Arron Fox must have a flameproof suit or something because when we were getting that sort of performance when Thompson was coach the snipers were all out in full force not chanting Arron Foxes barmy army.
Fox was touted as being good at recruitment in his early tenure. This year we had one mistake (Seitz) one went on strike (Neilson), one got his P45 and almost got locked up (Pu), and one ran away (Gentile)
I went to both games, sat through to the end, walked out to singing Belfast fans in the carpark both nights, this must be what its like to be a Fife supporter this year.
Now, do I fork out £500-£600 for next year and invest (30x3) 90 hours of my time sat at the arena
or do I fork out nothing and paint the stairs/hallway etc instead.
Unfortunately in hockey we have to make that decision well BEFORE knowing who the coach will be and who the players will be for next season.
Dilemma...., If only there was an agony aunt for ice hockey fans I could ask.
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Brian
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Some good points ekt and it is a dilemma. However if it helps I can confirm there will be a 50/50 , shirt raffle, free t shirt gun, signed prize programme , deafening PA ,chuck a puck and endless new special commemorative shirts including a season ticket holders one for you to purchase and pizzas at £17. Not to mention the car park.
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MLL79
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@Brian
That made me chuckle, I know it’s really no laughing matter but that did make me smile.
It is difficult, but I do think this is where comparisons to Fife are actually helpful - look at their situation and what their (extremely) loyal fans have, and compare to what we have.
It’s been such a strange year this one. When I saw the signings this year, I’ll happily admit to thinking this could be another stellar year. All of Aaron Fox’s signings to me looked like really good additions, I only really saw Gentile as a risk given the college hockey background. I think we were all surprised at how flat they all fell, but we have to give some credit on the turnaround.
I would imagine, looking at the very real prospect of this happening, that a second year in a row with no silverware - there will be some changes. Despite the style of play not being my cup of tea, I won’t utter a bad word against Aaron Fox. I think he’s a top man and has represented this club so well, but I think 2 years in a row without any titles would be extremely difficult to survive.
It’s not happened yet, and I think that pressure would evaporate if we bring home the playoffs, but if not….
League wise if we can finish second, that’s another plus on last year, but I can’t see that being enough.
That made me chuckle, I know it’s really no laughing matter but that did make me smile.
It is difficult, but I do think this is where comparisons to Fife are actually helpful - look at their situation and what their (extremely) loyal fans have, and compare to what we have.
It’s been such a strange year this one. When I saw the signings this year, I’ll happily admit to thinking this could be another stellar year. All of Aaron Fox’s signings to me looked like really good additions, I only really saw Gentile as a risk given the college hockey background. I think we were all surprised at how flat they all fell, but we have to give some credit on the turnaround.
I would imagine, looking at the very real prospect of this happening, that a second year in a row with no silverware - there will be some changes. Despite the style of play not being my cup of tea, I won’t utter a bad word against Aaron Fox. I think he’s a top man and has represented this club so well, but I think 2 years in a row without any titles would be extremely difficult to survive.
It’s not happened yet, and I think that pressure would evaporate if we bring home the playoffs, but if not….
League wise if we can finish second, that’s another plus on last year, but I can’t see that being enough.
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heathk01
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I think the only silverware smith will get will be via the steeldogs. I hope I am wrong but I can’t see it . I don’t think we will win the playoffs. I said Belfast would do the treble I got that wrong didn’t I .
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Jayboy
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He will be next seasons coach with a doubt... take that to the bank...MLL79 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 17, 2026 10:46 am@Brian
That made me chuckle, I know it’s really no laughing matter but that did make me smile.
It is difficult, but I do think this is where comparisons to Fife are actually helpful - look at their situation and what their (extremely) loyal fans have, and compare to what we have.
It’s been such a strange year this one. When I saw the signings this year, I’ll happily admit to thinking this could be another stellar year. All of Aaron Fox’s signings to me looked like really good additions, I only really saw Gentile as a risk given the college hockey background. I think we were all surprised at how flat they all fell, but we have to give some credit on the turnaround.
I would imagine, looking at the very real prospect of this happening, that a second year in a row with no silverware - there will be some changes. Despite the style of play not being my cup of tea, I won’t utter a bad word against Aaron Fox. I think he’s a top man and has represented this club so well, but I think 2 years in a row without any titles would be extremely difficult to survive.
It’s not happened yet, and I think that pressure would evaporate if we bring home the playoffs, but if not….
League wise if we can finish second, that’s another plus on last year, but I can’t see that being enough.
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Clear The Zone
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For those comparing this season with Thommo's last one, a reminder that we finished 7th that year AFTER Barrasso skated the boys to fitness for the second half of the season, so such comparisons are unfair. Thommo looked like a broken man by October, Fox just looks like he's a bit pissed off with the imports.
Look at it from another direction; we have a coach who has delivered a challenge cup win, a runaway grand slam winning season (one of the most comprehensive in EIHL history), an unprecedented CHL run and has never delivered a domestic league position lower than 3rd (never more than 4 league wins from the winners) and is currently joint 2nd in Steelers history for win percentage (as the longest running coach this is impressive consistency). He's someone who's not jumped ship at the first sign of adversity, has integrity and conducted himself though unprecedented on and off ice issues with dignity. Most teams in most European leagues would bite your hand off for a coach like that.
