Coach Foley fronts Waratahs board
Related coverage
Under-pressure coach Michael Foley has fronted the NSW board to review the Waratahs’ dismal Super Rugby season.
The Waratahs have won just four matches this year and, with six straight losses, they’re already resigned to one of their worst campaigns.
NSW have two matches still to play, but Foley made a presentation to the board on Tuesday, as the first-year coach fights to save his job.
The Waratahs have the bye this week before finishing the season off against Australian Conference rivals and finals contenders, the Brumbies and Queensland Reds.
In a statement released by the club on Tuesday, the Waratahs board said it will take time to consider the content of the review, with uncertainty still remaining over coaching and management positions beyond 2012.
“Michael Foley put forward a detailed analysis of the 2012 season to date. The board thanks him for his review and will now consider all his information and proposals,” said Waratahs Rugby chairman Edwin Zemancheff.
“In the meantime, the focus of the entire organisation is on the final two matches of the year against the Brumbies and Reds and in giving Waratahs’ fans something to cheer about for the remainder of the season.”
The Waratahs also announced the additions of Michael Miller and Roger Davis on the board.
© AAP 2013
Have you seen the new Wallabies jersey? Want one of your own? We're giving away a brand new 2013 Wallabies jersey to one lucky Roarer, click here to go in the running to win.
The Crowd Says (9) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
- Explore:
- Michael Foley, Rugby Union, Super Rugby, Waratahs
June 27th 2012 @ 8:31am
Gary Russell-Sharam said | June 27th 2012 @ 8:31am | Report comment
It is hard to say whether the fault lies with Foley, his back up staff, or the administration at the Tahs. Obviously we are looking from the outside in and not privy to what is actually going on.
However it is interesting to note that whoever the coach has been the Tahs have never reached their potential.
The Tahs have all the resources, the biggest roster of players to draw from, and presumable the biggest budget, yet they have never won the super rugby. And this year they have sunk to an all time low.
I think a few months ago one of our better contributors reasoned that the Tahs would have to sink to an all time low before they sorted the wood from the trees and instigated some radical decisions to change the attitude of the Tah set-up
Noting what I have said re the coach it is then probable that the coach may not be to blame and add to this that an assortment of assistant coaches have not made a difference either that leads me to think that the administration may have a role to play in the inferior showing of the Tahs over the last decade or so.
From an outsider looking in it seems that the admin section of NSW rugby and the Tahs operation are still operating as a old boys type of mentality a throw back to the amateur days. It seems that they haven’t made the transition from that status to a professional one.
And we do always hear of factional fighting within the operations at the Tahs. So with all this I can only assume that the Tahs need the clean out that Queensland did a couple of years ago. But where do you get the incentive from a board that want’s to protect its position. I can’t see the top boys falling on their swords and giving up positions of power within the board.
So the impasse continues, IMO the Tahs will totter along for years to come lurching from one disaster to another handicapped by the inflated egos of some who should know better. It will be a shame, I’m sure there will be some young men that will miss out playing at the top level because as we know nepotism and bad management infects upwards and downwards.
IMO they will sack Foley and try to get a name coach to resurrect the performance of the Tahs. That is their normal approach from past experience. I hope that this may solve their problems but I doubt this very much. The cancer is at the top.
June 27th 2012 @ 11:40am
John Elliott said | June 27th 2012 @ 11:40am | Report comment
Dear RS, you nailed it. There is something deeply rotten within the Tah’s organization, has been (has-beens) for years and it starts with the board from the old skool network, nepotistic,out of touch amateurs. The NSWRU need to dismantle the board and administration and start again, then make a choice on the coach.
best, John
June 27th 2012 @ 12:35pm
Wilson said | June 27th 2012 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
Can we clear out the Administration at RugbyWA while we are at it? CEO Vern Reid and Player Manager Mitch Hardy, combined with a bunch of club rugby board know it all’s are killing the club. Certainly the ARU have done little to help and continue to cut funding in WA by the year. But the mismanagement by the Force administration is a well-known disgrace. Time for a big clean out.
I also note that the players are reportedly upset that they are not being asked to contribute to discussions regarding Foley. Why would you not ask for the feedback from the playing group when they are the ones who see Foley in action? Surely their informed opinion would be invaluable.
This reeks of the Deans contract extension. Not one Wallaby was asked for his opinion regarding Deans’ performance as coach. They did not want to know about the poor communication and culture that Deans has brought to the Wallabies. It suited O’Neill and the board so they did it in isolation from the player group. This is a short-sighted approach to coach management. The players should not necessarily dictate who is their coach in isolation from the board, but surely the board should value the insight of the players.
