Robbie Deans On Missing Out On All Blacks Job

[Scott Allen]

Steve Hansen recently said he thought Robbie Deans might not have really wanted the All Blacks job and had probably already accepted the Wallabies position by the time of his interview with the NZRU.

I stumbled across this radio interview with Robbie Deans recorded shortly after the NZRU had re-appointed Graham Henry which gives the other side of the story.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

How come we've never heard this much from him since? Is it our journalists not asking the right questions? Does he feel threatened by them and so is not at all expansive - several of his answers had more than one sentence and even drifted slightly off topic.
Have we made him what he is?

 

[Scott Allen]

Here's his interview with Gordon Bray before his first test as Wallabies coach - similar sort of responses to recent interviews and not as expansive as the radio interview. He may not like being interviewed on camera.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I can understand him being "concise" both before a game and only 2 weeks in - but 5 years later it would be nice to hear some more of his wider thoughts.

 

[Jets]

I can understand him being "concise" both before a game and only 2 weeks in - but 5 years later it would be nice to hear some more of his wider thoughts.

I think the issue is that he doesn't have any.

 

[Bardon]

A lot of interviews done in the build up to or post games aren't very informative, I know Robbie uses his Robbie speak and it's hard to decipher what he's saying. But a lot of other coaches are in game mode too and give very little away. Declan Kidney is a master of giving a 1-3 minute interview and not actually saying anything. Also the TV format around games really doesn't allow for extended interviews.

Something I always look forward to are interviews done in the off season for the particular coach/player or ones conducted in the style of the pod slams on here. With more time and less focus on a particular game the subjects can be varied and the interviewee less guarded. Those certainly make for better listening and normally more is revealed than will be in all their other interviews, conducted during the season, put together. It also helps if the interviewer doesn't have an agenda or a burning issue they want a soundbite for.

Would be great to hear an extended interview with Robbie that was conducted now, but it may only be after he steps down and we get to hear the type of interview, posted by Scott, again.

 

[No4918]

At 6.10 Robbie states it is not his way to walk away and that he will always fulfill his contractual obligations. Oh well.

Interesting interview. Listening to just how much he wanted the AB job and dedicated to NZ rugby he was i think the ARU dropped the ball signing him so early. Emotions were high in all camps, even his decision to apply seemed little thought through. The lack of options at the time certainly did not help the ARU though.