Fox's eldest lad is now uni age, and his youngest will probably be not be far off the end of compulsory schooling age. So, the impetus to stay put for Fox will likely be waining. He'll get sick of the British weather and can probably pick and choose where he wants to coach now, he's got one hell of a solid CV. He came to us as a relatively inexperienced coach, so from a professional development standpoint he might be looking to challenge himself somewhere new - in fact he SHOULD be. It may not be a case of Tony showing Fox the door, rather than Tony will be trying to keep hold of him.
Fox's biggest selling point when he signed was he was well connected and a good recruiter. The player market has totally changed post-COVID, and I suspect other EIHL teams have caught up somewhat in that regard (Fife had about 2000 NHL games on their roster at one point thus year!). Plus Fox came in on the rising tide of Steelers professionalism as an organisation that Thommo ushered in, which for a time was an advantage as we had our noses ahead, but likewise other teams will be more savvy about these days, so it's less of an advantage now. We're also suffering somewhat from the demand for league titles, meaning the Brit pack doesn't get the icetime they would like (and need) and generally the Brit pack is weaker than our best-of-their-generation Brit pack of a few years back to begin with. Arguably you can't guarantee immediate success AND offer a desirable development route from the Steeldogs - hence why no other country maintains the insane thing of the league title being the most important.
All of these issues will be inherited by Fox's eventual successor. Show him the door and you'd better be damn sure that you can replace him (and potentially CBW) with someone who can guarantee success in a league where an almost unheard-of level of consistency over 54 games is required, cos if you finish 2nd two years on the trot that's a disaster. It's a tough ask, and a gamble if you're Tony. Last time he gambled on a coach he let big G go to sign Thommo....
Look at it from another direction; we have a coach who has delivered a challenge cup win, a runaway grand slam winning season (one of the most comprehensive in EIHL history), an unprecedented CHL run and has never delivered a domestic league position lower than 3rd (never more than 4 league wins from the winners) and is currently joint 2nd in Steelers history for win percentage (as the longest running coach this is impressive consistency). He's someone who's not jumped ship at the first sign of adversity, has integrity and conducted himself though unprecedented on and off ice issues with dignity. Most teams in most European leagues would bite your hand off for a coach like that.
Fox's eldest lad is now uni age, and his youngest will probably be not be far off the end of compulsory schooling age. So, the impetus to stay put for Fox will likely be waining. He'll get sick of the British weather and can probably pick and choose where he wants to coach now, he's got one hell of a solid CV. He came to us as a relatively inexperienced coach, so from a professional development standpoint he might be looking to challenge himself somewhere new - in fact he SHOULD be. It may not be a case of Tony showing Fox the door, rather than Tony will be trying to keep hold of him.
Fox's biggest selling point when he signed was he was well connected and a good recruiter. The player market has totally changed post-COVID, and I suspect other EIHL teams have caught up somewhat in that regard (Fife had about 2000 NHL games on their roster at one point thus year!). Plus Fox came in on the rising tide of Steelers professionalism as an organisation that Thommo ushered in, which for a time was an advantage as we had our noses ahead, but likewise other teams will be more savvy about these days, so it's less of an advantage now. We're also suffering somewhat from the demand for league titles, meaning the Brit pack doesn't get the icetime they would like (and need) and generally the Brit pack is weaker than our best-of-their-generation Brit pack of a few years back to begin with. Arguably you can't guarantee immediate success AND offer a desirable development route from the Steeldogs - hence why no other country maintains the insane thing of the league title being the most important.
All of these issues will be inherited by Fox's eventual successor. Show him the door and you'd better be damn sure that you can replace him (and potentially CBW) with someone who can guarantee success in a league where an almost unheard-of level of consistency over 54 games is required, cos if you finish 2nd two years on the trot that's a disaster. It's a tough ask, and a gamble if you're Tony. Last time he gambled on a coach he let big G go to sign Thommo....
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kivo1889
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Looking at it from another viewpoint; what is it that Belfast and Keefe do so well? I can't believe they have a much bigger budget, but in the last 7 years they've been the default trophy winning team, why?
I don't know btw, but I'd love to be enlightened. I do like Belfast's style of play better than ours, we seem to be lightweight in comparison and against the bigger teams spend too much time passing the puck in the zone and being forced into the corners for little effect. Dunno why.
I don't know btw, but I'd love to be enlightened. I do like Belfast's style of play better than ours, we seem to be lightweight in comparison and against the bigger teams spend too much time passing the puck in the zone and being forced into the corners for little effect. Dunno why.
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Clear The Zone
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Keefe is more experienced than Fox as a coach (both in terms of number of seasons but also being part of the GB setup), and with an older brother as an NHL coach he's likely got a very good network of contacts in north America when it comes to recruitment. It could be nothing more than that - we're talking fine margins.kivo1889 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2026 4:05 pmLooking at it from another viewpoint; what is it that Belfast and Keefe do so well? I can't believe they have a much bigger budget, but in the last 7 years they've been the default trophy winning team, why?
I don't know btw, but I'd love to be enlightened. I do like Belfast's style of play better than ours, we seem to be lightweight in comparison and against the bigger teams spend too much time passing the puck in the zone and being forced into the corners for little effect. Dunno why.
One thing that's consistently stood out to me this season compared to the grand slam season in particular is the passing. We're sloppy, always passing just ahead or behind of the player, coughing up cheap turnovers, and players are having to take several touches to control the puck where in previous years they took one. All of this costs you one way or another, either lost possision or letting their player get an extra stride in. Whether or not this is a coaching issue, a skill issue, or other teams breaking up passing lanes better, I don't know. I just know we rarely look like a league-winning side this year as a result.