The Next Wallaby Coach
Ok, an *otherwise "Eddie free zone". (* having named the elephant...)
Time to look forward, at least in this thread.
Several names are already floating around and really just seems like a reboot of "The Usual Suspects:RA".
Larkham, Cheika, McKellar, Palmer, Fisher, Deans, Raiwalui, Rennie... Do we learn nothing?
Having come this far down a path of extreme upheaval I believe it would be irresponsible to meekly slide back to an alternate version of history. All of these names are variously complicit in where we now find ourselves. All of them have shown their spots and none are genuine targets for any other RWC contenders.
I believe the Wallabies should be Coached by an Australian, but not at the expense of development and success. I am an extremely parochial Australian, but there comes a time when an outside perspective is required. As on just Friday might a participant in institutional change in a non-Rugby sporting theatre I am involved with said to me, "They spoke of 'change management', but all they did was throw a stack of grenades through the door, blew the whole place down and I was brought in to put it all back together with all the same people still there and having to work it all out myself...".
The Wallabies need a cleanskin, without prior political scarring. The new Coach (and Support team) need clear air without corporate shackles or historical alliances. They need to be able to approach each of the five SR franchises without enforced or self-imposed blinkers on to engage with the Provincial Coaches and eligible players alike. In this critical time they need to lay foundations so that the next (hopefully Australian) Coach to follow has a highly successful independent role description to fill.
Elsewhere I have mentioned a Director Hansen, Coach O'Gara model. This isn't fairy dust. Hansen has reportedly offered involvement to RA for the review, so there is already some engagement. O'Gara is an aspiring Test coach whose obvious paths are currently filled (read following post from a January article).
People say "who would want to...". I would suggest, what self-confident Coach wouldn't want to take on this massive challenge to turn one of the historical powerhouse of the International arena around. To picture themselves holding "Bill" aloft in front of an adoring Home crowd in '27, overcoming such overwhelming odds and disparaging naysayers. For Hansen this would be his crowning moment to a long career of working with elite players, proving that he could coach rather than those players not needing coaching. For an O'Gara it would be a ticket to walk into any Test team on his own terms.
This next chapter is going to take a talismanic character to take the lead, to light the path and instill belief where little exists. It will require an enormous heart to start laying the foundations, to take the hits that will inevitably come and stay the course.
The grenades have already been thrown through the door, we now need the Phoenix to rise from the rubble.
Time to look forward, at least in this thread.
Several names are already floating around and really just seems like a reboot of "The Usual Suspects:RA".
Larkham, Cheika, McKellar, Palmer, Fisher, Deans, Raiwalui, Rennie... Do we learn nothing?
Having come this far down a path of extreme upheaval I believe it would be irresponsible to meekly slide back to an alternate version of history. All of these names are variously complicit in where we now find ourselves. All of them have shown their spots and none are genuine targets for any other RWC contenders.
I believe the Wallabies should be Coached by an Australian, but not at the expense of development and success. I am an extremely parochial Australian, but there comes a time when an outside perspective is required. As on just Friday might a participant in institutional change in a non-Rugby sporting theatre I am involved with said to me, "They spoke of 'change management', but all they did was throw a stack of grenades through the door, blew the whole place down and I was brought in to put it all back together with all the same people still there and having to work it all out myself...".
The Wallabies need a cleanskin, without prior political scarring. The new Coach (and Support team) need clear air without corporate shackles or historical alliances. They need to be able to approach each of the five SR franchises without enforced or self-imposed blinkers on to engage with the Provincial Coaches and eligible players alike. In this critical time they need to lay foundations so that the next (hopefully Australian) Coach to follow has a highly successful independent role description to fill.
Elsewhere I have mentioned a Director Hansen, Coach O'Gara model. This isn't fairy dust. Hansen has reportedly offered involvement to RA for the review, so there is already some engagement. O'Gara is an aspiring Test coach whose obvious paths are currently filled (read following post from a January article).
People say "who would want to...". I would suggest, what self-confident Coach wouldn't want to take on this massive challenge to turn one of the historical powerhouse of the International arena around. To picture themselves holding "Bill" aloft in front of an adoring Home crowd in '27, overcoming such overwhelming odds and disparaging naysayers. For Hansen this would be his crowning moment to a long career of working with elite players, proving that he could coach rather than those players not needing coaching. For an O'Gara it would be a ticket to walk into any Test team on his own terms.
This next chapter is going to take a talismanic character to take the lead, to light the path and instill belief where little exists. It will require an enormous heart to start laying the foundations, to take the hits that will inevitably come and stay the course.
The grenades have already been thrown through the door, we now need the Phoenix to rise from the rubble.