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Martin Johnson

I think he has got a good squad together but the team culture is right up the shite. He's got to go unfortunately.
 
Controversial, but, I'd allow Johnson to have this years 6 Nations, if he doesn't come up with an obvious gameplan and a vision for the future then maybe look at Dean Richards next summer?
 
Phlegm & Poise said:
Controversial, but, I'd allow Johnson to have this years 6 Nations, if he doesn't come up with an obvious gameplan and a vision for the future then maybe look at Dean Richards next summer?
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I'm sure Deano would do a good job and he would've definately been a candidate had it not been for his excile. Can't see the RFU going for him because of that somehow.
 
It's great having Johnson as England's coach, simply because you know he'll never do anything new. He just keeps England stagnant.

I'll never understand why players like Topsy Ojo (despite being a bad boy in New Zealand in 2008), James Simpson-Daniel etc, all whad so few chances under Johnson. Ojo played two games against New Zealand and scored two tries, acted like an idiot, never heard from again.

Imagine an England backline for the next World Cup of

9. Ben Youngs
10. George Ford
11. Chris Ashton
12. Owen Farrell
13. Manu Tuilagi
14. Christian Wade
15. Ben Foden

That's a squad which could become a world class backline and play an amazing style of rugby. I just hope the next England coach decides to take a risk on a team like that, rather than sticking with the safest way to lose.
 
psychic duck said:

from the criteria of how Brendan Venter signed players he may favour South Africans in the side though, Mouritz Botha, Brad Barritt, Hendre Fourie and Matt Stevens could all be favoured

however I think the best appointment England should make is the newly available Marc Lievremont :lol:
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Not neccesarily a bad thing..
 
TRF_Olyy said:
Apparently Johnson has been offered 4 more years
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Say it ain't so! Where have you heard this?

EDIT: Seen it in the Sun. Fairly skeptical. I hope MJ recognises his faults (he doesn't even know what he'd have done differently in the WC...) and leaves gracefully of his own accord.
 
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who is actually making the offer? It doesnt look like anyone in the RFU is in a position to make that decision.
 
ranger said:
Not neccesarily a bad thing..
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Well in the same period's Lievremont's won a grand slam, beaten the All Blacks away, and his team's in a semi-final and counting...

The last 4 years have been a tumultuous period for France and yet they've got that to show for it.

Every fan of the 6N should agree - a team of England's depth and resources should expect to get at least one grand slam in a 4 year period. We've had none. We should expect a far better AI record than we've had recently. The only thing I'm relatively happy with Johnno about is Summer Tours, but since he's only taken us on one and it was a 1 all draw with Australia, it doesn't count for much. I wouldn't necessarily mind a QF exit at the world cup if we had been consistently good previously or were on a serious upward curve (like in 1999 for example), but the way England are going just screams of more of the same unless there are some MAJOR changes.
 
I read in an article (possibly the Guardian website?) that one of the players is releasing an autobiography soon with some less than savoury things to say about the RFU/England Coaches

Who do you reckon it'll be?
Simon Shaw? Mike Tindall?
Maybe even someone like Borthwick?
 
Interesting!
Wouldn't have thought Wilko would have it in him to say anything bad about anyone :p

Going to have to get my hands on a copy of that
 
Why do players release autobiographies before they've retired? Simon Shaw did it, Neil Back did it and Wilkinson has made about 3 now. Just wait till you've called it a day then do it.

and that Ashton article is very misleading. He doesn't mention the coaches/Jonno at all.
 
I like it to be honest, got 2 of his books and the story's etc. are motivating and a good read. But can't really see Wilko saying anything bad about the RFU in his books.
 
Id like to see Sheridans guide to injury management :p
 
Backline should be Youngs, Flood, Twelvetrees, Tuilagi and... if only Tuilagi, Agulla and Murphy were eligible...
 
I can't help but think the two issues should be kept separate.

That the troubles at the top of the RFU are not as impactive as the media would have us believe. The likes of Chris Ashton do they really care that Martyn Thomas is holding onto power like a middle eastern dictator. As a professinal sportsman he will care about performance, getting game time, getting paid, worring about the usual rugby jargon T-cup etc, etc.

We have a fantastic academy system at most AV clubs so player developement and finances are not an issue. So I fail to see how you can blame the RFU for poor performance at the WC.
The issues of poor tactics, team selection were not down to senior RFU management, that was the England coaching team and to blame the RFU just distracts from the other issues. The players looked to have taken on MJ's miserable attitude and had the fun, ideas and life sucked out of them. They looked like a team that had been drilled to death, if this happens player A does this, player B stands here etc.

The only thing you can prehaps blame the RFU for is not appointing the right people in the right roles at the time.

I fear we are going to keep MJ, acting CEO Martyn Thomas is backing Jono and any decision he makes. Given that it is a very real possibility that Thomas will be in place until the new year and the six nations. I think we are going to keep MJ. The reason to jusifiy this will be that we kept Woodward on and he won the world cup. Jono will say that he will now start rebuilding the team with exciting young talent, as he has already touched on. The only thing that may make him leave is that he seems fed up with the media attention, and pressure brought on by players conduct.

For me personaly I think we need a coach with experience. I would like to see either White or Mallet. Just for the NH aspect added to the team or prehaps Jim Mallinder for his England U21 experience. How you get these people away from there country or club teams is a different story. Again I tend to think the snobbish RFU attitude will prevail as shown against Shaun Edwards being from leauge, they will want an Englishman and that will be MJ.

I just hope we have a change in the tactics and coaching methods used. Are style of rugby seems so far removed from that of Wales, NZ, and Australia. Two or three fast forward players to the breakdown, and the quick ball to the remaining players. We seemed to be trying to play like the 2003 squad without the players and the ball retention capability.
 
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