Foster, Robertson etc
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@Donsteppa @Frank I understand the concept of past behaviour being an indicator of future but trotting out stats that are 11-17 years old to back up a current change idea is possibly going a bit far isn't it?
My concern is that the pattern is not only past behaviour, i.e. this season with two wins from five.
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It seems like everyone has to fall on their swords except the top guy. His body of work merits firing going back to the Chiefs and through his introduction to the ABs. It’s boring but we have been highlighting our progressive weakness in the forwards for years. He has been in charge for nearly 3 years. They have one good game in which we do the hard graft and some want to get sentimental and throw him a lifeline based on supposed player feelings, a good result and most likely, nothing to do with Foster, Jason Ryan. Yes Robinson and the NZRFU are incompetent but what is his record? Why has it taken him so long to identify that you have to win the game in the forwards and show leadership to make the right changes. He has been dragged to this point by a succession of painful losses and NZ rugby losing our aura and stature. If he had any balls he would resign.
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Sorry if it's a repost:
Foster “There is no manual with this job. You’ve got to trust yourself, trust the people you work with, then you’ve got to be open to the different ideas you get, and put it into a plan. I'm a different coach to what I was 12 months ago. **Last year we won 12 out of 13 and no one was talking about us**. What this team learns is when things go wrong, you certainly hear it.”Am I missing something here?
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I think with the backing Foster has got from the players publicly over the last few weeks (I know what do they know, they not posting in here lol), even if there is genuine thoughts of replacing him isn't there a chance of alienating the players?
this is the issue - fozzie seems immensely popular with the players and it's a big part of why he got picked and why he's still around.
They need to scrap that thinking and take a ruthless results focused approach.
I'm hoping all that result did was allow fozzie back into the country without a lynch mob being there waiting for him at the airport. -
@WillieTheWaiter I agree. Hate to say it but screw the players. Their feelings towards Foster are not important. Maybe the relationship is too cozy and a new coach would kick them out of their comfort zone. So they install a new coach will they spit out the dummy and refuse to play? They are professionals. If a change in coach is warranted they will need to adapt.
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Foster just isn't a very good head coach. That is obvious, and has always been obvious since about 3 years after he got elevated above NPC level. Which was a long time ago. Talking mid 2000s.
He's not terrible, just not very good. In a competition with a spread of playing and coaching talent - He can get you in the 3rd to 6th zone, Which is where NZ currently are. So, performing at his mean expectation.
But. Mark Robinson has also showed and is showing himself to be a poor executive. So, I have no idea what will happen. But I have little doubt if the can is kicked down the road, based on hope his new assistants can drag him upwards - rather than his proven body of work - we will probably just be back here in about December, and then if kicked further, again back here in abut about July.
Just rip that plaster off.
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But I have little doubt if the can is kicked down the road, based on hope his new assistants can DRAG HIM UPWARDS - rather than his proven body of work - we will probably just be back here in about December, and then if kicked further, again back here in abut about July.
Just rip that plaster off.
Excellent word choices in bold.
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@WillieTheWaiter I agree. Hate to say it but screw the players. Their feelings towards Foster are not important. Maybe the relationship is too cozy and a new coach would kick them out of their comfort zone. So they install a new coach will they spit out the dummy and refuse to play? They are professionals. If a change in coach is warranted they will need to adapt.
A bit of a one dimensional view? Sure the players like him but, as you say, these guys are pros, many of them pros that play under the supposed messiah for NZ rugby, and I'm pretty certain that they are experienced enough to know if a coach is developing them or improving their play.
Not one ex-player has come out and talked about any failings Foster has. That interview posted with Conrad Smith (someone lauded as part of a players brains trust and a smart guy) laughs when confronted with questions about Foster's abilities.
What I can see is clearly different opinions about Foster between those who work with him and those that watch from a disconnected distance. That's not all down to being like-able..To me what that leaves is strategy and personnel decisions. Totally get the points that he has made some errors in both areas while trying to find solutions. Sometimes you get lucky sometimes you don't. Sometimes punters insist that 'so and so' would have been better but in the same breath want consistency in selection to build combinations.
There's a lot to take note of from players and ex-players. They are at the coalface and know what feels good and what doesn't. Going back to that interview with Conrad Smith, his view is that sticking with Havili/Rieko has been a great move. It is finally paying dividends and establishing a platform that can then be tweaked with through the bench to grow backups and other options. Our views are often far more knee-jerk than that and more 'kick that useless fluffybunny out and try this guy" -
@WillieTheWaiter said in Foster:
I think with the backing Foster has got from the players publicly over the last few weeks (I know what do they know, they not posting in here lol), even if there is genuine thoughts of replacing him isn't there a chance of alienating the players?
this is the issue - fozzie seems immensely popular with the players and it's a big part of why he got picked and why he's still around.
They need to scrap that thinking and take a ruthless results focused approach.
I'm hoping all that result did was allow fozzie back into the country without a lynch mob being there waiting for him at the airport.I would hope that NZ rugby public in general are intelligent enough to not even thinking words like lynch mob mate. All due respect to you and all, this is exactly the kind of thing that happened when Hart came home after WC exit to death threats etc written all over his luggage.
