Deluded or Messiah
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I think a coach does need to be popular with the players. He is essentially the boss and who works hard for a boss they despise? I know I respond to leaders/coaches a hell of a lot better if I like/respect them.
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@Crazy-Horse unpopular coaches don't last long unless you're winning e.g. Jake White.
If we're equating "popular" to "guy who gives me test rugby dollars via the very nature of selection" then EVERY national coach is popular.
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I'm certainly no fan of Chieka's demeanour but, that aside, I wouldn't be sacking him on results.
When the Oz Super teams have gone 0-26 against the NZ ones, it's pretty hard to see that they're going to be putting a team of superior players together. Now, the first 40 minutes of the first Bledisloe was a total shit show, but after that Oz has been quite competitive.
Reality for Australia is that since about 2004, we've had a better test team. they've burgled a few results here and there, but it's bloody hard for a coach to win when he doesn't have the cattle and the opposition coaches are better than competent.
If I was Australian rugby, I'd pretty much do exactly the same as I've recommended for years for NZ Cricket - i.e. for NZ Cricket don't base any selection decisions on what happens against Australia.
For the Wallabies, don't base any decisions on what happens against the ABs.
Judge Chieka on results against all the other opponents.
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since 2015, Aus have a 57% record v NH teams and a 55% record v SH teams, although that is skewed somewhat with the games v NZ...but then the v SH opponents includes Uruguay and Fiji x 2.
TBF, he probably is the best they have right now, but I still think he is a bit of a knob
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@Nepia said in Deluded or Messiah:
@Chris-B. So if we set aside results to a team played most frequently he still has losses to England 5, France 1, Ireland 2, Scotland 1, and South Africa 1.
Those are pretty poor results.
Yeah - they're not great - but, he's going OK against Argentina, SA and Wales, who are credible opponents - he got them to the RWC final and caused a few tremors when Ben Smith was in the bin. Won Super rugby.
He's not congenitally useless.
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I take the points others have made, but I think Chris is mostly correct. Australia are still ranked 5th in the world and aren't that far behind Ireland or South Africa. I think Cheika is on the precipice. A bad end to the season and you could probably justify sacking him. I expect Australia will probably beat the Saffas once, the Argies twice and everyone except for England and us at the end of the season. They are probably going to stay around 5th in the world which is a fair result given their player pool.
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Deluded or Messiah? Probably neither, just another run-of-the-mill coach whose fortune depends on player pool and rub of the green.
