Shattered Reds coach Phil Mooney has lamented not receiving the chance to finish his contract and help orchestrate Queensland’s long-awaited rugby revival.
In a sad indictment, the Queensland Rugby Union is searching for it’s seventh Reds head coach in a decade after on Friday terminating Mooney’s three-year contract with a season still to run.
Mooney took over from Eddie Jones in 2007 but could only manage to lead Queensland to six wins and a draw from his 26 Super 14 matches in charge, resulting in two finishes in the competition’s bottom three.
“Queensland rugby is a place that I love and I love this team so I’d say I’m massively disappointed,” he said.
Mooney said he wished he was given the opportunity to see out his contract, even if the QRU decided to not to retain him for 2011.
“I always saw that next year was one where we were going to get better results so I really wanted to witness the further development of this team,” he said.
In 2006, former coach Jeff Miller was kept in the job despite Jones being appointed almost a year before the 2007 season.
But QRU chairman Rod McCall ruled out such an option due to the difficult environment it created at Ballymore, ending with a third last finish.
Former NSW Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie is among the leading candidates for the job after a QRU rugby committee of former Wallabies Tim Horan, Dan Crowley and Brett Robinson recommended that Mooney not be retained.
McCall said the QRU board then decided to look for an experienced new coach immediately to ensure the Reds were competitive in 2010 and well-placed to recruit and retain players in 2011.
Queensland have more than two-thirds of their current squad coming off contract next year when a new Victorian franchise is expected to be seeking players for when they kick off in the 2011 Super 15.
“We decided we had to act now, rather than delay the inevitable,” McCall said. “We cannot afford to stand in no-mans land.”
McCall and chief executive Ken Freer delivered the news on Friday morning.
“I don’t think it’s nice sacking people you don’t like, so it’s bloody hard to do it to someone who you do like and when it’s his dream (job),” a sympathetic McCall said.
“Phil is shattered. It’s obviously something close to his heart and he’s put a lot of his soul into it. He’s a proud and passionate Queensland Red and he’s taken the news pretty hard.
“(But) he was the leader of the program and the responsibility lays on him.”
greypower
Guest
Eric, agree, also Hoiles was "let go" by McKenzie and went to Brumbies, Robinson and P-Nau have developed into stars under Hickey (who was Eastwood coach where Robinson comes from), I was thinking more about Dunning, Freier, Lyons, Waugh, Whitaker, Vickerman, Baxter era. Burke was dumped by McKenzie and went on to become a "star" in UK. A season or two with him at 5/8 at Tahs might have been advantageous, lack of 5/8 has been their let down, will be interesting to see what difference Barmes makes.
eric
Guest
Maaxy, I think you're being generous giving McKenzie credit for developing and recruiting that list of players. I'd say some of them developed DESPITE McKenzie, and others stalled under McKenzie. Sam NK shrivelled up under Mckenzie, Turunui played much better in Qld,who is McKay?
Maaxy
Guest
Most coaches are connected with results - 6 wins in 30 odd S14, trial and touring games is light. It would not be a problem if the better players were not leaving at regular intervals - The admin has changed so has all the other staff so how did Mooney survive this long - Nice guys finish last in professional sport - its an arena for hard decisions Barnes made a really hard decision to leave this is the type of objectiveness required on all fronts - With Melbourne arriving in 2011 the market place is going to be red hot so why run a contract out when you can take the intitiative
Maaxy
Guest
McMennimen, Mowen wasn't rated but doing well at the Tahs, O'Conner was missed/ignored, Rodzilla
Maaxy
Guest
Greypower - Mckenzie had a team of Wallabies after he selected and developed them - Ben Robinson, Tatafu Polata-Nau, Kepu, Kanaar,Hoiles, Houston, Mumm, Palu, Elsom, Sheehan, Burgess, SNK, Turner, McKay, Turinui - granted not all great but development and recruitment of the right types of players
Even looser
Guest
Great theatre by Sammy boy. However, I don't recall the Waratahs even contemplating offering him a start, so we will never know if he'd of licked that bowl or donned the jersey and run around in sky blue. It's a bit like me saying a lottery win would never change me. I think I say it just to make me feel better.
eric
Guest
I feel sorry for Mooney, and I enjoyed watching the Reds last year more than the Tahs thats for sure. I would say he's done as well as any coach could with the players he had. I'm not aware of the whole situation up there, but why have so many Qld players moved elsewhere? Not just Mitchell and Barnes, but Moore, Ioane, Mitchell Chapman, Luke Doherty, Nathan Sharpe, Sam Cordingley to name a few that come to mind. Before that it was Pat Howard, Troy Coker, Jason Little, Brendan Cannon and others. Even the League converts Peter Ryan, Wendell, Lote and Rogers all went elsewhere, and they are Qld'rs. It seems they need Sam Scott-Young as recruitment officer..."I'd rather lick the toilet bowl than play for NSW"!!
