Ewen McKenzie Resignation
- Thread starter Hugh Jarse
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Biffo
Ken Catchpole (46)
matt james
Stan Wickham (3)
As some others have noted the 'senior players' in the team recently seem to be predominantly Waratahs. I seriously doubt this would have unfolded like it did if players from other provinces like Genia, Mowen, Quade and Pocock were more involved in the team over recent months.
Biffo
Ken Catchpole (46)
kiap
Steve Williams (59)
Joe Blow
John Hipwell (52)
Dwyer and Macqueen are the first two who come to mind.
Fisher if he can be convinced to give up his new post.
JW is a mercenary.
Graham Henry will bring the same issues Deans brought with him.
Who else is coaching in Europe?
I am sure they have already spoken with Cheiks, Larkham and Foley.
Biffo
Ken Catchpole (46)
very good, teacher.however, it's your turn.
find a better candidate than TGC and JtS
NM?
mxyzptlk
Colin Windon (37)
This equates being an international rugby coach with someone who runs an organization that sells paper towels or cars. I'm not sure professional coaches occupy the same space, nor that the players see the coaches the same as a 9-5 supervisor who sends out memos. They're not entirely different, but there's something more with coaching that gets into psychology and a force of personality that the players buy into -- it seems to be more alchemy than MBA.
I'm not saying Link's missing a training session was right or wrong. I'm sure that kind of thing has happened before in an international set-up and no one made a big deal of it because it didn't become a thing. I'm just not sure there's a 1-1 equivalency between a coach and a CEO. I've heard before that McKenzie read a lot of business books and tried to bring that kind of approach to his coaching philosophy; maybe some of the players weren't cool with tao of business school, and that fed the unrest. At the same time, you'd hope there would be a Mowen or a Moore there to get some of the players pull their heads in and not create turbulence where it isn't necessary. Not sure why Horwill or Higginbotham couldn't do that, despite not being captains. If some players did try to exert a little off-field leadership and they weren't backed up by the coaching staff because x-factor, then that's a different question, and the problems were bound to boil over.
Biffo
Ken Catchpole (46)
you jest --- and not well.
Dwyer and Macqueen are past it - the latter was out of his depth at the Rebels.
Fisher has an almost zero record as a head coach.
Larkham and Foley are barely experienced enough to run a province team, let alone a test team.
you want the Wallabies coached as the Tahs were coached in 2011?
most coaches are mercenary - you want an amateur in charge?
Robbie D did not bring any issues with him - the players had plenty and didn't need his help.
that leaves TGC who, i devoutly hope, maintains his disinterest.
the cause of the Waratahs is far greater than that of the Woefuls, isn't it?
mxyzptlk
Colin Windon (37)
That's definitely one big lesson out of all of this -- and even going back to Deans: When something goes awry, no matter how minor, crush the problem before the press turn it into a speculation circus that tries to paint the entire organization as in a constant state of crisis. For the good of the Wallabies, the coaching setup should be a benevolent dictatorship, and not a democracy with press leaks driving the agenda.
Bairdy
Peter Fenwicke (45)
How about Pulver addresses McKenzie's concerns (detailed in an email sent Saturday morning), and ask him to reconsider his decision to resign.
That might involve some people being shitcanned or brought into line - which might put some noses out of joint - but surely that is better than the alternative?
The only alternatives I could see for head coach are
Jake White
Michael Cheika
and at a stretch
Brian Smith
Laurie Fischer
Michael Foley
Stephen Larkham
Matt Taylor
Scott Johnson
That might involve some people being shitcanned or brought into line - which might put some noses out of joint - but surely that is better than the alternative?
The only alternatives I could see for head coach are
Jake White
Michael Cheika
and at a stretch
Brian Smith
Laurie Fischer
Michael Foley
Stephen Larkham
Matt Taylor
Scott Johnson
mxyzptlk
Colin Windon (37)
That sounds way too direct and logical. It also sounds like something that should have happened about a month ago.
mxyzptlk
Colin Windon (37)
Would Henry be playing everyone out of position?
Ulrich
Nev Cottrell (35)
Wherever he goes Brendan Venter gets credited for instilling a very happy, professional and harmonious culture. I'm not saying appoint him but it may be a good idea to have someone like him in the interim for the EOYT in some capacity.
Jake has lost a lot of my respect, but since his departure from the Springboks at the end of 2007 he has wished to coach an international team capable of hoisting the Webb Ellis so I doubt he'll leave a team like Australia prematurely as he has done with the Brumbies and Sharks. Of course, whether he'd be what Australia needs is another question.