June 27th 2012 @ 9:40pm
Matthew Skellett said | June 27th 2012 @ 9:40pm | Report comment
While I agree that the players should have some input , I don’t want us to go back to the years where Mr Gregan and Mr Larkham were automatic picks no matter how bad and /or indifferent their previous performances were and at least for Mr Gregan that was generally true of his last five years of his playing days .
June 28th 2012 @ 8:34am
levelheaded said | June 28th 2012 @ 8:34am | Report comment
Wilson, you are starting to believe all the hype from the media mate. What a joke – Administrators don’t drop balls, give away penalties etc.
The issue with our great game is fact – a lack of player and coach depth. Coaches go offshore for the big bucks and good on them, they need to make a living and best to get away from the media jokes here! Remember there are only 6 head Coach roles in this Country. Players will start leaving soon as well if the media don’t start writing facts rather than creating the news. I watch 2 codes and I can tell you there is not one code in Australia that eats its own like Rugby. The problem starts with us the fans – we need to support the game. We may not like some of the decisions, but get over it, that’s life mate! Great idea to expand the competition, but we are now getting out of control, 5 teams with one team allowed to have, I think 10 foreign players – doesn’t that say it all?? So what happens, the once powerful states, like NSW or QLD are bitten first for talent. They have salary caps and are restricted, therefore attempting to neutralise the powerhouse they once were. This is exactly what we are seeing and what you are not hearing – fact!! The gap between a starting player and developing player is enormous. I read recently the States no longer have Academies and they are operated by the ARU, with only 2 of them – will that grow the talent and game? Looks like many short term decisions are being made for power, rather than really clear strategy and risk assessments for the future. In the meantime, looks like the States are copping it and I for one as a big fan will continue to support my team, not the rubbish being fed to the media.
June 28th 2012 @ 9:24am
Wilson said | June 28th 2012 @ 9:24am | Report comment
Levelheaded I’m not sure that I have even insinuated that the administrators do anything with the balls at all. The player and coaches’ roles in the discussion are surely not mutually exclusive to the ones I have made about the administrators? Each part of the organisation have a job to do and I stand by my opinion that I believe that as a whole and some key players in the RugbyWA administration are doing a poor job. The players who are dropping balls and giving away penalties are only there if they are recruited by the administrators and trained by the coaches put in place by the administrators. They construct the team and build the organisation. They are also responsible for the retention of players and I see that as a flaw of theirs too.
I’m not sure that any of your points are in opposition to what I have said. They are simply inclusive points in the discussion. I agree regarding depth issues and have written about them previously. I agree with Hodgson that the Force need more international players to bolster their depth. I have also talked extensively about the ARU shackling WA rugby development with its fund cutting to community rugby (down to $250,000 for WA out of the $3.9million national allocation) and dissolving the rugby academy. These are all points we strongly agree about.
What these additional points do not do is remove the responsibility and accountability of administrators like Vern and Mitch who have underperformed since they first secured their positions. Their days are surely numbered and I for one would be surprised if they are still there within 12 months.
Your claims of Fact! makes what you say no more valid than my own. And I detest the fact that you try to dismiss me as one, not a huge rugby fan and supporter compared to yourself, and two as someone who only gets his information from the media. Be passionate Levelheaded but realise that at times you don’t need to oppose someone to make your own points. Particularly when your argument is not addressing the points I have made in any meaningful fashion. And you seem to feel that I need an education in points that I have frequently made myself on this website, FACT!
June 28th 2012 @ 2:03pm
Gary Russell-Sharam said | June 28th 2012 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
Great response Wilson
June 28th 2012 @ 2:21pm
levelheaded said | June 28th 2012 @ 2:21pm | Report comment
Wilson, couldn’t disagree with you more again! The reality is money talks and the rest walks! I don’t support the Force but I can tell you I don’t know too many players who will leave the comfort of their home on the Eastern seaboard for a crack it in Perth – no real competition for them to develop locally and so far from the lights of Sydney and Brisbane. Also, culture resides from within, you never fabricate nor blame management solely on it!
I think you are a sensationalist and from your tone, emotional. Well done!
June 28th 2012 @ 4:28pm
Wilson said | June 28th 2012 @ 4:28pm | Report comment
I’m going to have to make this my last response to you not so levelheaded. You don’t seem to be constructing an argument here that is in reply to my argument; yet keep addressing your rants in my direction. Reading comprehension isn’t everyone’s strong point so I’m not judging you for that. I’ll leave you to it. For the record, enthusiastic use of exclamation marks does not a strong point make.
Thanks for the support Gary