Bay35Pablo
Roar Guru
I can't remember what happened first, McKenzie getting sacked or Mooney getting sacked. Linked ... ? However, I can't see them sacking Mooney on the chance of getting Link. Surely they would have grabbed him before punting Mooney if that was the plan ... surely!!! I suspect punting Mooney early is because they fear another year of non-performance would see all their players coming off contract looking seriously at sipping lattes in Lygon Street come 2011 rather than toughing it out and rebuilding. If they sign a good coach, they probably have more chance of keeping most of them. I really hope the new crew at QRU sort this out. They were all winners in their day, and I suspect they will be pretty cut throat, which is what they need to be. I can't see the QRU following greypower's suggestion of dropping the Academy and relying on the Shute Shield. That would be giving up on their own, which the the QRU just wouldn't do. Too much pride, and in the long run, cutting off their noses to spite their face. It is about retention not talent. As you say, the Reds are providing talent to all the other states, they just need to stop that happening, and then we'll all be whinging about the Reds again ....
greypower
Guest
JTG you have it right. De Villiers said one thing that is true in NZ after their win, coaches don't make players, players make coaches. McKenzie had a team full of wallabies at waratahs, might be a different result with the players available at the Reds next year. McCall, just go over to NZ and have a look, there must be a good coach there who would like to spend a bit of time in the sunshine who could, maybe, instil some skills and effort up there. (I leave Horwill, Genia, Hynes, Luafluti, Iaione out of this criticism). The next thing to do is for QRU to clean out the academy, must be costing them money and it is just producing good players for other States. There were 10 Qld produced players in the Wallabies win at Suncorp. With the cash returned from this, come down to have a look at club rugby in Sydney and make a few astute purchases, with a view to getting somewhere in 2011. Perhaps there are club players in Brisbane who would be prepared to put in an effort if given a chance. As for retention of players, remember Jones was appointed to "keep players at the Reds" but Mitchell left while he was there. The funny thing about "travelling players", Mitchell is now at Waratahs (3rd franchise) and not playing as well when he was at the Reds, Moore is also not playing as well as when he was at the Reds (which coach is responsible for that?)
Hoy
Roar Guru
Mate, I said I am not close to the reds, I am just a Reds member. I have had a problem with the management at the reds since the turn of the century. Since Knuckles left, we have been shit. Not that Knuckles would be the answer now, and when he was coaching the Reds, we had a super talented line up, but since then, it has been a revolving door. I have heard several stories and conspiracy theories, however nothing concrete about why both players and coaches are moving around. One thing I will say: McKenzie has been linked rather quickly to the Reds next year. One could almost think the sacking of Mooney was a little out of left field, except add that to the new president, McKenzie recently sacked overseas... could be the makings of another good conspiracy.
cookee
Guest
hoy your close to the reds;name the players who left the reds under mooney;eg,the barnes,moore,etc;please name the list for us .thanks
Hoy
Roar Guru
I can't speak for anything not being close to the operation, but as a Reds Member, I am a little concerned that the revolving door of coaches is doing more harm than good. I would have been happy to leave Mooney finish his 3 years, and see how we went next year. There is no doubt we were playing better this year than previous years. The loss of Barnes will be hard to cover. I have long had problems with the management at the Reds. Who could possibly let so many talented rugby players go to other provinces? So many QLDers are making a mark elsewhere. Maybe Mooney was a factor recently in player movement? Who knows. What I do know is that the coach can only do so much, and then it is up to the players. I think Mooney made some difference, and the rest of the lack of difference might just be up to the players he was forced to use. Some players at the Reds wouldn't get a go elsewhere, of that I am sure, but they are all we have to work with.
cookee
Guest
mooney brought his u19 aust crew to town and with lewis took over en masse with not a care for the people replaced;and when things went belly up which was inevitable because of lack of ability mooney once again was the one left smelling roses as others were ditched.;did a one man review in conjunction with lewis. nice guy?nicest to himself and a tad more conciliatory today.
JTG
Guest
It is sad in this professional era when the nice bloke gets the chop,maybe it's about time some of the player's take responsibility for Qld's poor showing. Having gone to all of Qld's home games last year coaching wasn't the main problem but ticker in some of the players & the lack of wanting to win or turn it round when things go against you, we saw alot of players just give up when it all got to har. Whoever the fitness coach is also meeds to have a look at his program, when a backrowers jersey doesn't fit over his "gut" the programne is obviously not going to plan. Maybe Barnes leaving has something to do with teamate effort as well as poor administration????
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
This is a good sign for the Koalas. The group assembled is also apparently competent: McCall and Robinson in particular. Horan is untested and crowley, based on his commentary, is still living in eras well and truly gone. Anyway, get the young guys, give them a go and build on youth. forget braid, tuirinui, get the youngsters. they are there. just look at the qld players in the other s14 and wallabies squads. Its a great challenge, but starting at the bottom, there is only one way up. but they will need to hurry. the S15 is just around the corner. Beau Robinson is playing the house down, but he couldnt get a gig in aust. Pinch some kids out of the other academies and lock up all the qld youngsters.