An interview for Robbie Deans
Roar Guru By Chopper, 1 Nov 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Jonny Wilkinson, Richie McCaw, robbie deans, Spring Tour, wallabies
Watching Greg Martin interview Robbie Deans post-match was just as painful as the 80 minutes of watching a Wallabies team play one off the ruck and get consistently belted.
Martin’s questions were as if the ARU had written them and asked him to respond in a manufactured tone; as if to provoke some form of hope that one day we may score more points than the opposition.
Perhaps it is time we throw out the script, brush off the talcum power, and get to the raw issues.
Given the chance, I would like the following questions answered:
1. What does it feel like to be one of the most unsuccessful coaches to ever coach Australia in the modern era?
2. Do you understand that you are the only coach in 47 years of Rugby in this country to lose to the All Blacks four times in one season?
3. What were you really thinking by not playing arguably Australia’s best player and throwing lambs to the slaughter against the worlds most dominant force in Richie McCaw?
4. What possibly went through your mind when picking a taller, slower, more unskillful version of Australia’s worst backline player, Stirling Mortlock, in Ryan Cross? The guy couldn’t make Sam Harris look silly in the Sydney club competition, let alone penetrate an All Blacks defensive line.
5. Do you think that on your C.V. you should specify which championships you have won without Richie McCaw and Daniel Carter? Are there any? Little bit difficult to coach a team that has the world’s second best five-eighth, Matt Giteau, and the world’s second best flanker, George Smith (oh wait, he can’t even get on the park).
6. How could you possibly pick Matt Tomoua to replace Berrick Barnes on the Spring Tour? Daniel Halangahu stands out week in week out in the Sydney club competition. And Matt has never out played him. Is Matt really going to make Jonny Wilkinson look stupid?
But, I guess this is futile. He won’t lose his job. He is obviously a political genius that has provoked no negative press over his embarrassing results against, lets face it, an under strength All Blacks team that wouldn’t rate against many of their contemporaries over the last 10 years.
But hey, when he brings home a grand slam, everyone will jump on the bandwagon and throw their support behind Deans. Speaking of him in a hallowed tone, about how he has revolutionised the game.
This despite the fact New Zealand have won two in the last two tours of the UK, and the 2009 British teams wouldn’t make the semi-finals of the Sydney club competition. At this stage Martin Johnson will get a start.
But what an amazing achievement it will be?
Take a leaf out of the title of Wayne Carey’s autobiography Robbie: The Truth Hurts.
Recommend this story.
- Explore:
- Jonny Wilkinson, Richie McCaw, robbie deans, Spring Tour, wallabies
November 1st 2009 @ 4:38pm
MM Fike said | November 1st 2009 @ 4:38pm | Report comment
What makes a great coach?
Great players.
November 1st 2009 @ 5:32pm
fred said | November 1st 2009 @ 5:32pm | Report comment
fike the great coach is one with great preparation and genuine caring and no ego.he never blames or makes excuses
deans does not fit this mold.he has been exposed as exactly opposite and as katzilla said deans isnt much and has been spoilt with a good nursery.
November 1st 2009 @ 10:52pm
Knives Out said | November 1st 2009 @ 10:52pm | Report comment
Great coaches make players better.
November 1st 2009 @ 11:21pm
Cattledog said | November 1st 2009 @ 11:21pm | Report comment
AKA Rod Mcqueen!
November 1st 2009 @ 11:25pm
Knives Out said | November 1st 2009 @ 11:25pm | Report comment
Indeed.
November 2nd 2009 @ 8:34am
Hammer said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:34am | Report comment
But MM where do the great players come from?
November 1st 2009 @ 5:03pm
gigi said | November 1st 2009 @ 5:03pm | Report comment
chopper I love what you said. why wasnt he putting bench players on in 2nd half????
November 1st 2009 @ 5:40pm
John allyne said | November 1st 2009 @ 5:40pm | Report comment
He leaves the best super 14 defensive inside back at home, all Deans wants are players who don`t question his opinions. He would have to be one of the worst coaches along with Chris Hickey in Australia . In the modern game players are well educated so they question coaches and these two Do not have the ability to comunicate, thats why we are seeing all the experience players being dropped at the Wallabies and NSW. Until the management of NSW gets its self together the Wallabies will always be the Wobblies.
November 2nd 2009 @ 8:37am
Hammer said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:37am | Report comment
Remember the news articles when Mitchell and Deans had the AB’s There was almost a revolt in the team because the coaches could not, would not COMMUNICATE effectively with the players! And DEANS was the main offender!
i don’t give a toss if he is a god bloke I want a bloody coach that can COACH rugby!
