Gee RH. I appreciate constructive criticism as much as the next bloke, but you are in serious danger of losing your objectivity by continually focusing on the negative aspects of Deans. We are all on a bit of an unknown ride at the moment and it is not all bad. I wonder; if Deans actually delivers something special, have you almost lost the right to celebrate that success? Being proven wrong is one thing and we have all been there, but will you retract all this negativity and admit Deans had it right all along? I'm not having a shot at you mate, but you need to turn that frown upside down! Some good stuff is happening and you seem to be missing it.
Daz, on this particular post at least, you missed my point, or I expressed it badly. My point above was that the ARU and others should have done something long ago to deal with the the core issues we have in Oz elite forwards (vs the top teams) as the problem has, IMO, been quite glaring for many years now, way before Deans. I was expressing a view that his 2010 'call for physicality' was ironic in this very context, it's coming on too late when viewed over the longer term, and most of it is NOT his fault at all, the issue way precedes him. Bad expression on my part, but the point has merit overall IMO.
Re Deans, I have said numerous times: if I am proven wrong in these concerns, I will happily admit my errors of assessment. But proven wrong means more than winning one or two Tris games, there has to be some serious, sustained pattern of victories vs top teams, and there should be silverware this year (as the ARU CEO has himself said). The track record to date from mid-2008 is unambiguously poor vs any respected and objective benchmark for top rugby teams. We are now at 2.5 full seasons.
Please in fairness do recall, that when I first came to GAGR in early June there were many, many posters who had more or less forgiven all for late '09, and were excited about the new dawn that was about to unfold in June '10. I just saw a lot of uncritical analysis and that RD has accumulated a sort of Teflon-icon status that was not yet at all objectively earned, in Australia anyway. Precise critical evaluation of Deans seemed for some to be like an attack on the Australian flag, our hero is being besmirched!, as though people were held up more by patriotic hope and Deans' Crusaders' record, than by hard facts. As you know, I am also on my own little march to argue that expectations of the Wallabies and their elite coaches had commenced a subtle but concerning decline in recent years, and that, as a rugby patriot, really concerned me.
Finally, I have not seen any recent, updated defence of Deans' coaching record to July 2010 here that appears to me solid, and outcome and fact-based.
If you met me, you'd find a very positive person. You have seen the consistent praise and positive respect I have heaped on Link, QC (Quade Cooper) et al and the Reds. That's because of one central aspect: they delivered a fine team, won many a key, tough game in great style, pleased and dramatically increased the fan base, and delivered good results from a very poor base prior to 2010. That's all I ever want, but I think that's an entirely appropriate want in an elite sport. So, I will not withdraw or terminate my ongoing evaluation of Deans based upon results. Nor will or should you terminate your faith in him, which I respect.
