Coaching Options for Qld Rugby

[Floggn']

Why is Michael O'Conner even considered an option? What is his 15s coaching experience?

These notions that "nobody could be worse than the current guy" and reacting as such is how teams with shithouse coaches end up with an even worse one.

Let's learn from the mistakes. A coach with a track record in professional, senior, 15s rugby.

I think people are mixing Michael O'Connor with Matt O'Connor. I heard a while ago Michael through my sources and was suprised yet have been informed recently that it was wrong and it is indeed Matt not Michael the Reds are seriously considering. The CEO and Frawley have sat down with players and asked them about Graham and I don't believe he will be anywhere near the setup next year. Gill will sign once that is announced.

 

[Thinker]

It only occurred to me that JC was hired several months after Link.

RG is his sole coaching appointment so there is still a good chance he won't get boned.

God knows how you can offer a coach who is responsible for the two worst years in franchise history a new contract, but every action this year has been about JC and the board saving face rather than the best interests of the club.

Plenty of example in other sports of exactly what is happening with the special secret investigative committee, then recommending to knife the coach, removing the CEO from responsibility.

 

[Getwithme]

Robbies Deans?

 

[dru]

Robbies Deans?

I'd prefer Kirwin by, oh, only a huge amount. But we've moved into the comedy of nightmares. Few things would be worse, though another year of RG would rate highly.

OK Reds, it's fricken over. Time to come clean. What the hell is going on?

 

[Pfitzy]

Nepotism.

 

[Beer Baron]

I think the top brass - the board - should be copping the most criticism. They hired him, didn't do anything about it. However the thing that shits me most is 1 title and a couple of finals appearances in 20years when we have one ofthe largest nurseries to pick from.

 

[gel]

Agreed.

A significant clean out of the administration must happen as well. It's never easy to do that in one clean sweep though which is really what is needed

 

[Bobby Sands]

Tattsy Taylor has been officially linked to the Reds job in the media.

Also linked is John Mulvihill who interestingly would have coached in the same set-up as Tatsy at TSS, I believe? Otherwise they would have been very close to crossing-over (and John would have been the more senior coach).

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Whispers circulating that there may have been an important meeting at Ballymore late today.

No intel if it ended in tears or smiles.

 

[RugbyReg]

We all know what's going to happen. The question is who is the next coach now.

 

[Wilson]

Hopefully any announcement is that they're opening the HC job up for applications for next year, not that they've already signed someone. Whoever we end up with I'll be much more confident/comfortable with the process if it's been at least somewhat in the open.

 

[No4918]

I agree Wilson. The only downside to that process though is for recruitment, the general impression seems to be that fewer top players will join a club with no HC. Need to get QC (Quade Cooper) on board ASAP, that will be seen as a vote of confidence in the club, not a big one but I think it will count for something.

 

[No4918]

The mess the QRU have got themselves in over this is amazing. Knuckles role next year is, as far as we know, undefined. I don't imagine too many top line coaches wanting to walk into the setup without some certainty. The risk will always remain of Knuckles scrutinising every move and ready to take over if results don't go well. If the board are serious about a replacement he should be told to apply for the job and told there is no role for him if his application is unsuccessful. All the board needed to do was sack RG with 5 rounds to go and announce Knuckles as the interim coach. Surely the decision was made on RG if someone needed to come in to help.
Someone at board level needs to take some responsibility for this. At the very least an admission of making the wrong call, possibly by being sacked.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Hopefully any announcement is that they're opening the HC job up for applications for next year, not that they've already signed someone. Whoever we end up with I'll be much more confident/comfortable with the process if it's been at least somewhat in the open.

I understand your point, but at the same time we need to be conscious of the fact that this is not a middle management government job that you post on seek.

The best candidate may be under contract for example and the Reds may need to attempt to encourage them to break their contract or something like this. Or people may not want it out in the open that they are looking elsewhere, etc. For example, I remember that the Wayne Bennett had agreed to go to the Roosters back when he was with Brisbane, but when the move was leaked he backflipped on it. That's why I'm not sure this sort of process can be fully open and transparent.

