Mate, he should've watched that Ireland game and retired. Howley as well obviously. Maybe he'll take some learnings on board and adapt as any good coach would but he is too long in the tooth for that and as evidenced by his Trump like response to players have the audacity to question his methods, and the review in general, he had no interest in changing or moving with the times. Jesus, he even mentioned a woke coaching atmosphere as a reason why we struggled.
He won't get a top job elsewhere. Most likely he'll be a consultant or DOR. He's done.
I agree Cheika would not be a good pick.
This is similar to Roy Keane failing as a coach, despite him having all the attributes of a top coach...
It's tough being a high level coach, you can include players in decision making processes, but ultimately young inexperienced players who have won a handful of pro games between them know nothing yet.
Gatland did great at developing a brutal culture of Competition and winning first time around, players like Sam, AWJ, Lydiate, North and Co, plus Sean Edward's really responded to this.
As the younger boys replaced them, with lesser qualities, lesser ability and less mind sets in the time he was away, the culture disintegrated (from what I've heard). So rejoining a mess, with a governing body as a mess was always going to be a hiding to nothing.
If it sounds like I'm defending Gats constantly, it's because you routinely ignore the context and difficulties surrounding his tenure.
He had to go, I'd have got shot after Howley returned, that was a disgrace to the country, but the writing was on the wall in 22 when losing to Georgia, and the rapid decline of things.
What I will say is 2023 was an absolute success for Gats given the conditions, one that should have ended with a very unlikely RWC semi until Costelow and Co threw it away (literally in costelows case).
Since then the rebuild became a mess, part Gats fault, mostly WRU.
