Eddie Jones has his 5 cents worth:
September 12, 2009 12:00am
IT has become the pattern at the Reds. In comes a new chairman with a new power base and the need for change - rather than to develop - is sought.
Coach Phil Mooney is the casualty this time. Phil has been a loyal, honest and competent servant of Reds rugby. Phil has developed many good young players.
He had started to develop a playing style that was attractive. With time and smart recruitment of players it looked like it could develop into a winning style.
I signed with the Reds in February, 2006. By the time I started in June, 2006, the chairman, chief executive and high-performance manager had changed and the promise of extra funds to buy much-needed players also evaporated under the Queensland sun.
At the end of a poor 2007, then-chairman Peter Lewis and I had a good chat and decided it was in the best interests not to continue with me as coach. I don't believe I coached well and I admit it.
I told Peter the Reds needed a coach with patience and nurturing skills who could develop the team over the next five years. I still believe that's how long it will take.
There are some things that are absolutely non-negotiable in creating a winning team.
You need a stable administration that is well resourced and has the same vision for the team as the coaches and players. To win the Super 14 you generally need 10 frontline international players. Just look at the Springboks at the Bulls.
Then you need to develop a strong team culture based on winning behaviour and for the team to have a distinctive colour about it, whether it be defence like the Crusaders or sustained attack like the Brumbies.
New chairman Rod McCall has shown himself to be decisive but by his statements he doesn't understand the Reds squad is not strong enough to win a Super 14.
Money is needed to identify, retain and recruit better players. Will McCall be able to do this?
He needs to appoint a coach for the next five years.
Ewen McKenzie, Michael Foley and David Nucifora all probably want it. McKenzie has the best track record. Foley is technically the best forwards coach in Australia while Nucifora did himself no favours with his coaching of the Australian-20s team in Japan.
I would appoint Ewen as director of rugby, Foley as the team coach and tell Wallabies assistant Richard Graham to forget about the Western Force assistant's job and coach the team he loves.
With those men, stable administration and money, the Reds can win in the next five years.
