Life after Eddie …

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Just started listening to the good, the bad the rugby podcast which is usually quite fun and Haskell is saying how great Eddie is (he means was) and how the squad arnt far off but it's the players fault really.

I wonder sometimes if I watch the same rugby as some people. We've been on a downward spiral for a few years. The signs were there, the stupid selections, performances and lack of tactics and none of that had improved in the last 2-3 years. Same mistakes over and over.

I mean he did have a good record, has he run out of ideas, or just so stubborn he believe his plan will eventually work.

 

[Welsh Exile]

AWJ refused to accept that and donned blue face paint and a kilt to lead an uprising against the English (because the Welsh don't have an iconic uprising from movies to follow).

Ah ha, but this is about to change. AWJ knows that the Welsh were fighting the English long after the Scots gave up. He is going to direct a 6 hour long epic chronicling Owain Glyndwr's famous uprising against the English. An all star cast of Anthony Hopkins and Tom Jones is in the pipeline.

 

[Scotty]

Ive put a previous posted saying EJ is a good coach, he's won this that and the other over the years and got us to a final so how can he be this bad.

Ive been thinking on this and i think its not due to his coaching but personality, every good coach has left and most say he's hard work to work for, the players have heard it all before so doesnt motivate them or drive them as much.

This leaves us with a very talented squad yet a substandard coaching set up( made up of ones that are willing to stick around) and unmotivated players. Throw in a few stupid selections and you get this England team.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

Just started listening to the good, the bad the rugby podcast which is usually quite fun and Haskell is saying how great Eddie is (he means was) and how the squad arnt far off but it's the players fault really.

I wonder sometimes if I watch the same rugby as some people. We've been on a downward spiral for a few years. The signs were there, the stupid selections, performances and lack of tactics and none of that had improved in the last 2-3 years. Same mistakes over and over.

I mean he did have a good record, has he run out of ideas, or just so stubborn he believe his plan will eventually work.

Haskell is understandably biased. Eddie brought him back in when he didn't think he'd play for England again, got some great performances out of him (resulting in him getting on a Lions tour) and then they parted ways amicably. He was only really present for the golden age.

Bit more interesting imo is that in the GBR podcast's interview with Ellis Genge, he insists the team is fine, just a few percent off top performances, there's no unhappiness, etc. He may just be sticking to the party line, but if not I wonder if there's a split between the doubters and the believers/those with Stockholm syndrome.

 

[Reiser99]

Haskell is understandably biased. Eddie brought him back in when he didn't think he'd play for England again, got some great performances out of him (resulting in him getting on a Lions tour) and then they parted ways amicably. He was only really present for the golden age.

Bit more interesting imo is that in the GBR podcast's interview with Ellis Genge, he insists the team is fine, just a few percent off top performances, there's no unhappiness, etc. He may just be sticking to the party line, but if not I wonder if there's a split between the doubters and the believers/those with Stockholm syndrome.

I'm almost positive it's sticking to the party line. Jones has shown how ruthless he is with anyone who questions him.

 

[McTallshort]

I'm almost positive it's sticking to the party line. Jones has shown how ruthless he is with anyone who questions him.

Not disagreeing but have you any examples of that?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

This leaves us with a very talented squad

The squad is clearly not performing to its potential but is it actually all that great?

A lot of exciting but unproven potential and a lot past their peak. Moderate set piece options, with a few exceptions fairly one paced and little in the way of real footballing brains - at this level anyway.

Litmus test - a properly top team might expect 4 or 5 in a world XV. Even if performing at full throttle how many would we have? None guaranteed I'd say, maybe a couple on the bench.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Ah ha, but this is about to change. AWJ knows that the Welsh were fighting the English long after the Scots gave up. He is going to direct a 6 hour long epic chronicling Owain Glyndwr's famous uprising against the English. An all star cast of Anthony Hopkins and Tom Jones is in the pipeline.

Do you mean Owain Hughes?

Or have I been watching too much Gavin and Stacey?

 

[Reiser99]

Not disagreeing but have you any examples of that?

Mike Brown

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Mike Brown

Danny Care too

Supposedly Goode and Yarde as well, but they were always on the fringe under EJ so not the same

 

[BiggusLaddus]

Ah ha, but this is about to change. AWJ knows that the Welsh were fighting the English long after the Scots gave up. He is going to direct a 6 hour long epic chronicling Owain Glyndwr's famous uprising against the English. An all star cast of Anthony Hopkins and Tom Jones is in the pipeline.

