Ewen McKenzie Resignation

[Train Without a Station]

Outside of all the stuff about Linkedin and spider-bites and all that stuff, I think the main thing people wanted to know was why he didn't consider hiring a player manager with a strong player manager background.

Sure, she might have been brilliant as his assistant at the Reds, but it looks a little like she was thrown in the deep-end here and the learning curve just may have been too steep.

That goes to questions of judgement for both McKenzie and Pulver, and rightly so. That's certainly not Patston's fault - if I'd have been offered the job I'd have taken it too! I mean what a great opportunity. But all the same, to appoint a player manager for your flagship brand that actually doesn't have a stellar resume in that area was always going to be a risk.

But where has it even been suggested that in her role she was employed to perform, she wasn't good at it?

It's been suggested she was unpopular by some anonymous sources, and respected by a couple of named players. Nowhere has it been suggested that she was anything less than capable at her job.

We do know the ARU claim she saved them $700k in the last year.

Wouldn't be the first person to drive a budget and be unpopular.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Helicopter parenting behaviour is only going to get worse as the current crop of kiddies move into adulthood.

Reminds me of this clip

On another note I heard Alan Jones talk on Fox this morning. Holy crap on a crust about the only thing he got right was that the ARU don't have a lot of money.

 

[TahDan]

Can you show me the proof that she wasn't up to it? It seems to be taken as fact but all I've heard is that she has saved the ARU $600,000 (from Link) and a few players have said they liked her.

Also where are all these other people who could do the job? There are 5 Super teams in Aust and he took one of the people from these teams to do the Wallaby job. Seems to make sense to me.

The evidence she wasn't up to it is right before you - both her and Link have resigned over one incident that should have resulted in immediate punishment for a player and another that that is a glorified tantrum and should never have left the flight, and probably shouldn't even have flared up in the first place.

To be frank, I think Kurtley is an asshole for what he did, but reading the text message transcripts that came out, Patston sounded like was someone drowning in stress and having a pretty hard time. There was clearly no protocol being followed there, and I think it's safe to say that the situation could have been handled better.

As for your question on who else could have done the job, are you seriously suggesting that somebody with a strong track record in player management just doesn't exist in Australia? Heck, he even could have gone looking at AFL and NRL if he'd wanted to if the 5 Super Rugby clubs didn't have anyone. You make it sound like Link only had one option.

 

[No4918]

Again though, it's not exactly a united front is it? If anything it just makes the group look more fractured and factionalised..

The players were likely advised to stay out of it. When 2 players spoke in support of Beale it's possible others decided a different story needed to be told.

 

[TahDan]

Wouldn't be the first person to drive a budget and be unpopular.

Yes, but like Tony Abbott, just cutting without thinking (or cutting whilst actively only protecting your mates and constituents) will actually rightly earn you criticism.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Yes, but like Tony Abbott, just cutting without thinking (or cutting whilst actively only protecting your mates and constituents) will actually rightly earn you criticism.

As I said, what evidence is there that she was poor at her job?

People resent losing privileges they once had. That's the conclusion I come to based on:

* She was unpopular;
* She managed to cut the budget by about $50k per test.

 

[Braveheart81]

There is no evidence that Patston was poor at her job.

There is evidence that the right structures or people weren't in place to run the Wallabies effectively and the result is the basket case before us.

It would seem that putting the coach in charge of the management side of the team as well as the coaching was a mistake. My guess is that won't be repeated.

Pulver went too far in the opposite direction in terms of giving power to the coach after they sacked Deans. Unfortunately the power only related to staff on the managerial side of things as the assistant coaches were already under contract. If anything, it should have been the other way around.

 

[TahDan]

As I said, what evidence is there that she was poor at her job?

People resent losing privileges they once had. That's the conclusion I come to based on:

* She was unpopular;
* She managed to cut the budget by about $50k per test.

So you have information that she saved money by cutting player privileges? If that's accurate, then it would explain an awful lot.

