Well that’s me and Sonny Wool feeling a bit sheepish about our predictions! At least only one of us claims to be psychic though.
Martin Johnson made all the right noises in the pre-match press conferences. Words like “Potential”, phrases like “moving in the right direction” and “showing improvement”. However the England team blew all of my cautious optimism out of the window with a pitiful display against the French. We had made a positive start in not having given a penalty away within the first 7 minutes and having an attacking lineout on the French 5 metre line. Thompson missed his jumper and things spiralled downhill from there.
So the post-mortem begins. Rob Andrew stated that there will be a review. Quite who is left at the RFU to complete such a review was a question left unanswered. The main point of debate will be if Johnson the man to carry England forward or if it time for him to go. The general consensus is that he should be replaced, however comparisons are being made to the Clive Woodward team of the 1999 World Cup and their exit at the hands of South Africa. We all know what happened at the next tournament.
My knee-jerk reaction was to for Johnson to go. I had mixed feelings about him getting the job in the first place having had absolutely no coaching experience at any level. However, I think he should be given chance to build on his experience. We should accept that he is probably the most inexperienced coach in world rugby and give him the opportunity to develop the team from what he has learned. Its not as if we are lacking in talent. We have players who certainly have the potential to be world class. I know, there is that word again...potential. I would give Johnson another two years. This should give him two Six Nations Championships and a handful of November internationals. Ample to time to show improvement. If we haven’t then there is time to find a suitable replacement for the next World Cup.
I would like to see the immediate retirement of the “old guard”. Thompson, Easter, Cueto, Tindall, Moody, Deacon and dare I say it...Wilkinson need to go. We need to identify young and exciting replacements and to develop a game plan that allows them to play without restriction. My suggestions? Hartley for hooker in the absence of any other viable replacement at present. Haskell to play as a dedicated 8 and not be bounced around the back-row because of his versatility. I’d have Sharples in for Cueto, a centre combination of Delon Armitage and Tuilagi and I would be looking for someone to challenge a second-row partnership of Lawes and Palmer. I don’t see Flood as the answer at 10 (or 12) and I expect to see Owen Farrell appearing in an elite squad in the near future. The choice of a specialist open-side flanker is more difficult. I’m a big fan of Tom Wood and Tom Croft but I’m not sure playing one of them out-of position is the answer.
We also need to identify a captain. The lack of clear leadership was a recurring theme during this World Cup. I would be tempted to follow the Welsh example of picking a young leader. Sam Warburton is only 23 but has had a huge impact of his squad and looks like developing into an immense player. The level of respect he is commanding from players and fans at such a young age can only be positive for Wales’ future.
I am hugely disappointed that England are out of the World Cup, however if we had managed to snatch the game from France it would have been tantamount to daylight robbery. I can sit back and enjoy the rugby on offer in the semi-finals and onwards. I wonder if Sonny Wool has made his predications yet....?
I had a look at the tenures of World Cup winning coaches. Since it went professional, at least 3 years, it seems, is needed.
ReplyDeleteBut you've got to have the right person for 3 years. I still think Graham Henry should have gone as he's screwed it up with NZ and with Wales. If NZ do win, it will be in spite of him, not because.
Johnson often has this look of "I'm surrounded by idiots". After 3 years, I don't think you get to wear that anymore. Either you bring the right people in and get them into your way of thinking, or no one else understands what you want and it's time to pack your bags. He also has an urge to disagree with any TV interviewer so that when asked "You've never really fired on all cylinders, have you?" by Bayfield, answers "Well we won all our group games, so we did." It makes you start to wonder if he gets it.
I'd stick with him, but principally because apart from the ructions in the RFU (replace him and you could have a new CEO who doesn't like the new coach), we still don't develop coaches. Tri-nations countries have Super 15s coming up with top quality coaches all the time. I don't think the Premiership does that for England. Amidst all this, the one person who should go is Rob Andrew - What is he meant to do? What does he do? As far as I can see, not produce the players or coaches so that we still need to import players from League and Southern Hemisphere.
Good article, anyway
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment mate. The point I should have perhaps elaborated on is that Johnson has no experience of coaching at all before getting the job. I assume the others all ahev significant experience at club level at least, before getting a National job. In that respect I guess that puts Henry under more pressure to win with NZ than less, but he does have a win % in the high 80's with NZ which probably has something to do with them retaining him.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right with the firing on all cylinders point. That is worrying. As is the lack of development of coaches in the Premiership. Something that appears to be mirrored in the football Premiership too.
I don't think anyone knows what Rob Andrwe does...including Rob Andrew!