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Quade Cooper is a polarising figure in Australian sport. Today’s media reports indicating his possible exit from rugby have evoked responses ranging from the ‘good riddance to bad rubbish’ line, to anger and frustration that Australian rugby stands to lose one of its brightest stars.
Given it seems we’re on the brink of losing Cooper to league, France, Japan, boxing or some strange combination of all the above, it’s time we considered alternatives to what now seems inevitable.
Surely the best possible outcome for Cooper, the ARU and rugby fans across the globe would see an in-form Cooper reintroduced to the Wallabies and contributing to the success of the team.
If reports indicating a significantly downgraded contract offer are accurate, it seems we’re all being robbed of the optimal solution to the current problem.
And a problem is exactly how we should view the current stand-off between Copper and the ARU. Problems are exciting because they provide an opportunity to seek out and implement solutions.
I’m convinced that slashing Cooper’s contract (on top of the heavy fine that’s been imposed) is not the way to go. I’m also not suggesting that the ARU should shoulder all (or even most) of the blame for how things have played out.
If I were Cooper’s manager, I’d be prompting him to do the following …
Publicly acknowledge the error of judgement that he made in the way in which he expressed his grievances about the Wallaby environment.
Cooper must articulate in full his regret in the way he handled the situation and he must acknowledge that he has work to do in rebuilding the trust of his team-mates and fans.
Privately, he must address his teammates and coaches, fully express his concerns, apologise for the way in which they were raised, seek forgiveness and reaffirm his commitment to the national team.
If and when this has occurred, the ARU must come to the party and pay the man his worth.
He’s clearly an extremely gifted rugby player with massive potential. Players like QC don’t grow on trees and his contract should reflect that.
The ball is well and truly in Cooper’s court. How he decides to proceed will have far reaching implications for his career.
This entire dilemma, however, appears to be a symptom of a much deeper problem within the current Wallaby culture.
There is a feeling amongst some senior Wallabies that narcissism amongst a minority fraction of the team has reached a point where it negatively impacts the entire team culture.
To resolve this issue, strong leadership is going to be crucial.
Each player needs to acknowledge his role and responsibility within the team context. Being a Wallaby means that you’re part of something bigger than yourself – actions both on and off the field need to reflect this.
No player aims to be part of a draconian environment where all independence is stripped away. But neither do players want to feel as though they can’t trust their teammates to put the team first.
In teams, having a shared vision is vital.
But it’s only as powerful as the shared commitment to achieve it. Creating a shared commitment is not the coaches, nor the CEO, nor the manager, nor the captain’s responsibility.
It’s every member of the team’s responsibility, all of the time.
Teams must walk a fine line between promoting individualism and self-expression whilst retaining a shared sense of purpose and commitment.
It’s not easy, but then, winning never is.