Lions suspend coach Mitchell

[TRF_stormer2010]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Lions-suspend-coach-Mitchell-20120622

I would be interested to learn more about "the serious nature" of the complaints. Assuming the GLRU aren't totally overreacting it would probably take a lot for a rugby organisation to go to this length.

That said Mitchell is probably out of a job anyway with the Lions in all likelyhood becoming a non-entity for all practical considerations next year.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Now the Sharks can fire Plums and hire Mitchell...

 

[Draggs]

Now the Sharks can fire Plums and hire Mitchell...

Oh dear god, no!!!

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

NICE. Fire the coach that got you the only trophy in over a decade. Morons!

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[nickdnz]

Oh dear god, no!!!

Huh?

I thought Mitchell has been doing really well with the Lions. As Ezequiel mentioned, he got them a Curry Cup and has generally made them more competitive in Super Rugby. I'd take Mitchell over Plumtree any day. In fact I hope they do fire him and the NZRU hire him for the Blues (though I think he bured a lot of those bridges). Horrible selector of players (at least in 2003) but I thought he was an alright coach and would have probably learned form his mistakes.

This follows revelations that a group of players have presented a 'list of grievances' to GLRU president Kevin de Klerk as a result of the manner in which Mitchell treated his players.

De Klerk, in an interview with the Rugby365 website</STRONG>, confirmed that Mitchell has been suspended with immediate effect.

"The nature of the (players') complaints is so serious that we have suspended him (Mitchell), pending further investigation," De Klerk said.

Can't think of what he's done. Short of a racially motived sexual assult on Elton Jantjies whilst encouraging him to take steroids, I think this is very extreme with so few games left.

 

[dasNdanger]

Well, this doesn't surprise me, though the reasons do. When I saw the thread ***le I just figured it was a given based on the Lions poor performance this season and the whole owning the bottom of the table thing, but this has me totally dumbfounded:

"The nature of the (players') complaints is so serious that we have suspended him (Mitchell), pending further investigation," De Klerk said.

Wow. That's pretty strong. Like Nick says, I can't think of what he's done that could warrant such an action, and such a comment. Joking aside, I wonder if it could be something racial, or illegal (like steroids), or...what? Could it be something like what recently surfaced in American Football - players rewarded to do injury to players on the opposing team? I know it's a waste to spend too much time speculating, but it certainly has piqued my curiosity.


das

 

[Draggs]

I can't stand Mitchell, Nick.
He always comes off like suck a cock.

 

[dasNdanger]

Poked around the net a bit, no one's really spelling anything out, but in several articles it says the complaints are about the "unreasonable" way the players have been treated. That rules out several things, but it also makes me think of this old Sean Connery flick...





das

 

[William18]

Huh?

I thought Mitchell has been doing really well with the Lions. As Ezequiel mentioned, he got them a Curry Cup and has generally made them more competitive in Super Rugby. I'd take Mitchell over Plumtree any day. In fact I hope they do fire him and the NZRU hire him for the Blues (though I think he bured a lot of those bridges). Horrible selector of players (at least in 2003) but I thought he was an alright coach and would have probably learned form his mistakes.



Can't think of what he's done. Short of a racially motived sexual assult on Elton Jantjies whilst encouraging him to take steroids, I think this is very extreme with so few games left.

Mitchell's problem is that he is a dick. You can have all the expertise in the world but if you can manage your players and get them wanting to play for you then you will always have trouble. He won't learn from his mistakes before he is a dick and always will be.

 

[nickdnz]

Mitchell's problem is that he is a dick. You can have all the expertise in the world but if you can't manage your players and get them wanting to play for you then you will always have trouble. He won't learn from his mistakes before he is a dick and always will be.

Yeah, I'd totally agree with that. Two of my favourite players of all time were Andrew Mehrtens and Christian Cullen (see the avatar), so I don't need many more reasons to dislike him. But in honesty, before he joined the Lions they were shite. Now they're still shite, but to a lesser extent and they actually compete well in the Curry Cup. Now to be honest a lot of the players underperform and so you either demand they raise their performance or you fire them. It's pretty much that simple. I'm sure he's not totally innocent, I know what it's like to be coached by a total f*cking assh*le and it certainly doesn't help your performance, but the Lions are still winning more with that dick at the helm than when he wasn't there.

 

[psychic duck]

Yeah, I'd totally agree with that. Two of my favourite players of all time were Andrew Mehrtens and Christian Cullen (see the avatar), so I don't need many more reasons to dislike him. But in honesty, before he joined the Lions they were shite. Now they're still shite, but to a lesser extent and they actually compete well in the Curry Cup. Now to be honest a lot of the players underperform and so you either demand they raise their performance or you fire them. It's pretty much that simple. I'm sure he's not totally innocent, I know what it's like to be coached by a total f*cking assh*le and it certainly doesn't help your performance, but the Lions are still winning more with that dick at the helm than when he wasn't there.

that's because he was replacing another dick as coach

 

[Draggs]

that's because he was replacing another dick as coach

I was waiting for this response.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I can't stand Mitchell, Nick.
He always comes off like suck a cock.

Maybe that's on the list of grievances???

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[Larksea]

I grew up in the era when Mitchell was captain at waikato and his team and their success was huge for the region, he and players like Gatland, Foster, Loe, Pervy, Buck Anderson were fantastic. I was lucky enough to have Anderson as a teacher for 3 years while he was playing and Gatland was a relief teacher at my school and every so often he came and coached some teams I was in. Richard Loe was a family friend, I'd been to his house as a kid and met his family while he was still playing. They were all great guys. I met Mitchell once and my one memory of him was that he was totally up his own arse. I don't know if how I remember it was 100% true it was a long time ago but I remember he did not mix well with people at the club where we were and I also remember him saying his name when he was signing a cheque to pay for something. never really been too sure about the guy since then... Seems like there has been a lot of smoke around him.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Lions appoint Ackermann as new coach
Former Springbok lock Johan Ackermann has been promoted to caretaker head coach of the Lions, taking over from the suspended John Mitchell.

http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_7842477,00.html​

 

[psychic duck]

Lee Mears looks like he's petrified in that photo

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

It was the most awesomest photo I could find of Jo Ack

 

[Shovenose]

Now they can combine with the Kings and will be known as the Lion King in Super Rugby

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

That explains Simba taking over from Scar

 

[donmcdazzle]

Mitchell is a ********, I've spoken to people who played for him, or had to coach with him and not one of them had anything nice to say about the guy. He might know his rugby or whatever but it seems nobody respects him as he is just a ******** who people can't be bothered listening to after a while. He seemed like a petty sort of character who let personal issues get in the way of his selections; e.g. Cullen (who was left out for Ben Blair and Ben Atiga!!!!), Mehrtens and Anton Oliver for the 2003 world cup. Does anyone else remember that newspaper article that said Cullen was left out cause he couldn't kick, and he held the ball the wrong way? What a knob.

Lions are better off without him.