Ewen McKenzie is at, or near, the top of a “long list” of candidates to be embattled Queensland’s seventh Reds coach in a decade of turmoil.
But the man whose own axing in 2000 triggered a domino-like sequence of short-term coaching stints, John Connolly, is near the bottom.
McKenzie has emerged as a favourite for what’s been a poisoned-chalice post after the sacking of a shattered Phil Mooney, two unsuccessful Super 14 seasons into his three-year contract.
McKenzie led the Waratahs to three Super 12/14 finals series in five years in charge and is a close friend of new QRU chairman Rod McCall, who delivered the news to Mooney on Friday morning.
McCall admitted he’d already sounded out an interested McKenzie just days after his 1991 World Cup-winning Test teammate had himself been sacked as coach of Paris glamour club Stade Francais.
The Melbourne-raised former Wallabies prop has been seen as a leading contender as coach, or even chief executive, for the proposed Victorian team in an expanded Super 15 in 2011.
“He has been lined up with all this talk of Melbourne but the only thing he said to me was `Melbourne is a long way away’ and of course he’d be interested,” McCall said.
“Other people, and Ewen included, have mentioned that this is a great challenge and something they would look forward to.”
The QRU have only once in their long history recruited an outsider to coach the Reds and that ended in disaster when Eddie Jones took them to the wooden spoon in 2007.
But McCall stressed maroon blood was not a pre-requisite, as they look for a “quality” coach whose reputation can help overturn their perennial problem of luring stars from interstate and overseas.
“I think we’re about getting the best coach available, a high-profile person who can attract a couple of international players from other franchises,” he said.
But McCall bluntly denied Connolly, who last coached the Wallabies at the 2007 World Cup, was a prime candidate.
“It’s a long list and I don’t know how close to the bottom he would be but he’d be pretty close to the bottom,” he said of the former 12-year Reds mentor.
“I just think John hasn’t coached for a while and there’s quite a lot of blokes right in the middle of high-level professional coaching delivering good results and we need to be focussed on someone like that.”
Connolly’s long-time lieutenant Michael Foley, now forwards coach at NSW, who played a key role in Reds vice-captain Berrick Barnes’ defection to the Waratahs, also looms as a potential successor to Mooney.
The QRU will aim to have a short-list in place in a fortnight with a view to appointing Mooney’s successor well before players reassemble for pre-season training in five weeks.
Mooney, who initially did well to instill spirit and an attacking brand of play after Jones’ forgettable tenure, wanted to see out his contract.
But McCall was against the idea, stressing that appointing a new coach was the only way to prevent extra instability at Ballymore when 23 players are due to come off contract in 2010.
“With a new Super 15 franchise expected to begin recruiting in Australia very soon we could not have afford the risk of being stranded in no man’s land,” he said.
QUEENSLAND REDS COACHES SINCE 2000 (coach, tenure, results):
John Connolly (1989-2000)
Mark McBain (2001-2002) – fourth and fifth
Andrew Slack (2003) – Eighth
Jeff Miller (2004-2006) – 10th, 10th and 12th
Eddie Jones (2007) – Last (14th)
Phil Mooney (2008-2009) – 12th and 13th
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen is trying to promote rugby in Queensland and bring crowds back to Reds games.
Queensland have pushed the Hurricanes and the Blues giving the Reds coach confidence they can match it with the top teams.
Queensland led by seven late in the game, but conceded two late tries to the Kiwi side who claimed a late victory.
The Queensland winger was making his starting debut and he made his tries look like he was a veteran in that position.
Queensland led by seven points with six minutes remaining but the Kiwi side scored two tries - one after the 80 minutes to snatch…
But the winger's three tries weren't enough as the Blues stole a late win 41-37.
