped. Winning back to back is extremely hard, and there's nothing to say they will be back to the same standard of a one off great season again next year.
 

jenks33

Well-Known Member
#56
I don't think the standard of the top 2 dropped from previous years. In fact I think that was the best Belfast side since the 13-14 season (in comparison with the standard of the league), when they won the league in February. But the season following that they ended up 5th. When they won it in 18-19, the following year they were also behind the pace, ending 4th when the league stopped. Winning back to back is extremely hard, and there's nothing to say they will be back to the same standard of a one off great season again next year.
Just to clarify do’u mean the top 2 were strong considering the factors - unofficial salary cap, covid etc? Or Do’u think their rosters were as good as before covid?
 

Mazzoak

Well-Known Member
#57
Good luck to Dupont, we can debate the positives & negatives all summer, as Finny said time will tell as he’s not coached yet so we’ve got nothing to go by. Yes he was “the coach” in the Playoffs, not without a few issues though, he’s got a long way to go yet. He’s certainly cut from the same cloth as Lord, says everything fans want to hear, which is great if that’s backed up on the ice. My fear is though you need the same quality of recruitment afforded to Lord, you need many factors to come together in order to win, quality starts at budget, recruiting the best you can afford, etc etc all the way to producing a Devils team ethos. If players can only turn up for a few games following a rousing changing room speech, then you’ve got problems. I don’t buy the Skalde lacked locker room presence as the reasons we didn’t turn up most games, Skalde has a proven track record at a high level of coaching, for me it was basically missing the number one & two in my previous comment, budget & recruiting the best you can afford. Skalde brought in a radical change in net minding policy, my feeling is he knew he’d need strong netminders to carrying the lack of scoring and inconsistent defence. If we are keeping the majority and bringing in only 6 new guys, it’ll be an interesting rebuild season, fingers crossed Dupont can pull it off, l certainly don’t want to be proven right if it means the Devils get worse than the dire season we’ve just had.
 
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Mazzoak

Well-Known Member
#58
That's not a certainty at all. After winning this year, Belfasts players will be in high demand, plenty of them are good enough for better deals in Europe. The ones that want to stay will want more money. Their recruitment clicked this year but what's to say it will next year? Thats why it's hard for clubs in any sport to win back to back championships.
Sheffield have been quite poor recruitment wise for years now, considering the resources they have. And with no change to their off ice team what's to say that won't change.
Your right regarding the players, want you’ve failed to acknowledge is the business side of the game. Those who own the club, the business, who recruited the winning team did so not to sit back on the next season, more success means more fans, means more revenue, means more profit. Those clubs who didn’t succeed last year will want to win next season, for the same reasons, the large arena teams can afford to spend. The top four teams will be competing very hard next season.
 

Samael

Well-Known Member
#59
Best of luck to him. I said in another thread a few weeks ago l wouldn't be bothered if he was appointed or not, l still feel like this. He says all the right things in interviews, l do think a lot of that is just telling fans what they want to hear though. He's a rookie coach, with a season of exposure to the eihl. If he turns out like Lord, great, but time will tell.

Winning the playoffs wasnt that big a deal as its a five game tournament, l don't care what Kelman, the king of hyperbole, or anyone else on here says, its the easiest trophy win. It got him the full time gig here so let's see what he does next season. I can understand why the players like him and want to play for him as he appears to be very straight and hardworking. If he gets the best out of his squad and can recruit better than last year, his inexperience as a head coach won't matter. I imagine two points Tony will be spending a fortune in the off season in an attempt to buy success, Belfast definitely will improve and l also think Nottingham will be challenging again this year so Dupont has his work cut out. Let's just hope his job is made easier by Martin coming home.
 

Kevlar68

Well-Known Member
#60
What manager doesn't tell the fans what they want to hear?
Every manager in every team sport states the positives, states the pleaser lines. What do you expect them to say "I've come to this team and the fan base are assholes but i'm here so......." or "I'm not here to win trophies or recruit a great team i'm here cause i need a job to pay my mortgage"
You get my drift.
 
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