Pulver went too far in the opposite direction in terms of giving power to the coach after they sacked Deans. Unfortunately the power only related to staff on the managerial side of things as the assistant coaches were already under contract. If anything, it should have been the other way around.

This appears pretty accurate based on stuff coming out now, and to be honest I'm still really shocked to hear how much shit Deans had to put up with. Pulver was right to pull it back a bit, but he still needed to conduct oversight...

 

[Train Without a Station]

It would seem that putting the coach in charge of the management side of the team as well as the coaching was a mistake. My guess is that won't be repeated.

Is this not how our 3 most recently successful Super Rugby teams run their teams though?

 

[Braveheart81]

Is this not how our 3 most recently successful Super Rugby teams run their teams though?

It would seem pretty apparent that the Wallabies can't be run in exactly the same way as a Super Rugby team.

The Wallabies go on much longer tours and aren't a team that spends the whole season together like a Super Rugby side. They assemble and then have a short turnaround to play a match or go on tour etc.

I don't know who made the various management appointments at the Tahs. I certianly can't speak for the other Super Rugby teams.

My guess is that the ARU won't implement an identical plan with a new coach because they will have decided it wasn't the best idea and meant there was less oversight on the Wallabies outside of the coach and it also meant that if any situation emerged within the Wallabies, the coach was going to be right at the centre of it.

 

[scaraby]

Can someone explain to me why the Wobs are a well coached team? I was big supporter of Link before he came to Wobs but we are currently a shambles.

After finally calming down from Saturday there are a few points that should cut through the Save the Coach calls.
1.Team selections over the last few months have been inconsistent and at times illogical. egs Beale for Foley, White over Genia on Saturday, Genia not playing away after being picked. The locks-where do we start....no Skelton after French series. ...read through the pages and pages of confusion in GAGR.
2. Bench use.....a massive part of a coaches role...ours has been horrible.
No seemingly read on the game being played in front of the coaches box/sideline. We seem to have used the bench as if the plan was written before the game started. Why pull Phipps and why not use Cooper? When Genia played like Phipps did on Saturday he played 80mins.
3. Game plans...you don't just have a match plan. You have a start plan that you stick with if it works and you have a last 5 mins plan, a 5 mins before and after half time plan. A plan B kicking game etc etc....we seem to have a great game A plan then no specialist plans for certain situations and certainly no plan B. That's why the players get rattled because they don't know what to do.
4 Team Management-his choice his fault..

.sorry might sound a bit harsh but we cant all whine about the issues all season then cry foul when the main causes leave. No different to Deans guys...it didn't work for whatever reason lets all look ahead and help the new guy and stop bagging the players.
Link left remember he wasn't pushed ... and there are a lot of stories about who did what and why which may come up...or not..
The basic facts are that we all thought he was a good choice and he is a good bloke but there have been too many inconsistencies this season that need fixing and a lot of them were coaches responsibility.
If the results weren't there but we were playing our best with our best players then that's not the coaches fault but when the whole process is busted??

 

[Train Without a Station]

Scaraby - I will respond to your first 2 points.

1. What's been inconsistent? It's been the most stable barring injury of any time in recent history.

Beale was selected over Foley because Foley was pretty average against France in a winning, dominant team. With To'omua locked in at 12, Beale was the most experienced 10 we had remaining. He had been there when the Tahs last played in a final and played there on numerous occasions for the Wallabies.

Once became apparent that Beale was not acceptable, he was dropped to the bench and Foley being the strongest performer at Super level was elevated.

Skelton was originally selected on the bench but really failed to have any impact in 2 games. He played NRC during a test season break and struggled, and really lacked fitness to offer more. Due to this he was dropped from the squad.

Not sure what's inconsistent and illogical about that.

2. Bench use. Where there has been some choice in the players there, they have seen significant time. Against South Africa when we won, many complained the bench didn't get enough time. The next week they got more time against Argentina and failed to have any real impact. Seemed like he got it right in Perth after all.

