Foster, Robertson etc
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Foster:
If Foster reaches the Final (or even has a close SF exit), they'll see a strong case for retaining him - particularly as it could be argued he rescued the team from the nadir of 2021/22 and rose above the pressure and personal criticism from the media and public.
He caused the nadir.
Bit irrelevant to the point I'm making (and I'd argue we were well on the slide long before he took over).
NZR like continuity and if he does OK at RWC2023 there's a chance they may stick with him or give it to one of his assistants rather than appoint a completely new coach or one with zero international experience.
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@Victor-Meldrew didn't Hansen say Foster had been doing more in the last years anyway?
Regardless he has been part of the coaching team that has seen that decline, seemingly doing little to plug holes, upskill deficiencies until this year when job was on the line...
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@taniwharugby yeah but NZ had covid and no one else did.
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@taniwharugby said in Foster:
@Victor-Meldrew didn't Hansen say Foster had been doing more in the last years anyway?
Regardless he has been part of the coaching team that has seen that decline, seemingly doing little to plug holes, upskill deficiencies until this year when job was on the line...
I'm really not commenting on Foster's performance - only pointing out possible NZR thinking if we do OK at RWC2023.
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Scary stuff being talked about. The ABs needed a complete clean out and refresh in 2019, arguably earlier, but the old regime remained. Predictable results have resulted although it is surprising how steep the decline has been because even with poor teams the ABs had always been in the fight. Against top opposition, a rare win in Ellis Park is distorting reality. Obviously not entirely Foster's fault, but he is the symbol of the old brigade and so the fans venom targets him.
I think we are kidding ourselves if you think we can get past France, Ireland, and SA to reach a semi at the RWC. It would take a lot of luck to do so in the present situation. The obvious advantage is that teams won't spend 3 years plus planning the ABs downfall I suppose. -
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Foster:
get past France, Ireland, and SA to reach a semi
Pretty sure that's not required just to reach a semi.
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Foster:
get past France, Ireland, and SA to reach a semi
Pretty sure that's not required just to reach a semi.
Don’t have to beat all of them even to win. If we lose to France in the pool then win our semi, one of the others will be knocked out.
It’s possible that we may play all three but don’t have to beat them all. -
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Foster:
get past France, Ireland, and SA to reach a semi
Pretty sure that's not required just to reach a semi.
Don’t have to beat all of them even to win. If we lose to France in the pool then win our semi, one of the others will be knocked out.
It’s possible that we may play all three but don’t have to beat them all.That's what I mean, we can lose to France and still win a quarter final. So would we play Ireland or SA in the quarter?
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Foster:
get past France, Ireland, and SA to reach a semi
Pretty sure that's not required just to reach a semi.
Don’t have to beat all of them even to win. If we lose to France in the pool then win our semi, one of the others will be knocked out.
It’s possible that we may play all three but don’t have to beat them all.That's what I mean, we can lose to France and still win a quarter final. So would we play Ireland or SA in the quarter?
Ireland never make it past the quarter so they’re an option although letting France knock them out appeals as well
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Our defence has been pretty poor for a few years. It is too passive, the defence system can be broken down and and we don’t have enough urgency in defence.
Before the 2 sackings this year, people were calling for McLeod to be replaced last year.
I’m not truly up to speed with other coaches we have in Nz. Is there any Defensive coach in NZ that would be an improvement?
Defence seems like an area that we could go outside NZ to get an individual to improve our defensive ability.
We are improving from the horror start of the season but defence is one of the biggest weakness we have.
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At this stage, Schmidt is probably the front runner (if he wanted a head coach role again)
You get the feeling that NZR will not have learned the lesson from the post RWC2019 coaching recruitment efforts, and Razor will probably have a fat contract with a NH country signed prior to the tournament starting.
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@DaGrubster said in Foster:
At this stage, Schmidt is probably the front runner (if he wanted a head coach role again)
Hard to disagree. Poss. Rennie or Joseph in the mix?
You get the feeling that NZR will not have learned the lesson from the post RWC2019 coaching recruitment efforts, and Razor will probably have a fat contract with a NH country signed prior to the tournament starting.
I dunno. NZR seem to have a policy of Head Coaches with previous international experience and If we do OK at RWC2023, they'll reasonably argue that's worked for them in the past and continue with it. Might well change if we don't do well though.
As for, Robertson, he didn't want an AB Assistant Coach role so I guess as far as NZR are concerned, he's free to do his own thing unless he has an arrangement with them
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On the Razor front, I’m not surprised that he didn’t want to do an assistant role.
Just as some people are suited to assistant coach roles and not head coach , the same is true for some people suited to head coach roles and not assistant coach.
Razor is a head coach through and through and regarded as one of the best in the world at the moment. He doesn’t have the specialist focus/knowledge that someone like a Jason Ryan brings to the forward coaching role.
If the rumour (that seems to be accepted as truth) that he was offered the AB head coach role last month, only to be rescinded, then I can’t imagine he would then accept an assistant role.
Personally, I think that he is a generational talent that will eventually be regarded as one of the great coaches, so we should secure him at all costs.
The reality of the situation is that we will probably lose him to a NH nation such as England and like so many NZ coaches before, cannot afford to lure him back due to $’s, timing and probably a complete lack of feeling wanted.
There is also the perception that he is not the type of persona the NZR want for their flagship brand.
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@DaGrubster just to challenge one point, how many coaches have we lost offshore and wanted back but not been able to afford them?
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@DaGrubster just to challenge one point, how many coaches have we lost offshore and wanted back but not been able to afford them?
Rennie
Joseph
Brown
Cotter
SchmidtI'd take any of them, but they wouldn't take a pay cut to come back. Folk aren't coming back to coach in NZ for money.
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@DaGrubster just to challenge one point, how many coaches have we lost offshore and wanted back but not been able to afford them?
Rennie
Joseph
Brown
Cotter
SchmidtI'd take any of them, but they wouldn't take a pay cut to come back. Folk aren't coming back to coach in NZ for money.
Huh? I think all of them would take a pay cut to coach the ABs without a second thought (aside from Brown who doesn't appear to want a head coach role and Schmidt who is already back and doesn't want the role for family reasons, apparently).
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@DaGrubster just to challenge one point, how many coaches have we lost offshore and wanted back but not been able to afford them?
Rennie
Joseph
Brown
Cotter
SchmidtI'd take any of them, but they wouldn't take a pay cut to come back. Folk aren't coming back to coach in NZ for money.
Huh? I think all of them would take a pay cut to coach the ABs without a second thought (aside from Brown who doesn't appear to want a head coach role and Schmidt who is already back and doesn't want the role for family reasons, apparently).
why the fuck would anyone want the job for any money? Being the AB coach is the shittest coaching gig on the planet
You are expected to win every game. You are expected to win every game by a decent margin. You are expected to win every game by a decent margin while playing free flowing football, while at the same time nailing the basics and being pragmatic.
There are never more than a couple of teams you are allowed to lose to without vociferous calls for your head. None of those losses are ever allowed in NZ
And if you win? everyone shrugs and says "of course you did, you are the ABs"
Fuck that