Then there's Nick Mallet from our shores too. I love the guy as a pundit but perhaps if the right offer came along he'd consider taking up another national position again.
If you're going for local folk, I think the Brumbies coaching team is the way to go or at least have some of them involved alongside / under Cheika if Cheika is your man.
The role of the support staff is immense. A case in point is how dramatically WP/Stormers improved when Gert Smal was appointed as Director of Rugby at the union. Now Allistair can focus on coaching while relying on Smal's expertise and Smal is in charge of the other things which you don't really want to bother your coach with.
I also think Graham Henry would be an excellent candidate, even if you could only get him on short-term. I think someone of his calibre will earn a lot of respect instantly.
Jake has lost a lot of my respect, but since his departure from the Springboks at the end of 2007 he has wished to coach an international team capable of hoisting the Webb Ellis so I doubt he'll leave a team like Australia prematurely as he has done with the Brumbies and Sharks. Of course, whether he'd be what Australia needs is another question.
Then there's Nick Mallet from our shores too. I love the guy as a pundit but perhaps if the right offer came along he'd consider taking up another national position again.
If you're going for local folk, I think the Brumbies coaching team is the way to go or at least have some of them involved alongside / under Cheika if Cheika is your man.
The role of the support staff is immense. A case in point is how dramatically WP/Stormers improved when Gert Smal was appointed as Director of Rugby at the union. Now Allistair can focus on coaching while relying on Smal's expertise and Smal is in charge of the other things which you don't really want to bother your coach with.
I also think Graham Henry would be an excellent candidate, even if you could only get him on short-term. I think someone of his calibre will earn a lot of respect instantly.
Tomikin
David Codey (61)
Your wrong.. Jake has no loyalty and perceptions say boring but he is not easily beat.
He'd put a fucking rocket up em and deservedly so. Can't handle Link, take a cope of this guy, I can tell you know, short term success.. No nonsense.. His the man for the job. Setting up for an Ozzie after the cup. Really its the only sensible answer.
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Someone who's judgment I respect said to me that Australian rugby needed to go backwards before it could go forwards. I think he's right. It went backwards for 2 weeks and we looked more like beating the AB's last night than for some time - including in Sydney in the draw.
Well now it's gone further backwards and it may be a good thing.
Folau's threat of leaving the game if KB (Kurtley Beale) isn't treated the way he thinks he should be ought to be taken up and he should be offered the door. Comments like that, from various sources, are eroding the fabric of the game. Folau is not paid his large salary because of his ability to analyse moral or legal dilemmas. The ARU may think he is the key to getting bums on seats but no player can be bigger than the team or the game. As ever I look to NZ for rugby guidance: McCaw, Carter et al never given the appearance of having forgotten what the game has given them and nor do they play what must be their considerable influence in order to achieve off field outcomes that happen to suit them. In other words they are not bigger than the team or the game. neither would ever utter a threat like IF did.
The management have clearly been leaking their side of what seems like a massive rift between them and the players. The players and their managers have been leaking their side.
The whole show is dysfunctional.
You have to ask why Link felt he could not command the respect of the dressing room. We won't have to wait for his book - the answer will emerge fairly soon I think.
He can take heart in the fact that he did the honourable thing.
We, the rusted on rugby die hards, need to know who knew what and when.
Well now it's gone further backwards and it may be a good thing.
Folau's threat of leaving the game if KB (Kurtley Beale) isn't treated the way he thinks he should be ought to be taken up and he should be offered the door. Comments like that, from various sources, are eroding the fabric of the game. Folau is not paid his large salary because of his ability to analyse moral or legal dilemmas. The ARU may think he is the key to getting bums on seats but no player can be bigger than the team or the game. As ever I look to NZ for rugby guidance: McCaw, Carter et al never given the appearance of having forgotten what the game has given them and nor do they play what must be their considerable influence in order to achieve off field outcomes that happen to suit them. In other words they are not bigger than the team or the game. neither would ever utter a threat like IF did.
The management have clearly been leaking their side of what seems like a massive rift between them and the players. The players and their managers have been leaking their side.
The whole show is dysfunctional.
You have to ask why Link felt he could not command the respect of the dressing room. We won't have to wait for his book - the answer will emerge fairly soon I think.
He can take heart in the fact that he did the honourable thing.
We, the rusted on rugby die hards, need to know who knew what and when.
Cardiffblue
Jim Lenehan (48)
I agree. He knew he wasn't going to be part of anything that was going on
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