Ian "Mr Lions" McGeechan

[Count of Devonshire]

Not sure if this has quite been discussed already, but is anyone a tad worried that the old bean might be a trifle...past it? He had his heyday over 10 years ago now, the game has moved on since 1997. The game had barely turned professional by then! When you consider that Sir Clive Woodward looked over-the-hill in 2005, just two years after winning the World Cup, yet we assume that McGeechan has somehow still got it, and ignore the fact that the fellow has done absolutely nothing in the game for years.

I do hope I'm wrong and the spirit and attitude the old chap can bring can bond the players together to form a scratch side with the heart and organisation of a genuine team, but I fear that Geech, and possibly even the Lions as an amateur institution, might have had it's day.

I wouldn't pretend to have anyone else in mind to coach the side ahead of McGeechan, either.

 

[MunsterMan]

I think he is the right choice, at the time there were no real alternatives tbh, but you have a valid point, nothing we can do now though.

I am calling it now, Lions 2013 Australia coaching staff

Head Coach: Declan Kidney
Forward Coach: Jim Williams
Defence Coach: Tony McGahan

 

[Prestwick]

I think Sir Clive wasn't "past it", he just really really cocked up. The guy loves preparation over the best part of a decade but you simply can't do that with the Lions which is by tradition a last minute affair. Simply put, Sir Clive and the Lions were incompatible.

My predictions for the 2013 Lions will be:

Head Coach: Declan Kidney
Forwards Coach: Dean Richards
Defence Coach: Our mate Matt from the pub.
Backs Coach: Gregor Townsend.

 

[An Tarbh]

no doubt history will repeat itself and Kidney will sign a contract extension before the next world cup where yet again we'll flatter to deceive, ruling him out of the Lions and damaging his reputation in terms of getting the Lions gig.

 

[GimleyUK]

I think Ian McGeechan is a shrewd enough operator to do a grand job. He has some fantastic coaches working with him. Like your suggestion of Kidney and big Jim, Gats and Howley won a grandslam at first attempt.

 

[dundeesmiffy]

Clive wasn't past it, he just had a raging boner for his RWC03 team.

 

[O'Rothlain]

Maybe, just maybe McGeechan being an old relic from pre-professional days is what the team needs. Someone who can remind them of the importance of the tour, the sense of responsibility to the fans, and moreover to the tradition of the sport. What we saw last tour was exploitave nonsense from Sir Clive.
I agree with the 2013 predections of Declan Kidney. :bravo:

 

[Fa'atau82]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Clive wasn't past it, he just had a raging boner for his RWC03 team.[/b]

ahaha jokes!

I think Geech will do a good job. Rugby in the old days was better than it is now. They played for the game, not for the money.. and he knows how the game should be played. He will need some assistance with the new methods of coaching etc to bring him up to date, but you can't coach confidence into a player or a team, you just have to make them realise that they are no better or worse than the opponents. If everyone beats their man, then you stand a good chance of winning. It doesn't matter if you have all the new fangled conditioning, it's confidence that wins games.. that's what happened in '97, and it was the same scenario as now, touring the World Champs.

 

[Count of Devonshire]

I'll stick my head on the old chopping board and suggest that it's highly improbable that Kidney will be the next Lions coach. Ireland will probably revert to mediocrity over the next couple of years, not that the particularly excelled high above that anyway. They'll not make any sort of impact in the tests they play against the SH, and most likely won't be able to repeat their 6N victory between now and then either.

My problem with McGeechan isn't really a problem with him but rather a problem with the Lions. It's all well hoping for a successful tour on the back of small amounts of preparation and hopeful team bonding, but whether or not it'll work in this day and age is another matter. I can see the Lions being two tour whitewashes away from either redundancy or at the very least a drastic revamp. A Bokwash puts enormous pressure on 2013 in Australia, and if we fail there too then I'm not sure how much more life it has left in it's current format.

 

[O'Rothlain]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Count of Devonshire @ Apr 7 2009, 08:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I'll stick my head on the old chopping board and suggest that it's highly improbable that Kidney will be the next Lions coach. Ireland will probably revert to mediocrity over the next couple of years...[/b]

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Next up is the Count of Devonshire! The charges are as followed:
1. Being a ******* and ******* on the fans of Ireland
2. Because reason number 1 is really all that we needed
3. For it being a Monday, you should never blaspheme Ireland on a Monday, we're all still hungover

 

[shazbooger]

and he's English!

Down with those sorts I say!

 

[O'Rothlain]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Logorrhea @ Apr 7 2009, 09:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

and he's English!

Down with those sorts I say![/b]

 

[shazbooger]

lol

 

[shtove]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Apr 7 2009, 05:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

no doubt history will repeat itself and Kidney will sign a contract extension before the next world cup where yet again we'll flatter to deceive, ruling him out of the Lions and damaging his reputation in terms of getting the Lions gig.[/b]

BUELLER!

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[Bumbadum]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Count of Devonshire @ Apr 7 2009, 02:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I'll stick my head on the old chopping board and suggest that it's highly improbable that Kidney will be the next Lions coach. Ireland will probably revert to mediocrity over the next couple of years, not that the particularly excelled high above that anyway. They'll not make any sort of impact in the tests they play against the SH, and most likely won't be able to repeat their 6N victory between now and then either.[/b]

At the risk of being optimistic; with a headcoach we all know is a genius, a few senior players with a good couple of seasons left in them, an awesome youth and development system, and with the great fat grand slam monkey off our backs...Irelands next few years are looking peachy if you ask me.

 

[dundeesmiffy]

I think we are jumping the gun a little with this chat of the next Lions tour, let's get embarrassed in SA first.