The Silver Fern

@nzzp said in Foster:

@geeky said in Foster:

“It was quite loose and unorganized as nobody really knew their role. I look at the team now and it’s exactly what I'm seeing.”

I hate this, because I'm one of the early members of the Foster Must Go club. But FFS, the players clearly rate him. He's not a great coach, but he's no idiot, and obviously does some good things.

If I get a white knight award for Foster, I'm changing my login details and coming back as a hater. Y'all been warned.

How else does one explain All Blacks going from disorganized rabble to structured & cohesive unit within the timeframe of merely 2-3 weeks? Anyone who thinks the change isn't entirely attributed to Ryan & Schmidt must be kidding themselves. Meldrew appears to be one of them.

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Foster:

I have never seen an ABs outfit more clueless or mismanaged than at the start of this season. They were clueless on the field and the selections were just baffling. I have seen average AB teams (on paper) complete and they have always been in the fight regardless! This was the first time the ABs looked like a disorganized rabble, and to be honest, it was a big shock! That is 100% on Foster!

Stevie Devine would agree with your assessment:

“I wasn’t exactly joyous about his coaching,” says Devine.

“It was quite loose and unorganized as nobody really knew their role. I look at the team now and it’s exactly what I'm seeing.”

Nov 20, 2021

“I haven’t seen any progress”: Devine concerned for All Blacks under Foster

Back-to-back defeats in Europe.

@nzzp I'm a Crusaders fan and reckon Reece has definitely been more influential for us.

Jordan is a bit of a flake on defense and often dies on attack like McKenzie from taking the wrong option or turning over the ball, whereas Reece always keeps the ball alive and always takes the right option, also Reece brings a lot more physicality because of his weight (99kg) and low COG, and the one aspect I love about him is watching how he's constantly working hard to make a positive impact without the ball, something Jordan's learning to develop a bit more now under Schmidt's coaching.

@nzzp said in So what did we learn from Bled2?:

@voodoo said in So what did we learn from Bled2?:

that's seeming to always get the bounce of the ball.

well, sometimes

We tend to have confirmation bias a fair bit. I'm not sure why Reece fell out of favour - he's been the go to for some time. His work in the 2019 pool game against SA was exceptional (I know, a few years ago - but he was superb there).

As an example, Argentina in Ham, the cross kick RM(?) put in fell into the no mans space between WJ and the Argie defender. WJ had a poor game that day, and his indecision about contesting or tackling was noticeable. I wouldn't go as far as 'disinterested' but the workrate you'd like to see was not there.

anyway, quality players both, and not much between them. AB issues are not on the right wing at the moment

Reece is easily NZ's best right winger, incredible work-rate, brilliant under highball, very strong defensively, & his work off the ball is exceptional, Plus he reads the game really well and always puts himself in the right place at the right time to create opportunities, it's something that gets overlooked but Reece has excellent in-game awareness and intelligence. In my opinion, he's one of the most complete wingers in the world yet Foster doesn't even pick him, it's insane really.

@Victor-Meldrew You're confusing sentimental respect & fondness for a colleague with "Praise".

Those players have (understandably) never actually detailed Foster's coaching ability, it's against protocol.

@Victor-Meldrew said in Foster:

@geeky said in Foster:

@Victor-Meldrew said in Foster:

@Machpants said in Foster:

@Victor-Meldrew said in Foster:

@number9 said in Foster:

The Team was lost prior to Schmidt and Ryan. Now the backs are attacking with purpose, our set piece is looking a lot better.

Once again you're arguing a Head Coach (good or bad) doesn't have much impact on team performance. Which, given the way some on here fetishize Roberston as an AB Head Coach, is a bit illogical - if not weird.

Just because one head coach has fuck all impact now new assistants have been forced on him, does not mean all head coaches do nothing.

I'm not saying I totally agree, but it's not weird. Foster is an ineffective head coach, and his team shit as an abs team ever had been. But now he's been forced to move away from his choices as assistants, the abs are improving.

Sorry, but it's incredibly weird thinking to say a head coach has no impact on results and in the same breath argue a new Head Coach will improve things.

Peter De Villiers as Boks coach (2008-2011) - it was well known that he couldn't coach for shit & the assistants did essentially all the coaching for him. Foster appears much the same.

De Villiers started out OK and the Boks faded badly in 2010-11. So if you are saying his assistants did all the work, you're arguing De Villiers wasn't to blame for those latter poor results either, and his assistants should have carried the can.

Which is a bonkers argument when you look at it.

Even the players admitted that assistants Gary Gold and Dick Muir were ultimately responsible for the success of that era and De Villiers was rather useless as a coach.

My team for 2023:

forwards: DeG, ST, Lomax, Ret, Wlock, SBarrett, Papali'i, Savea.

backs: Smith, Mo, JB, Goodhue, Ioane, Jordan, Reece.

subs: Bower/Moody, Newell, Taylor, Va'ai, A.Ioane.

Fakatava, ALB/Clarke, Barrett.

@Victor-Meldrew said in Foster:

@Machpants said in Foster:

@Victor-Meldrew said in Foster:

@number9 said in Foster:

The Team was lost prior to Schmidt and Ryan. Now the backs are attacking with purpose, our set piece is looking a lot better.

Once again you're arguing a Head Coach (good or bad) doesn't have much impact on team performance. Which, given the way some on here fetishize Roberston as an AB Head Coach, is a bit illogical - if not weird.

Just because one head coach has fuck all impact now new assistants have been forced on him, does not mean all head coaches do nothing.

I'm not saying I totally agree, but it's not weird. Foster is an ineffective head coach, and his team shit as an abs team ever had been. But now he's been forced to move away from his choices as assistants, the abs are improving.

Sorry, but it's incredibly weird thinking to say a head coach has no impact on results and in the same breath argue a new Head Coach will improve things.

Peter De Villiers as Boks coach (2008-2011) - it was well known that he couldn't coach for shit & the assistants did essentially all the coaching for him. Foster appears much the same.