Dear Robbie, I write this with a heavy heart, but Tuesday’s loss has confirmed what has been nagging in the recesses of my brain for some time.
You are not the right man to lead the Wallabies.
Not that I blame you entirely, I believe you have done absolutely everything in your power to make the Australian team a success and a force on the world stage. You have blooded players who have become men of quality, introduced new ways of thinking about the game and always conducted yourself with a team-first attitude.
That said, you have also been at the helm of some of our most embarrassing moments, with the Samoan loss and the debacle against Scotland just the most recent examples. You have managed just two wins against the land of your birth in the last 12 or so tests.
You have made some baffling decisions that you have not publicly explained. The rushed return of Dan Vickerman and Rocky Elsom, only taking one openside flanker to the Rugby World Cup and selecting Timana Tahu versus the Boks.
There is plenty of corporate speak about ‘owning the reality’ but the reality is players who have under performed have not had to take ownership because you have continued to select them.
It matters not about a lack of ‘cattle’. If you continue to select non-performers, how will we ever know what talent is untapped?
When I see players performing at the provincial and not reaching anywhere near that level when they don the gold jersey, questions need to be asked. I understand that Test matches are a very different animal, but why then do players elsewhere have far less issue with the transition? Again its not about cattle, its about a player playing as close to his maximum potential as possible.
Then there is a matter of tactics. Too often our national side seems to lack clarity of purpose. Rarely anymore do we outsmart the opposition where previously it was a trademark of our teams. Not only that, it appears we are regularly outthought, with the Rugby World Cup game against the Irish being obvious example.
When confronted with a problem, the Wallabies can’t seem to figure out any solutions.
Lastly I have concerns over your man-management. I raise this because I doubt you don’t already know about these problems and have been doing your utmost to address them. We have seen different coaching staff, different styles and regimes all brought in to bring the Wallabies up to a truly world class standard.
Despite all this, there seems to be no real improvement in the team’s performance. The only constant in this disappointing period is you. I’m not sure what the exact problem is but sometimes things just don’t ‘click’ and this seems to be the case here.
It is for these reasons that I, as a loyal Wallaby fan ask you to leave. I do not do this with malice or disdain for you and what you bring. It is done only with disappointment that the potential and hope you brought to Australian rugby could not be fulfilled.
I hope you feel the same way.
Yours in rugby.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
What kind of genius could get much more out of this gang of players, many of whom shouldn't be near international rugby but are still the best in their positions?
mania
Guest
millz - with respect. i didnt say i had problems speaking to islanders, apparently deans did. if you want to know how to then speak to grahamHenry about it. he said in a speech at a Pacific Island youth function that youths these days a re different and you had to handle them differently. he also said that pacific youths are even mroe different still and had to treated carefully and their potential hardnessed
Will
Guest
I see where you are coming from CraigB- a coach should be able to get consistency from his team. HE should also be able to engender a culture. I agree with one of the other articles on here that the Wallabies lack a want/desire or what ever you want to call it. BUT I still believe this issue is predominantly an attitude/ culture problem amongst the players. In my opinion it all started during the Gregan/ Jones era when senior players got too much say and too much power. Look at what happened with the Brumbies in 2010/11. Then there was Giteau's petulance and carry on. Nobody has a devine right to play for Australia. The difficulty for Deans is who does he turn to? Jake White blooded a heap of new players at the Brumbies, Deans can't really do that for the Wallabies a year out from the LIons series. Palmer, Dennis, Mowen and maybe a new young lock are the exceptions but what about the centres? Horne has never stood and is always injured anyway. Faingga isnt the answer I don't think. Barnes could be a good option at 12 but I'd say JOC would have a hissy fit if he was passed over in favour of Barnes. Either way, I don't envy Robbie Deans at all.
Cattledog
Roar Guru
If some of the culprits actually read them, then perhaps we would get better results. There's been some very good open letters over the years, SH, with some quite amusing. Whilst this letter is a little more conservative, it's generated some discussion on the merits of Robbie Deans as coach of the Wallabies. Seems a good enough platform for such a discussion. Besides, it's an opinion site and like our rear end, we all have one. Just some express it differently to others.
CraigB
Roar Guru
baa Baa I suggest its you who doesn't get it. The fact is you need a coach who can get the most out of the players and that is something that appears beyond Deans with this team. I agree its not the players to determine the gameplan etc, but if the coach still needs to take into account the strengths of his team and implement a plan that maximises the chance of success. This clearly is not happening and the players are not responsible for this. Are you suggesting the players are deliberately NOT playing to the plan? If so why has Deans not swung the axe? My guess is that the players are doing what they can, but DEans is unable or unwilling to accept one size does not fit all and this is not the Crusaders. We are not playing a provincal comp with access to once in a genration players. his style is failing and if he cannot adjust and change then he needs to go.
CraigB
Roar Guru
feel free to post whatever you like or othrwise build a bridge
Millz
Guest
How do you speak to Islanders Mania other than cuzzies and bros?