Some players have been unused reserves. The funny thing is, when you are down to players like Josh Mann-Rea, who weren't even playing Super Rugby at the start of the year, you probably don't actually want them on the park during a test match. Hard to pick players who will make an impact when your top 3 players in one position are injured.

Phipps played his heart out and was fatigued on the weekend. He needed to be subbed.

 

[Rucks and Mauls]

I can't wait for Links book deal!

 

[The Red Baron]

The evidence she wasn't up to it is right before you - both her and Link have resigned over one incident that should have resulted in immediate punishment for a player and another that that is a glorified tantrum and should never have left the flight, and probably shouldn't even have flared up in the first place.

To be frank, I think Kurtley is an asshole for what he did, but reading the text message transcripts that came out, Patston sounded like was someone drowning in stress and having a pretty hard time. There was clearly no protocol being followed there, and I think it's safe to say that the situation could have been handled better.

As for your question on who else could have done the job, are you seriously suggesting that somebody with a strong track record in player management just doesn't exist in Australia? Heck, he even could have gone looking at AFL and NRL if he'd wanted to if the 5 Super Rugby clubs didn't have anyone. You make it sound like Link only had one option.

Of course she was having a hard time, anyone subjected to that sort of shit would be having a hard time. How would you feel if text messages designed to degrade and humiliate you were circulated around your workplace? Is it also no wonder why she eventually quit?

Some of you guys are really shaking the wrong end of the stick here.

 

[Blue]

Deans - Super Rugby success that did not translate into test rugby.
Link - Super Rugby success that did not translate into test rugby.

Mmmm. What to do, what to do..

 

[scaraby]

Scaraby - I will respond to your first 2 points.

1. What's been inconsistent? It's been the most stable barring injury of any time in recent history.


Beale was selected over Foley because Foley was pretty average against France in a winning, dominant team. With To'omua locked in at 12, Beale was the most experienced 10 we had remaining. He had been there when the Tahs last played in a final and played there on numerous occasions for the Wallabies.

Once became apparent that Beale was not acceptable, he was dropped to the bench and Foley being the strongest performer at Super level was elevated.


Skelton was originally selected on the bench but really failed to have any impact in 2 games. He played NRC during a test season break and struggled, and really lacked fitness to offer more. Due to this he was dropped from the squad.

Not sure what's inconsistent and illogical about that.

2. Bench use. Where there has been some choice in the players there, they have seen significant time. Against South Africa when we won, many complained the bench didn't get enough time. The next week they got more time against Argentina and failed to have any real impact. Seemed like hegot it right in Perth after all.

Some players have been unused reserves. The funny thing is, when you are down to players like Josh Mann-Rea, who weren't even playing Super Rugby at the start of the year, you probably don't actually want them on the park during a test match. Hard to pick players who will make an impact when your top 3 players in one position are injured.

Phipps played his heart out and was fatigued on the weekend. He needed to be subbed.

{http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...ad-to-all-blacks/story-fnii0mk9-1226962885298} I'll let you read this but We'll have agree to disagree on why you would halt that momentum....Skelton???

 

[scaraby]

sorry for not hitting reply but can't get it to work.

 

[Train Without a Station]

If only we played France in the Rugby Championship. Unfortunately we don't.

He was in poor form. I saw him play at Leichhardt Oval the week after the Auckland test and he was consistently tackled by the gain line, offered minimal in work rate and was below par in the line out.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Does ANYBODY really know Di's jJob Description?

Not the name of it, but what she was supposed to do for the group?

 

[Aussie D]

guys, can you please get over this Patston / Beale storm-in-a-teacup he said / she said merry-go-round? This thread is about Link's resignation (thanks and best of luck to the future and all that) and who should succeed him. I would advise you to back away before a mod comes along with mjolnir and smites you with extreme prejudice.