Bath or "The masochists guide to rugby"

[Which Tyler]

Hooper's never been a coach of any description - let alone head coach.

If Eddie wanted to sack Hooper, but wasn't allowed to, then he should never have taken the job in the first place.
What you don't do, is constantly undermine him, deliberately drive a wedge between him and the players, come to mutual decisions with him, and then go back on them behind his back, switch a training camp in Portugal for a piss-up in Marseille, and not even tell the coaches. These are rugby decisions, and 100% the DoR's job.

On any of them, Eddie may or may not have been right; they're all matters of opinion. But he's 100% in the wrong to go about it that way.

As a Bath fan, leaks are coming out from all sides. There's obviously a lot of very pissed off people about. Many of the leaks probably aren't true as well - but I've repeated the ones that seem to come from multiple sources, and pass the sniff test.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I can't fathom what it is about Hooper that makes him so untouchable. He's not an indispensable talent nor could it be said he bleeds blue, black and white so much that he is kept on as some sort of talisman (wouldn't even mind if he had some ceremonial role). Short of revealing photos or being the best bullshitter in the country, I just can't work it out.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I mean the whole things stinks of Tigers a couple years ago.

And really I don't see what is going to change with JVG coming in honestly.
It's like with Murphy at Tigers when Borthwick arrived reality was Murphy had to go.


RE multiple sources doesn't equal different origins.
One person saying something to lots of different people doesn't make it more or less accurate at times.

That being said never got the Giffiths appointment too much anyway so Bath better off with him out.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Four experienced professional join Bath Rugby's Performance Department

www.bathrugby.com

4 new staff signings. Don't know anything about any of them so does anyone have any comment about their quality?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

We've got a mind coach, too, and are still as erratic/ill disciplined as ever

 

[Reiser99]

Also apparently your mind coach has been consulting for a while and this is a more permanent position. Not sure he deserves a promotion...

 

[Which Tyler]

Also apparently your mind coach has been consulting for a while and this is a more permanent position. Not sure he deserves a promotion...

He was our mind coach a while ago.
Mike Ford fired him, but several players kept on using him, paying out of their own pocket.

Anyone Mike Ford disapproves of starts with a tick in my book.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

He was our mind coach a while ago.
Mike Ford fired him, but several players kept on using him, paying out of their own pocket.

Anyone Mike Ford disapproves of starts with a tick in my book.

If the players kept using him and we see the results we are getting on field, has it really been working? If it's the likes of Ewels and Dunn who have been using him, I'd very much doubt it.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Wish Obano had made a documentary about Bath's season, rather than Harlequins, now
The behind the scenes stuff would be very interesting

Probably doesn't want to find himself instantly out of contract

 

[Which Tyler]

Jon Callard returns to Bath, as kicking coach.

So that's 2 new coaches with previous links to the club... Alongside the 4 existing, and the DoR, or whatever his ***le is this year.

Given previous experience, I'm happy that we actually seem to have enough coaches, but I'd thought JvG was supposed to be moving us away from this.


If JC1 and MadDog (and Hatley, and Charteris, and Davis, and Lilley [3 of whom have shuffled back down a rank]) are the right men for the job, and in the right jobs now, then I'm all for it.
If they're being appointed by Bruce/Tarquin because of their history with the club, then... More muddling through to come.

 

[Reiser99]

I don't mind a people going back to clubs they have links with, but Bath do seem to favour people with links and some especially haven't been good enough. After a while it's no longer right man for the job, but who you know and it's bad for the club.

 

[Which Tyler]

I don't mind a people going back to clubs they have links with, but Bath do seem to favour people with links and some especially haven't been good enough. After a while it's no longer right man for the job, but who you know and it's bad for the club.

Exactly - it's not a problem per se - and in moderation, is a good thing.

But Tarquin did that letter to the fans a few years ago, saying that he wanted locals to be the backbone of the team playing and coaching. It just makes me wonder how much the balance tips in the favour of old-boys when recruiting.
He then promoted Hooper (ex-player) too far too fast;
Hatley too far too fast (returning ex-coach) too far too fast (whilst being spread too thin)
Dave Williams (returning ex-coach) too far too fast (whilst being spread too thin / roundly ignored)
Lilley and Davis (ex-players) too far too fast

And now we're bringing back Maddock and Callard - Maddock has a good coaching CV, so he's not a problem per se; and Callard has coached, and is a kicking specialist, so he's probably not a problem per se - but you have to wonder if they're JvG's choices, or Tarquin meddling again.

It looks like Dave Williams is the only departure from the previous coaching regime.
JvG is new, and he's brining JPF with him - everyone else is ex-Bath, and all bar 2 of them were part of the failed regime that desperately needed an overhaul.

 

[Reiser99]

Has it gone from not enough coaches to too many?

 

[Which Tyler]

Has it gone from not enough coaches to too many?

I don't think so - so long as they stick to their roles.

We did have
Hatley as Head Coach, Defence Coach and Forwards Coach.
Williams as Attack Coach.
Charteris as line-out specialist.
Lilley and Davis over-promoted to assistant coaches.

We've now got
JvG as Head Coach (and looking more like a back-office DoR).
JP Ferrera as Defence; Hatley as Forwards; Maddock as Attack.
Charteris as line-out specialist; Callard as kicking specialist.

Lilley and Davis back down to the academy (with Nat Catt added there)

 

[Which Tyler]

Inside Johann van Graan's rebuilding process at Bath Rugby

The new head of rugby arrived at Farleigh House on July 11 and is living on site as he oversees an overhaul both on and off the pitch at the Premiership club

www.somersetlive.co.uk

All sounds promising - but then, all the sounds were promising last year as well.
Once bitten, twice shy - I'll wait until we can see if the team actually know what they're ding before judging - I've no doubt on the talent front, just the cohesion

 

[Which Tyler]

Injury Update with Compeed - October

www.bathrugby.com

 

[BPM]

Bad news for Will Muir

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Bad news for Will Muir

One of the few Bath players who stood out for the right reasons the past 2 seasons.

 

[BPM]

Totally agree. I like him a lot. Never less than effective.

 

[Which Tyler]

Compeed Recovery Journeys: Episode 1 - Charlie Ewels

www.bathrugby.com