The Queensland Reds are apparently replacing Nick Stiles as head coach, and if they do, it would be just the latest in a long line of serious blunders from the struggling franchise.
The Reds are where they are due to a number of contributing factors, and while Stiles as coach cannot remain free of responsibility, it is madness to think that the solution to all their problems is a change of coach.
If changing coaches was the key to success, Queensland would be the best team in Super Rugby. Club management change the coach more often than they change their underwear. Unfortunately, success in sport is far more often achieved from a position of stability, rather than from shifting foundations.
Australian rugby is suffering from a lack of quality coaching at every level up to and including Super Rugby. It’s an indictment on the current state of the game that the top level of rugby in this country is being used as a place for inexperienced coaches to cut their teeth.
Look across the other franchises last season and the men in charge of them: Daryl Gibson – first-time head coach. Dave Wessels – first-time head coach. Tony McGahan – one previous head coach job. Stephen Larkham – first-time head coach.
Larkham has the best record percentage-wise of that group, but even then it sits just a tick over the 50 per cent mark. Toss of a coin.
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McGahan has been brought into the Reds setup from the Melbourne Rebels in recent weeks, fueling speculation that Stiles may be on the way out. But McGahan’s own Super Rugby win record sits at 30 per cent. The Reds would be trading in a two-wins-in-ten coach for a three-wins-in-ten coach. Hardly an inspiring revolution.
If they do stick with Stiles, then the addition of McGahan to the support staff makes sense. If Stiles is replaced, it does not.
Incredibly, the man rumoured to be in line for the Reds job is former All Black, Bronco, Kangaroo and Crusader Brad Thorn. While Thorn’s playing CV is one of the most remarkable ever to lace them up, he is completely unproven as a head coach in opens rugby.
Granted, Thorn is currently in charge of Queensland Country in the National Rugby Championship and his side have started that campaign with a couple of impressive performances, but it is an extremely small sample size.
Even if Thorn were to run the table and win the comp this season, that would still leave him one NRC title behind Nick Stiles, proving that coaching success at such a level is no guarantee of success at Super Rugby level.
The Reds have been a disaster of an organisation for years now, and despite chopping and changing the head coach, they have continued to be a disaster. Time and again they have undermined their own coaches and wondered why they did not succeed.
Before Stiles, Richard Graham was asked to reapply for his own job following a disastrous 2015 season, while a worldwide search for his successor was supposedly conducted, ultimately coming up empty handed. As a result, they re-appointed Graham – only to fire him two games into the 2016 season.
Queensland have made a commitment to Stiles, he has a contract that they can ill afford to pay out – they’re still stinging from having to pay John Connolly $150,000 for firing him six weeks into a three-year deal back in 2015.
It is in their best interests not only to stick with Stiles, but also to publicly back him and end all speculation surrounding his position. The uncertainty surrounding the job in the media is hurting the Reds more than they know.
Players read the papers, and if they feel like a coach is on the edge, they are far less likely to buy into his methods, and no coach can enjoy success in that predicament.
It’s time for those higher up to take some responsibility, rather than rotating in a fresh scapegoat each season to later cast aside in order to cover up their own failings.
Back the man that they appointed, for the length of time that they appointed him for, and if it proves to be wrong after all that, then everyone needs to be cleared out – not just the coach.
Fionn
Guest
Nick Stiles looked like a fantastic coach at NRC level, mate. It is a big step up and Thorn has virtually no experience. Just stinks of another job for The Boys.
Nowaered
Guest
Peter K you should watch the Qld Country side - it is the best coached team in the NRC - if you have played any sort of senior rugby I think you would realise how far off the mark you are.
30mm tags
Roar Rookie
Even just Paul Mooney.
Ozinsa
Guest
I hope you're right. It's a gamble but probably less a one by having Mooney and McGahan in the mix. I'm a Tah fan and I wish we'd given our coaching squad a similar shake-up. Getting rid of Styles was a no-brainer. They spent big on a squad and brought in some quality juniors. 4-12 doesn't cut it. Had to go.
Rebellion
Guest
The Tahs did look pretty silly letting Michael Ala’alatoa go for that terrible reject from Auckland. There is no doubt the level of rugby coaching and general rugby intellect in NZ is far superior to Australia - this is a byproduct of the code fading fast in the market place and rusted on fans losing interest after years of expecting poor performances as the norm. Rugby intellect kept Australia in the contest with NZ i. The 90’s and early 2000 (as well as a crop of outstanding players who mostly were outstanding men too). The only dud coach was Greg Smith back the. Who didn’t last long
ThugbyFan
Guest
Well said RT, Brad Thorn won't take BS and I very much doubt if he would keep favorites in the team when better players are available. And he certainly won't hang players out in public. He will bring that NZ/AB ethos, Stay Loyal to the Team and be Humble. He has a pretty good squad in the NRC this year but even so Queensland Country are looking really good. The team is built on fitness and guts in defence, no soft tries from these blokes you have to earn them. Lots of those blokes are in the Reds squad, so in a way he already is coach.
