Ali's Choice
Jimmy Flynn (14)
It seems very fashionable these days to criticise poorly performing rugby coaches. And this season, coaches such as Mark Hammett and Chris Hickey have felt the wrath of their teams’ supporters, with every aspect of their coaching being heavily criticised and scrutinised in the media.
But on the flipside, there are some coaches that seem to somehow miraculously escape criticism regardless of how their team performs. My question is why do some coaches seem to receive an overt amount of criticism from supporters and the media, yet others seem to be applauded by all and sundry despite equally mediocre results? I have provided a couple of examples below, and this isn’t an attack on the Chiefs or Force, more trying to make the point that some coaches are heavily targeted whilst others seem to get away with equally poor records of achievement.
Ian Foster: I know this is his final season in charge at the Chiefs, but considering that he is likely going to be promoted to being an All Black assistant coach, I’d have thought Fozzie’s performance in 2011 would be been subject to more scrutiny? Once again his team has grossly underperformed, and they are currently coming last in the NZ conference, despite boasting a high quality squad stacked full of All Blacks. Whilst some Hurricanes fans have been calling for Mark Hammett’s head on a plate since their round one loss to the Clan, Chiefs fans seem relatively content with yet another year of underachievement in Ian Foster’s 8th Super Rugby season. Given his vast experience and the playing talent he has to work with, I can’t believe how easily the New Zealand Rugby media has let Ian Foster off the hook. To me, there are some major flaws in the NZRU’s process of appointing coaches, and Ian Foster’s failed tenure at the Chiefs clearly illustrates this. But the fact that he continues to enjoy such a charmed run within the NZ rugby media is quite baffling.
Richard Graham: I like the Force and I like they way they play, but the reality is they have underperformed this season. With just three wins and 28 points for the season they have the 4th lowest competition points total in the tournament. And given that Graham has the best backrow in SANZAR at his disposal (with four Wallaby backrowers in his squad), as well as other starting Wallabies such as James O’Conner and Nathan Sharpe, it could be argued that his team has underperformed. Yet I have yet to witness any criticism of Graham in the Australian Rugby media, and he is always referred to in glowingly positive terms by East Coast rugby scribes and by Fox sports commentators. I know he a young coach on the rise, and viewed as a future Wallaby Head Coach, but it could be argued that in their team’s sixth season in Super Rugby West Australians could be starting to expect a few more wins from what is an exciting and talented squad.
But on the flipside, there are some coaches that seem to somehow miraculously escape criticism regardless of how their team performs. My question is why do some coaches seem to receive an overt amount of criticism from supporters and the media, yet others seem to be applauded by all and sundry despite equally mediocre results? I have provided a couple of examples below, and this isn’t an attack on the Chiefs or Force, more trying to make the point that some coaches are heavily targeted whilst others seem to get away with equally poor records of achievement.
Ian Foster: I know this is his final season in charge at the Chiefs, but considering that he is likely going to be promoted to being an All Black assistant coach, I’d have thought Fozzie’s performance in 2011 would be been subject to more scrutiny? Once again his team has grossly underperformed, and they are currently coming last in the NZ conference, despite boasting a high quality squad stacked full of All Blacks. Whilst some Hurricanes fans have been calling for Mark Hammett’s head on a plate since their round one loss to the Clan, Chiefs fans seem relatively content with yet another year of underachievement in Ian Foster’s 8th Super Rugby season. Given his vast experience and the playing talent he has to work with, I can’t believe how easily the New Zealand Rugby media has let Ian Foster off the hook. To me, there are some major flaws in the NZRU’s process of appointing coaches, and Ian Foster’s failed tenure at the Chiefs clearly illustrates this. But the fact that he continues to enjoy such a charmed run within the NZ rugby media is quite baffling.
Richard Graham: I like the Force and I like they way they play, but the reality is they have underperformed this season. With just three wins and 28 points for the season they have the 4th lowest competition points total in the tournament. And given that Graham has the best backrow in SANZAR at his disposal (with four Wallaby backrowers in his squad), as well as other starting Wallabies such as James O’Conner and Nathan Sharpe, it could be argued that his team has underperformed. Yet I have yet to witness any criticism of Graham in the Australian Rugby media, and he is always referred to in glowingly positive terms by East Coast rugby scribes and by Fox sports commentators. I know he a young coach on the rise, and viewed as a future Wallaby Head Coach, but it could be argued that in their team’s sixth season in Super Rugby West Australians could be starting to expect a few more wins from what is an exciting and talented squad.