November 1st 2009 @ 6:16pm
mattamkII said | November 1st 2009 @ 6:16pm | Report comment
Dean, thats for proving my point. The Roar has become a forum for bitter bitter people.
I say again, get behind your team.
November 1st 2009 @ 6:43pm
fred said | November 1st 2009 @ 6:43pm | Report comment
OR SANE PEOPLE WHO ARE FED UP WITH INCOMPETENT COACHING AND REPORTING???
November 1st 2009 @ 8:55pm
Dean Pantio said | November 1st 2009 @ 8:55pm | Report comment
What point? I do support my team.
November 1st 2009 @ 8:05pm
eric said | November 1st 2009 @ 8:05pm | Report comment
Ok Chopper, what would you do if you were coach? How would you stop the AB’s, and SA for that matter? It isn’t simple, and it isn’t all Deans’ fault. Deans didn’t make Elsom drop the first pass he got, and he didn’t make Giteau have his first kick charged down, and he didn’t allow the AB forwards to go off their feet with impunity at most rucks.
November 1st 2009 @ 10:17pm
fred said | November 1st 2009 @ 10:17pm | Report comment
eric graham henry didnt cause mccaw to drop 3 catches and miss palu 5m from tryline either and henry didnt drop him or blame the referee;mind you henry hasnt lost a record amount of times agst australia i suppose.
chopper could be a serious contender for coach tho
November 1st 2009 @ 8:31pm
Daniel J said | November 1st 2009 @ 8:31pm | Report comment
Robbie could start by getting his players to fall the right way in the tackle, at the moment the AB method in the tackle is to turn the runner 180 degrees so the tackler’s body position is all over the runner when they hit the ground, this effectively slows down the ball and prevents the other side from effectively cleaning out. It is a brilliant tactic, but that is the sole reason we are getting beaten at the breakdown, and that is why we are losing games, end of story. If you lose the breakdown, you lose the game simple.
One last thing, he could also tell Genia and other half backs to stop slowing their own ball when 2 metres out from the try line, what the hell is all that about? they get a good run and momentum and then they stop its crazy!
November 2nd 2009 @ 8:44am
Hammer said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:44am | Report comment
Ball carrier has to STAY on their feet longer and get support from depth.Australia have suffered the “Dive off your Feet” dilemma since the unlimited ruck was introduced by the Brumbies. The blacks and most opposition can’t dive in off their feet, Refs can’t penalise sides for diving in, going off their feet, kiling the ball ETC, if the ball is UP and ALIVE.
November 1st 2009 @ 11:26pm
sheek said | November 1st 2009 @ 11:26pm | Report comment
Chopper,
When asked what makes him a good trainer of racehorses, Bart Cummings replied, “Good horses”.
Conversely, Deans might argue the reason he has such a poor coaching record with the Wallabies is, “poor players”.
(Gee, I hate Deans so much, I never thought of that….. !!).
Off the top of my head, the Wannabees played the ABs 5 times back in 1962, for 4 losses & a draw. Someone else mentioned that we haven’t played the ABs 4 times a year too often in the past. I can tell you there have been many poor Wallabies teams in the past, worse than the current outfit.
Unfortunately for current fans who have rarely witnessed such continuing lean years, the Wallabies are performing to their historic norm, rather than the exception of the 80s & 90s.
But all this hatred for Deans is creating a critical mass all of its own, & truth has no place in this fiasco……….
Oh, & I support Deans dropping of Smith to the bench. He’s no longer the player he used to be. This happens to many great players as they get older – they lose their edge. Some lose it quicker or earlier than others.
November 1st 2009 @ 11:44pm
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | November 1st 2009 @ 11:44pm | Report comment
Good post Sheek. We need a reality check every so often.
I think fans (and I’m as guilty as the next) need to ask ‘who is responsible for the crooked throw at line out time’ or ‘losing the ball in contact’? Clearly Robbie has not be coaching them to do that, so what gives? With line outs it’s up to the thrower, lifter and jumper to get their shit together. Time for the players to stand-up and accept responsibility and fix things.
Where I might question Robbie though is on his backing of the boys to play as they see fit. One day maybe. At present though players need to be instructed to keep ball in hand rather than kick it away. Okay not as rigid as Eddie Jones but guys like O’Connor and AAC from full back, too often see kicking as their first option.
Final point and I’ll be off. Those turn overs at the breakdown – Isn’t there a coach somewhere who would be willing and able to teach the boys how to beat the NZFT at their own game? Search the planet, find him, pay him the bucks & let’s get that part of our game sorted out once and for all.