Can confirm this to be true. Just seen AWJ in a Starbucks editing the screenplay.

In a dramatic twist it will be set in the current time to save money on sets, and the main character will be split into two parts as the actors couldn't decide who got the role. Anthony Hopkins will play Owen and Tom Jones gets to be Glenda.

Working ***le is Take Back Bermo.

If it's successful they've got a sequel lined up, Onwards to Abersoch

 

[TRF_Olyy]

They're saving money on battle scenes by just filming the drunks on Caroline Street scrapping

 

[McTallshort]

Apparently we are all fighting over Gatland!

The Wales v England battle for Warren Gatland and who holds the ace card

The former Wales coach is reportedly wanted by his former employers as well as their nearest rivals

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Apparently we are all fighting over Gatland!

The Wales v England battle for Warren Gatland and who holds the ace card

The former Wales coach is reportedly wanted by his former employers as well as their nearest rivals

www.walesonline.co.uk

The RFU will just price how out of touch they are with the fans if they bring in Gatland. I wouldn't want him anywhere near the team.

 

[Scotty]

Anyone else think they'd rather the RFU keep EJ than get Gatland short term whilst paying out a large settlement to EJ. I cannot see Gatland turning us around quickly to smash 6N and then compete in a WC.

Gatland had Shaun Edwards working the defence in Wales and built over quite a while, he isnt a fixer IMO

 

[Welsh Exile]

The RFU will just price how out of touch they are with the fans if they bring in Gatland. I wouldn't want him anywhere near the team.

You would know better than me so not saying you're wrong but what do you think, as a rough guess obviously, the split would be between people dead against him and people who would like him (guess there would be people indifferent to it as well)

Or you, as a good example, would you rather Eddie stay until after the WC or Gats on a short term deal until after the WC?

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

I'd rather keep Eddie through the RWC than have Gatland for the same period.

Gatland hasn't been successful in long term or short term coaching for some time - and England has multiple players who've seen him lose the dressing room. At least I think Eddie MIGHT pull something random out of the bag.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I'd rather keep Eddie through the RWC than have Gatland for the same period.

Gatland hasn't been successful in long term or short term coaching for some time - and England has multiple players who've seen him lose the dressing room. At least I think Eddie MIGHT pull something random out of the bag.

Yeah, I think his stock really fell with that stint at the chiefs where they really struggled when he was head coach but then did really well as soon as he was moved to director or rugby role. I don't think coaches are too different to players really, they have a shelf life and a prime and Gatland is probably past his.

Having said that I do think he'd improve you but you wouldn't be some unbeatable well oiled machine or nothing. Also, I'd still have him on a short term deal at Wales but our situation is more dire than yours and we could better utilise his strengths and minimise his weaknesses compared to England I think. I would be very meh with it though if the WRU do appoint him on a short term deal.

 

[Which Tyler]

Apparently we are all fighting over Gatland!

The Wales v England battle for Warren Gatland and who holds the ace card

The former Wales coach is reportedly wanted by his former employers as well as their nearest rivals

www.walesonline.co.uk

You can have him
No, you have him
F*** off, we don't want him
We'd finally got rid of him though
I don't care, you have him

Or you, as a good example, would you rather Eddie stay until after the WC or Gats on a short term deal until after the WC?

I'd rather keep Eddie.
Gat.s is not a short-term fixer; there's still a chance that Eddies plans may actually come to fruition.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

You would know better than me so not saying you're wrong but what do you think, as a rough guess obviously, the split would be between people dead against him and people who would like him (guess there would be people indifferent to it as well)

Or you, as a good example, would you rather Eddie stay until after the WC or Gats on a short term deal until after the WC?

I'd say the large majority are either against him or indifferent. I don't think there are many who are in favour. He wasn't particularly respected as a good coach even during the early 2010s and the downturn in Wales performance, poor Lions tour and complete lack of any achievement (or even gross failures) since leaving Wales do nothing to change that perception.

I think if you looked at the Welsh setup of the early 2010's and asked whether people would have rather had Gatland or Edwards take on a coaching role for England, pretty much everyone would have said Edwards.

Gatland had more than his fair share of moments when he ****** off England fans, more than any other coach I can think of other than perhaps Cheika.