Sledgeandhammer
Guest
Can we ban 'open letters' from the Roar done to death
Gavin
Guest
My feelings on Deans are very simple.... he was a great coach with a great team in Canterbury with loads of talent to choose from. The NZ style of play has always been hard and forward-based in contrast to the Aussie style with quick backs and slick passing. He has tried to envelop the Wallabies with the NZ style but our forwards are not in the same mould as the ABs or Boks. We need to go back to the "Ella/Campese" style of utilising the ball with skill and speed .... we cannot beat the Boks and ABs with brute force .... ours is a running,thinking,passing and moving the ball around type of game Go back to that and watch the results In addition, I have always had a problem with some of his team selections... Berrick Barnes is not international standard yet he persists with him at 10 and 12. Harris did a great job in Qld but plays him at 12.... Doesn't play Higgie in starting line-up at World cup yet he was our best loossie.... Rob Simmons is going to be our next John Eales yet he starts him on the bench. Why bother with Elsom at all???? Strange decisions No disrespect, Robbie, but move on. Link needs to come in at the top ASAP
Baa Baa
Guest
CraigB and John (below) You STILL can't see the problem, can you? You cannot get a winning team if the arse is running the head! The choice is not the players to make up the game plan but to listen and implement it. Ask Ewan and the Red's how it works and ask last two years Brumbies why it didn't.
CraigB
Roar Guru
kpm - did I put my hand up to coach? No. I actually don't think Deans is a bad coach per se, despite my questions and concerns. I do think he is a bad Wallaby coach because he clearly is not capable to getting the best out of the players available. His style just doesn't seem to gel with the group and as we don't have any choice but to work with them then a coach who can get more from them is required
Baa Baa
Guest
Abso-bloody-lootly Kingplaymaker. The whole problem and something that is totally endemic throughout the Australian teams is that THEY want to run the team and game, from selection to who plays and then believe they are world class. With heads in sand and renamed “the Emu’s” (being the closest thing to an ostrich with head in sand and arse to sky, and with the emu found only in Australia) it is plain to see where their views and mentality comes from. Deans is a fine coach but it is what happens on the field that is important and bluntly put, Australians blame anyone except themselves. The coach does not fumble, drop balls, slip tackles, forward pass or make totally dumb decisions on the field. The egos of the Australian players get way ahead of their blinkered eyes and when all goes well they praise themselves. When all turns to custard, they blame the coach. It would be Deans who would discard most of the big headed current Wallabies and replace them all if he the stock to select from as does NZ and SA. I commiserate with Deans for him wanting to soar with Eagles and having to fly with a bunch of Turkeys.
John
Guest
There is njo question about his anbility as a coach that is well cemented in Crusader folklore, maybe his heart and his head are in 2 different places.the reality is he is coaching players that seem to be the best available and they all dont come from a rugby youth development squad Therefore are still learning the game. This was reflected in the Rugby Leaugue convert experiment,quality players but dont understand the game. Whereas in NZ they eat breath and sleep Rugby from the day they are born, and that includes their lady folk also. So I guess it would be fair to say maybe he did it for the money. Dont worry he will never be out of a job, but not in youth development
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Nonsense, the cattle are usless and a god couldn't make them any better. Deans is also a far superior coach to the writer of this article, whatever he thinks.
Cattledog
Roar Guru
If he goes, we won't have those classic after match media conferences where he looks like a rabbit caught in your spotlight. Now that would be a shame...lol
Rugby Reg
Guest
How about keeping dingo as the ARU Youth Developement Manager or the coach of the u21's. give the main gig to Link!!! or even white
Dexter William
Roar Guru
Great letter. Exactly what I wanted to say to Deans. In the beginning, his excuse was always: We are rebuilding. Now after 4 years, it is a lack of clarity. If after 4 years he still has problems telling his charges what he wants on the field, then he is not a good coach or can not speak Australian. Time to pack up and go Robbie. I was once a big fan of yours, but no more. When the Wallabies lose, I use to hate it, but now, I hate it less because I know that it would bring your tenure closer to the end.
John edmonds
Guest
Its about time the wallabies started their best 22 who are fit at the time, this business of blooding at test level is passe and they should only be blooded when the opportunity arises. Doing this devalues the great wallaby jumper And insults the ticket buying public giving it to someone who fully hasnt earned it. Also deprives guernsy to player who is truly entiled to it. Forget this 4 year worlld cup cycle and play the best you have when world cup comes around. England did it with a "dads army in 2007 or and so did the AB's in 2012. Stopp pissing about and get the known performers on the park Johnny
mania
Guest
its not deans fault but i do agree its time for him to go. my reasons beign that the wallabies and deans arent doing each other any favours.this is just one of those relationships that dont work and a divorce is needed stat. at this stage deans needs to rebuild his reputation and its not going to happen in aus. if deans wants to one day coach the AB's he needs to go NH and coach there with some success. it'll be at least 10 years before deans is considered ever again for the AB's role. i do agree about deans man management skills. it was noted in 2000 by a few non canterbury AB's when deans was co-coaching the AB's that he didnt know how to speak esp to islanders and to anyone not of the crusaders. that pretty much covers all of the aussie squad. deans is a good coach, but if u cant get your message across all your knowledge is worth zilch.
CraigB
Roar Guru
I agree with your points. A coach needs to be able tO get consistency from his team. I see it a both sides ie the wallabies and Deans are decent, they just don't work well together. Forcing together in JON's doing and he needs tO explain that