November 2nd 2009 @ 12:14am
sheek said | November 2nd 2009 @ 12:14am | Report comment
Thankyou BBB,
Blaming Deans is a knee-jerk reaction, & so easy to do. But it doesn’t alter the fact, there are fundamental problems with the structure of Australian rugby, & have been for some time.
I’m interested to know, from the Deans knockers, who else would do a better job in the current circumstances, with all the problems be-devilling Australian rugby???
This is a very ordinary Wallabies outfit at present. They are probably trying their best, & are simply incapable of doing any better. We can change the coach every year for the next 4-5 years, & it mightn’t make much difference, just like the past 4-5 years in fact.
The problems of the Wallabies & Australian rugby, regrettably, lie elsewhere, & equally regrettably, there is no quick-fix cure.
November 2nd 2009 @ 12:22am
Knives Out said | November 2nd 2009 @ 12:22am | Report comment
How does a coach like Gatland help turn various Welsh players that had previously been labelled mediocre into world class players? How, under Deans watch, can a player like Burgess still be unable to throw a ball sideways? With the amount of time spent in the national camp I don’t see how blaming the coaches can be knee-jerk. Every major nation has improved over the past 24 months: NZ, SA, England, Wales, Ireland and France, but not Australia. It can’t all be the players or lack of domestic competition.
November 2nd 2009 @ 8:28am
sheek said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:28am | Report comment
KO,
How quickly we forget Deans impressive, very impressive record with Canterbury.
How do you know Deans hasn’t attempted to correct Burgess’ flaws???
Indeed, media reports (earlier this year & last year) suggest the problem has been looked into.
Maybe Burgess is simply unwilling or unable to change? It happens…..
But it seems you can’t stop the religious zealots who believe having Deans head on a platter, will somehow solve all the Wallabies’ problems.
November 3rd 2009 @ 10:00pm
Knives Out said | November 3rd 2009 @ 10:00pm | Report comment
I didn’t suggest that Deans hadn’t attempted to correct the passing of Burgess, but that he hadn’t managed to remedy such a simple problem is massively informative. If I can coach my 11 year old brother to spin off both hands then Deans and company can improve a professional test player. Similarly, neither have I forgotten the Canterbury days, but then neither have I forgotten that they were successful before Deans jumped aboard and have been comparatively successful after. Sacking Deans may not solve all the problems but he must be held accountable for a lot.
November 2nd 2009 @ 8:45am
Hammer said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:45am | Report comment
Why do we still play the same stupid losing game plan EVERY test?
Why can’t we learn (copy) from the winning teams and more importantly history?
Why are we STILL failing to support the ball carrier in depth?
Are we incapable of playing direct? Why do we ALWAYS attack outside shoulder?
Why can we line out (all facets)? Why can’t we stay on our feet in contact?
Why can’t we shut the hell up about heading in the right/write/rite direction?
Pull a test from any/each year since E Jones took over and compare them, start from any part of the game! The Wallabies are NOT heading anywhere.
However……we are very consistent.
What are the odds of a reverse GS….. losing every test?
November 1st 2009 @ 11:40pm
ohtani's jacket said | November 1st 2009 @ 11:40pm | Report comment
If Deans can’t turn this thing around on the Grand Slam tour, he ought to pull a Wayne Smith and step down. More for his own sake than anything else. When a former Crusaders and Canterbury coach is accusing the All Blacks of cheating you know he’s starting to lose it.
November 2nd 2009 @ 12:04am
Knives Out said | November 2nd 2009 @ 12:04am | Report comment
Australia are coming to a key point in their development with the WC only being two years out. If Australia don’t show tangible progression on this coming tour then serious questions must be asked if Deans is the right man to take Australia forward. I can’t see how they have made any real progress whatsoever since this time last year.
November 2nd 2009 @ 12:17am
sheek said | November 2nd 2009 @ 12:17am | Report comment
OJ,
I actually agree with you here. If the Wannabees don’t win the GS against opposition even sorrier than themselves, then Deans should step down.
Let some other sucker cop all the flak just to show the problems of the Wallabies & Australian rugby go beyond the coach…..
November 2nd 2009 @ 12:47am
pothale said | November 2nd 2009 @ 12:47am | Report comment
“If the Wannabees don’t win the GS against opposition even sorrier than themselves, then Deans should step down.”
Are you including all four Irish & GB teams in that description of being sorrier opposition?
November 2nd 2009 @ 7:00am
sheek said | November 2nd 2009 @ 7:00am | Report comment
Pothale – regrettably, Yes.