ThugbyFan
Guest
G'day RT, hope all is well and them AB keep winning for you. As much as every NZ coach is not perfection, its very true that they have a heap of very good ones to lend out to the world of rugby. Totally agree that Dave Rennie would have been the best thing for the NSW Tahs. The Tahs not only need a new coach but the whole organisation needs to be shaken. Look at the number of top players rejected at Tahland as not being good enough and succeeding elsewhere; while the Tahs recruit total duds. For example take a look at the locks for the Tahs for SR2017. Its a bleeding wonder we didn't come last. However I don't think it was ever likely that Rennie would end up as Tahs coach/team manager as (a) he would have commanded a decent price which would scare many in TahLand and (b) there are too many fragile egos in TahLand, only concerned with keeping their positions in the structure. It would also have looked quite strange to have a tip top coach, one of the very best, for an Aussie SR franchise when the WB coach was struggling so much. So perhaps some negative vibes from the ARU also.
GC Red
Guest
In reality, Mooney inherited a team reduced to newbies and unwanted veterans by the mass exodus of players from QLD. Then the great turncoat Berrick Barnes ran away, and a bunch of misfits and journeymen took their chances at the reds. Not sure it had anything to do with recruitment, Digby was a cast off, the brumbies didn't want the twins, 2 kids called Genia and Cooper took their chances. In 2011 I'm pretty sure we even had Caleb Ralph in there and Radike Samo no less. It was culture, pure and simple. Started by Mooney, and finished by McKenzie. As soon as he left, the culture went with him. He had it at the Tah's and he had at the red's. He was building it at the wallabies and we all know how that turned out. But.... you need to want to change. An for whatever reason, the Muppets at the ARU don't want change.
John Moman
Guest
The rigorous interview process is followed by a decision of Management to appoint the candidate. If the decision was wrong it is up to management to admit the error in judgement. The coach should be given a chance to discuss what is going wrong and as a club they need to work with the players to improve on the performance. Use all the strengths of the individuals and pull together. If it csn be done in large Corporations and Australian Defence then take a leaf from their book.
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Of course not ... but you cannot compare Gibson with the likes of Rennie, Schmidt, Cotter etc who have had success. The Waratahs is Gibson's first Head Coach gig I believe. I still reckon that Aussie should have made a big play for Dave Rennie when it was announced by Tew that their preference for the AB's was for a future coach to be forced to be an assistant coach first. That, was the time Rennie, I think seriously looked outside of NZ to further his career. The Reds made a play for Blackadder, why not Rennie?
Rebellion
Guest
A NZer coach is not the magic pill to solve all of our problems at Super rugby level. Look at Darryl Gibson
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks Jack. Just watched another QC game (Qld Country that is!): - Their D was a joy to watch. Punishing tackles, and everyone were on the same page - Their attack sent me chills. Lightnight cycles, and killer cleanouts. I thought I was watching EM's Reds again! Anyway, if they were going to replace Stiles I wished they found an proven coach. Worth the $$$ In any case, QRU must: - take the initiative to organise a coaching academy - start courting a bank of proven coaches - should have started this last year i think given time, Thorn will be a great coach, same for Stiles. But they need to get their leadership right.
RT
Guest
Winner not simmer
RT
Guest
Thorn may or may not be a good coach. Time will tell but surely he commands respect. A code switcher in the forwards not once but twice. A simmer. A tough guy. He seems to me to be a good choice to rebuild a franchise based on character and culture. I'll take him ahead of nick stiles any day of the week. I mean no disrespect to Stiles who I believe loves his state and did his best but I think Thorne is the perfect balance of kiwi (Colin Meads type) and Qld ( Billy Moore/Trevor Gilmeister type) to put qld in the position they want to be. I'm a Tahs supporter and I reckon Thorne is an inspired choice. I also reckon Simmons move to Sydney will revitalise his career and come back to bit Qld in the arse big time.
RT
Guest
Cmon jack Genia's been the form 1/2 for Australia. Reds have talent. Don't be so negative.
RT
Guest
The sauce brothers- love it!
RT
Guest
Absolutely, Styles was very happy to throw his playing group under the bus. I think he's not a bad bloke but honestly if he's the best coach qld could get they didn't look hard enough.
Crash Ball2
Guest
Prevent players from owning a position? Perhaps I awoke in Opposite World today? The Wallabies are a dual speed economy separated into The Entitled, and the rest. Whole Roar Expert articles and gigabytes of commentary have been dedicated to the unconditional ownership some players enjoy in Gold, and the exhaustive lengths that Cheika extends to accomodate The Untouchables in his blatant, unapologetically parochial regime. Hubris is merely the entree in a multi-course Arrogance Rugby Degustation washed down with a '76 Chateau Nepotism Du Pape.
Schuey
Guest
The selection of Thorn says to me the Reds selection process is still inadequate/broken. A terribly run organisation takes risks like this.
mzilikazi
Guest
Coaching Leinster.