How open and transparent was the Waratahs process? We heard names thrown around but that was about the sum of it. But I agree with your point it can't be seemingly just a decision on the whim of the top brass without proper consultation.

 

[badabing59]

We all know what's going to happen. The question is who is the next coach now.

No coincidence it occurred at same time as SJK steps down from the Blues. I'm sure you'll enjoy him just as much as we have

 

[p.Tah]

No coincidence it occurred at same time as SJK steps down from the Blues. I'm sure you'll enjoy him just as much as we have

That's not even funny

 

[RugbyReg]

Hopefully any announcement is that they're opening the HC job up for applications for next year, not that they've already signed someone. Whoever we end up with I'll be much more confident/comfortable with the process if it's been at least somewhat in the open.

Possibly, but I think it's getting too late for that. I reckon they've received a bunch of expressions of interest, and I suspect they've spoken to a number of others to gauge interest. I think we will just get an announcement of appointment.

One darkhorse is Jason Gilmore, who is the QLD Country coach. If you think of the way the NRC coaches were structured last year, then Gilmore must be in with a shot. If he is on board, I'd think Stiles would be the new HC.

I'd suspect that or Matt O'Connor being appointed are the two leading options.

 

[Wilson]

Yeah, I'm not really expecting some completely transparent process and I'd hope any recruitment was well under way, I'm just not sure if want them to come out on Monday and say Graham is gone, the new head coach is X. I'd much prefer them to say on Monday that the position is open and they're in talks with a few candidates, even if it's only a week before they announce the new coach and he was probably already locked up to begin with. It's a little thing, but with they way they've been going about business lately it'd make me alot more comfortable with the process and next year's potential.

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[Beer Baron]

The mess the QRU have got themselves in over this is amazing. Knuckles role next year is, as far as we know, undefined. I don't imagine too many top line coaches wanting to walk into the setup without some certainty. The risk will always remain of Knuckles scrutinising every move and ready to take over if results don't go well. If the board are serious about a replacement he should be told to apply for the job and told there is no role for him if his application is unsuccessful. All the board needed to do was sack RG with 5 rounds to go and announce Knuckles as the interim coach. Surely the decision was made on RG if someone needed to come in to help.
Someone at board level needs to take some responsibility for this. At the very least an admission of making the wrong call, possibly by being sacked.

i'm pretty sure any new HC will have in their contract clearly spelled out that they do not have to take any advice on squad make up/selection strategies or game tactics from coaching consultants. Not insinuating that Knuckles is trying to get over involved but you wouldn't want any question of authority in the role from day 1.

 

[RedsHappy]

Yeah, I'm not really expecting some completely transparent process and I'd hope any recruitment was well under way, I'm just not sure if want them to come out on Monday and say Graham is gone, the new head coach is X. I'd much prefer them to say on Monday that the position is open and they're in talks with a few candidates, even if it's only a week before they announce the new coach and he was probably already locked up to begin with. It's a little thing, but with they way they've been going about business lately it'd make me alot more comfortable with the process and next year's potential.

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Surely oh surely the QRU have learnt something from the original hiring process (or the lack thereof more like) that has ultimately led to the RG disaster.

When competent boards of directors go off to find a new CEO for example they don't rush around in a panicked state just wanting the illusory 'security' of having a new person chosen so's to show the world there is someone new in charge, almost for its own sake. They know that such a process will only risk a major mistake and further will avoid the selection discipline associated with building a solid portfolio of well researched and well considered candidates from which to chose, with the final choosing done methodically with multiple background reference checks and much else designed to optimise the chances of a really successful choice.

The QRU clearly cannot afford another very serious mistake like RG. Setting up the right calm, considered process to scour the world for the best HC candidates and then assess all carefully is one of the best ways to ensure a 'never again' pledge within the QRU board really is realised.

Saying all that, the fevered speculation and media leaks re Matt O'Connor and Stiles as hot candidates to immediately take over fills me with grave concern that a thoughtless urgency and the seeming comfort of being able to instantly announce a new HC have taken the place of a really sound, patient HC discovery and selection process of quality.

We may well be about to witness a second failure of institutional capability within the QRU as another truly worrying sign that little has been learnt from one of the worst head coaching appointments every made in Australian rugby.