McManus calls for St Helens improvement

Correspondent

St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus has issued a rallying cry to all at his club ahead of their weekend game with Salford at Langtree Park.

McManus has accepted that the team’s current performances are well below par, as evidenced by their humiliation at the hands of Hull FC in the Challenge Cup last weekened.

“Everyone at the club: players, coaching staff, management and particularly myself, are under no illusions that last week’s exit from the Challenge Cup at the hands of Hull FC was and is unacceptable,” McManus wrote in his programme notes for the Salford fixture.

“The only way to redeem ourselves to our supporters is to show significant improvement throughout the rest of the Super League season.

“That said, nothing is achieved within the club by tub thumping and lashing out. Everyone at the club, particularly me, has to look at themselves and at their colleagues and identify any and all weaknesses and to address them as and when we can. The standards which we have so long set and held have to be re-attained. Your support has to be earned and not expected.

“That said, we are two points off second position in the league and four points from the top. Given the unpredictable nature of the competition every weekend and the fact that all clubs will definitely experience peaks and troughs in form during the remainder of the season, a decent run of results can see us challenging for honours again.

“Form and position will continue to be volatile this season, but we have to improve markedly and consistently if we are to win the league and the Grand Final. It can be done and it must remain our aim.”