Did I hear it correctly? James Horwill, on the announcement of his elevation to captain the Wallabies: “I was really surprised … it was a huge shock for me”.
Not as surprised as I was James to hear you say that you were surprised!
The appointment variously described, as a “stunning” and “surprise” move, makes me feel uneasy, not because of what was done, but rather how it was done.
That players in the team did not know of the change until two and a half hours before the announcement.
Rocky Elsom was put into the position of having to say: “I didn’t ask for one (an explanation for the change), and he (Deans) didn’t provide one”, is not really something that a team needs three weeks before the start of a World Cup.
The ‘selection’ process should have started months ago, and everyone involved, particularly potential squad members, should have been involved, aware, and have been contributors to the process.
Players and captains, must be absolutely clear about what is expected of them, and what they need to do to improve or hone specific skills and long before three weeks before the World Cup.
The “no-one saw it coming” approach is something that should not happen. By the time selections are announced, all views should have been considered and thrashed out, and decisions made.
Selections or signings are not something that affect just one person because a team of individuals will always respond in scattered ways.
Team unity, cohesion and ‘chemistry’ will always be the decider on match-day. So everything that is said and done in the lead-up to a major competition, should not be something that has to be hosed down with clichéd explanations – is there really any alternative to “full support for the captain”.
That old pretext of the “responsibility of captaincy has been a distraction” has now had to be pulled out of the bag, whereas Elsom’s positive leadership in 24 internationals since 2009 was always hailed as “leading by example”, with not too much mention of “distraction”.
The potential to generate cynicism within a team, is only heightened when a coach or spokesman wavers between “peripheral demands around the captaincy” and the “limited preparation” of Elsom coming into the Test season (the latter probably being closer to the truth, but the same thing does not seem to apply to Dan Vickerman!)
I am all for the spirit and adventure shown, and only hope that it translates to lots of creativity onto the paddock.
I wish the team well, but to potentially hamper them with poorly thought-through ‘management communication’ is just something that cannot be covered up by the boast of “lots of versatility”.
Undercurrents and rumblings are the cancer of team unity. If there is a lesson to be learnt, devoting time, energy and effort into mounting planned surprises on the opposition, is far more productive than surprising your own team.
And I haven’t even mentioned the consequences of Mat Gitteau’s, “thank you ball boys, thank you linesmen” response!
George Shirling is the author of “Exploding Sport Myths”
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