November 2nd 2009 @ 7:43am
Knives Out said | November 2nd 2009 @ 7:43am | Report comment
Australia got walloped by Wales last year and they’re ranked 8th so the warning signs were abundantly evident last year. If Australia cannot beat an injury depleted Wales and an injury ravaged England then Deans has to go. But having said that, every single major nation has shown improvement over the past year. Except Australia. So perhaps if Australia manage to win the majority of their games then the coaching staff and the players deserve a knight hood because we will have seen a transition that would shame Lazarus.
November 2nd 2009 @ 9:19am
sheek said | November 2nd 2009 @ 9:19am | Report comment
KO – agreed, regrettably!
If the Wallabies win 3-4 of their tests, it will be a sad indictment of British & Irish rugby.
The 2009 Wallabies don’t deserve the same honour as the 1984 Wallabies (winning the GS), because they aren’t a patch on the 84 mob.
But of course, history/life doesn’t always work like that, does it…..
November 2nd 2009 @ 9:38am
pothale said | November 2nd 2009 @ 9:38am | Report comment
Hang on, you can’t have it both ways, Sheek. You said that Ireland and GB teams are sorrier opposition than Australia – so Aus should beat them. But yet if they do, it will be a sad indictment of British & Irish rugby.
So what happens if Aus lose 2-3 of their matches to say Wales, Ireland or England? Is this a good indictment of British & Irish rugby or just they beat a crap team so no particular kudos to any of the teams?
November 2nd 2009 @ 12:48am
ohtani's jacket said | November 2nd 2009 @ 12:48am | Report comment
It’s all fine and good to say the Wallabies are a bad team. The problem is that they’re getting worse.
I’d like to know why Tom Donnelly, with two caps under his belt, looks like a more useful player than anyone Deans has unearthed. There’s a guy who was plucked out of relative obscurity and fit right into the All Black system. The Wallabies, on the other hand, appear to have no system. Spiro tried looking for one and thought he was watching the Crusaders. I don’t know what’s really going on in the Wallabies camp, but they do not look like a team that’s happy with their coach. Giteau needs to be dropped. I’m sure Deans wants to drop him ala Merhts, but understands the rift it will cause. Good luck winning the Grand Slam with Giteau as your first five. Watching the Wallabies team list on the big screen, the only Wallaby I didn’t boo was Digby Ioane.
November 2nd 2009 @ 8:10am
fred said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:10am | Report comment
OJ,WHY CANT A SO CALLED RUGBY GURU GET THE BEST OUT OF WALLABIES .EG GITEAU.
ANSWER IS CLEAR TO THE LUCID
November 2nd 2009 @ 8:30am
sheek said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:30am | Report comment
Giteau has been exposed for the over-hyped, over-rated player he is.
November 2nd 2009 @ 8:54am
fred said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:54am | Report comment
SHEEK, and deans the guru?
November 2nd 2009 @ 8:47am
Hammer said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:47am | Report comment
SPOT ON!
November 2nd 2009 @ 10:29am
sheek said | November 2nd 2009 @ 10:29am | Report comment
Fred/Hammer,
I can detect the cynicism. I don’t see myself as a guru, not at all.
By the same token, I believe in strongly expressing an opinion that you believe in. You get splinters sitting on the fence.
Also, don’t be afraid to have your thoughts challenged. If they stand up to scrutiny, well & good. If not, then reconsider your position.
It seems to me, too many things are said on this site without much considered thought. And even I can be guilty of that occasionally.
And as Frank says, “Deans is screwed whichever way he goes”.
End of lecture……….!
November 2nd 2009 @ 2:19am
Frank O'Keeffe said | November 2nd 2009 @ 2:19am | Report comment
I agree Sheek that if Deans goes it will reveal the main problem isn’t the coach.
I can point out that Giteau isn’t a Test level 10, but beyond that what do you do?
People think James O’Connor has been blooded too early and doesn’t belong at the Test level of rugby.
People think Ryan Cross is a little fragile in defence and shouldn’t be in the side.
People think Drew Mitchell shouldn’t be in the squad.
Now with Berrick Barnes injured, what do you do? Blood Quade Cooper on such an important tour? Do you play Giteau at 12? Do you drop Giteau? Should Australia bite the bullet and select Mortlock? Do you go for youth?
Deans is screwed whichever way he goes.
November 2nd 2009 @ 8:50am
Brett McKay said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:50am | Report comment
STOP PRESS: GREG INGLIS WANTS TO PLAY FOR ROBBIE DEANS
That’s all I can assume after reading this quote today, after the job he did on England on Sat: ”You just have to play what’s in front of you. I just go about my business.”