Not sure why anyone get's so upset. Dave Rennie is starting to cop shit in Aus as his results make Fosters look gold, but once again, the players etc seem to be in his corner.
There is some pretty shit stuff appearing about Bok coach too, Eddie Jones in England , it would seem we got some pretty shit coaches around world. -
@Crucial Possibly my view is one dimensional and yours and others are more nuanced. But the bottom line is the score board which, despite what the players or past players or coaches or Foster have to say, shows failure. Sometimes what is obvious and in front of our faces is more real than what a thousand words can say.
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Whatever your thoughts on Foster, I think we can all agree NZR’s handling of this is terrible
I think that too MG, though I wonder even there at times how much we get sucked in by press. I thought after reading press yesterday there was meant to be a press conference about Foster yesterday, and it was just tv had a zoom call booked into Robinson in SA, there was one reporter talking to him in what looked like his hotel room. I think NZ stuff etc try to get headlines etc and excite us all abit much. I do think NZR have handled it like shit though!!
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The media and NZRU have made the job far harder than anyone deserves. Well done to the players and coaching group for pulling together through all of that. Commendable!
The playing schedule since last year has been rather a challenging sequence with everyone feeling their job is on the line every match and with personal stresses around covid isolation last year.
Meanwhile our rwc opponents build their depth and experiment on various things. Feels like Foster was set up to fail by those that approved the fixtures list. What time was there to try new players and new ideas without risking a public backlash. Worked well against Scotland.
I suspect history will look more favourably upon the coach when players tell their stories in future years. But the vitriolic posting will go on unabated from those that inflict bile if they don't get to see exactly what they want. And the new age rugby media will continue to target stuff to attract that element.
How about some positive personal stories on how individual players and coaches have coped with the pressures of the past year or two? Hobbies, family support, studies, secondary career etc. That might allow the public to identify better with them and grow to support them towards better results. Win win. -
@WillieTheWaiter said in Foster:
I think with the backing Foster has got from the players publicly over the last few weeks (I know what do they know, they not posting in here lol), even if there is genuine thoughts of replacing him isn't there a chance of alienating the players?
this is the issue - fozzie seems immensely popular with the players and it's a big part of why he got picked and why he's still around.
They need to scrap that thinking and take a ruthless results focused approach.
I'm hoping all that result did was allow fozzie back into the country without a lynch mob being there waiting for him at the airport.And I think it’s a bit different for a national team than say a SR franchise where players are directly contracted to the franchise. The All Blacks are selected and so can easily be replaced (putting to side the quality argument) if they feel alienated.
No doubt there is a human element to this from the players. Many of them will be feeling the heat because along with Foster they were in those losses, so in a team environment they will be looking for ways to galvanise rather than fracture further.
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@Crucial Possibly my view is one dimensional and yours and others are more nuanced. But the bottom line is the score board which, despite what the players or past players or coaches or Foster have to say, shows failure. Sometimes what is obvious and in front of our faces is more real than what a thousand words can say.
So if bottom line is scoreboard and we had played weaker teams than we did and won does that make things OK?
Fact (not excuse) is that we have had to adjust quickly at a time where we have had to play three teams that are on a high, two of which aren't usually that good and play them all at their home grounds as well. All at a time when we are looking for new players that can play the type of game that will beat them. Were we (Foster) smart enough to see them coming? Nope. But the key is making those adjustments and coming out on top. -
Why would you remove a coach that won against the current World Champions at Ellis Park?
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@Crucial Possibly my view is one dimensional and yours and others are more nuanced. But the bottom line is the score board which, despite what the players or past players or coaches or Foster have to say, shows failure. Sometimes what is obvious and in front of our faces is more real than what a thousand words can say.
So if bottom line is scoreboard and we had played weaker teams than we did and won does that make things OK?
Fact (not excuse) is that we have had to adjust quickly at a time where we have had to play three teams that are on a high, two of which aren't usually that good and play them all at their home grounds as well. All at a time when we are looking for new players that can play the type of game that will beat them. Were we (Foster) smart enough to see them coming? Nope. But the key is making those adjustments and coming out on top.That’s opinion right there….
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@ACT-Crusader said in Foster:
@Crucial Possibly my view is one dimensional and yours and others are more nuanced. But the bottom line is the score board which, despite what the players or past players or coaches or Foster have to say, shows failure. Sometimes what is obvious and in front of our faces is more real than what a thousand words can say.
So if bottom line is scoreboard and we had played weaker teams than we did and won does that make things OK?
Fact (not excuse) is that we have had to adjust quickly at a time where we have had to play three teams that are on a high, two of which aren't usually that good and play them all at their home grounds as well. All at a time when we are looking for new players that can play the type of game that will beat them. Were we (Foster) smart enough to see them coming? Nope. But the key is making those adjustments and coming out on top.That’s opinion right there….
So Ireland aren't playing the best they ever have? And France aren't on one of their highs among their lows?
