What excuse next Eddie?!!

Sabre0001

From RTE.ie:

Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan believes the timing of the World Cup gives the southern hemisphere nations an advantage.

Teams from the RBS 6 Nations have endured a slow start to the tournament with Ireland, who struggled to see off Namibia 32-17, the most disappointing.

In contrast New Zealand, Australia and South Africa have raced out of the blocks and O'Sullivan insists the Tri-Nations gives the trio the ideal World Cup preparation.

He said: 'The Six Nations sides have hardly played since March whereas all of the southern hemisphere teams have played throughout the summer.

'They have had a summer of rugby we haven't had and we've had to put all our eggs in one basket preparing for the World Cup.

'If we were to play games during the summer in preparation for a World Cup that's fine, but the problem is that by May or April the players are running on empty.

'You just can't kick on during a summer. The northern hemisphere sides all took the same route here by resting players during the summer tours.

'We've all struggled out of the blocks with maybe Scotland the one exception.

'England, Italy, Wales and ourselves have had a tough time so far.

'But New Zealand, Australia and South Africa have started well after come off the back of their Tri-Nations.'

Ireland's next World Cup assignment is Saturday's clash with Georgia, who went down fighting 33-3 against Argentina on Tuesday night.

---

So before the World Cup, the Northern teams thought we would be ok because the tri-nations were so close to the RWC and NZ weren't doing any warm-up games so would be rusty....

Now however, we are at a disadvantage just because all NH teams struggled and in some cases, completely outplayed!!!

Has he written off Ireland and the NH teams? Trying to defend his new contract before the WC is even over?

jameshayes

Eddie plays the media very well.. this is just another one of his games...

Easy_81

I know where he is coming from in regard to the likes of OZ, NZ and SA having solid competition almost up to the World Cup itself. But the NH teams have months to prepare, choose their friendly opposition carefully and treat every friendly as competitive match. Surely they should be ready come the time of the Cup for all the time they have had to prepare.

Not really an excuse to under perform.....

mc23

What about Argentina, they havent had any tri nations and are still doing well. Maybe its just the southern hemisphere teams are better.

TheJesusWarrant

Can't say I feel sorry for him. He sent the 2nd string to Argentina and Scotland and gave our first team no real run out to speak of. We needed tough games against the likes of South Africa and Australia.

aoa321

We've only played one game - our points difference should probably be better after it, but we did win and we got the bonus point, so hopefully things will improve and the lads will get going as the tournament progresses - come on Ieland !!!

OT the rugby board on this site is on fire at the moment - just as well for me ... nobody in my office even knows the World Cup is on

CJhaughey

EOS is a prize Donkey, evidenced by squad management or lack of and his excuses.
But an even bigger pack of donkeys is the IRFU for giving fast Eddie a 4 yr contract before the RWC.
No player in the current 15 is even remotely threatened for a place unless injured and even then it seems that you would have to be playing like shyte, look at DH against the Namibians......

theKramer

CJhaughey wrote:

EOS is a prize Donkey, evidenced by squad management or lack of and his excuses.
But an even bigger pack of donkeys is the IRFU for giving fast Eddie a 4 yr contract before the RWC.
No player in the current 15 is even remotely threatened for a place unless injured and even then it seems that you would have to be playing like shyte, look at DH against the Namibians......

Thats my biggest beef with EOS. He complains about not having strength in depth, but how can he if he is too cautious to risk swapping one or two players in or out. It couldnt have hurt in the six nations against wales or scotland to try out one or two players.

That would also help to motivate the first team players a bit more too. A bit of perceived competition would not do any harm. Not that I am saying they are not trying or anything, but at the moment all the first team players know that no matter how s***e their individual play they wont lose their place.........

jmayo

Having watched media savvy Eddie last night come out with that dribble on Setanta during half time break, I think Eddie spent too much time with Alastair Campbell during that infamous Lions tour.

Did he spend last couple of days working on his excuses or working on why the players now play with a lack of fire.
Maybe we have lost that since the professional era took over?

I know mixing sports here do the soccer and rugby team's managers have more in common than we think?

smok

CJhaughey wrote:

EOS is a prize Donkey, evidenced by squad management or lack of and his excuses.
But an even bigger pack of donkeys is the IRFU for giving fast Eddie a 4 yr contract before the RWC.
No player in the current 15 is even remotely threatened for a place unless injured and even then it seems that you would have to be playing like shyte, look at DH against the Namibians......

I think this is unfair. Best forced his way in to the hooker position. Hickie and Dempsey werent even in the squad 18 months ago.

I think it is tactically sound to allow these players to rediscover thier form against Georgia. We will need them firing if we are to recover. The acid test EOS's decisions will be for the France game. Also - a place should be won by a player playing well, and hopefully not by someone else doing poorly.

thirdmantackle

why send squads to Argentina and the churchill cup if players from those trips do not even get a look in for the world cup?

look at all the decent players at leinster, munster, ulster and in the UK who have never got a look in but could be so useful to batter down the georgians, namibians and provide stern competition for places in the team

eddie has had four years to prepare for this tournament, with the least demands on his players than any other country in terms of the amount of games they play and time away from the international set up

eddie should not have been given any new contract until all the results of the WC were finished.

he loves the auld clichés as well...

jdivision

As other posters said, players would be battle hardened if they'd played in Argentina. But no, much better for them to be on the piss for a few weeks.

Goodluck2me

jdivision wrote:

As other posters said, players would be more than likely injured and open to malicious actions if they'd played in Argentina..

FYP

Its amazing how the nay-sayign bandwagon has started up already, its one game where im sure they knew they would win with a bonus point, approached with not the best mindset and produced a workmanliek performace to match it. We cant go sacking coaches every time we have a poor game, he can only do so much. plenty of people know of EOS`s absolute and thorogh preparation and dedication to the job, he has done wonders for the team including the early conditioning sessions last year to bluk players up and get them physically ready for a world cup campaign. For those of you who say he never brigns anyone knew in, the two bests, carney, Kearney (who didnt cut it in the end up), fitzgerald amongst many others, he tried them in games and they he probably felt they werent ready. There is no point trying guys for the sake of it either, they are either good enough or they are not.

Im absolutely certian that ireland will be a much more down to earth and focussed side en foot of this result and may even go on to a high finish, when of course everyone will be saying what a great coach he is...

CJhaughey

smok wrote:

I think this is unfair. Best forced his way in to the hooker position. Hickie and Dempsey werent even in the squad 18 months ago.

I think it is tactically sound to allow these players to rediscover thier form against Georgia. We will need them firing if we are to recover. The acid test EOS's decisions will be for the France game. Also - a place should be won by a player playing well, and hopefully not by someone else doing poorly.

Unfair? tell me another coach in world rugby that has been as richly rewarded for not performing?
Yes lets stick the same bunch in against Georgia, assuming we don't ship any injuries against them we will have learned what?
That the Irish scrum will almost achieve parity with a minnow?
I think that the players will be flogged by the time they get to the French game let alone the Pumas.
I would love to see Ireland top the group but right this minute I fear that they will be fortunate in the extreme to get out of the pool, France will be dangerous and the Pumas are right now prowling around full of confidence looking for an Irish team to beat again.
Sorry I will never say he is a great coach.
Meticulous,set in his ways and with a limited gameplan he is not the man to get the best out of this team and it shows,what has he won during his time with this team?
A Grand slam perhaps? The six nations trophy maybe?.
Nope 3 triple crowns a makee upee trophy until the 6n felt sorry for poor old Ireland with all these triple crowns and no actual hardware to show for it.

AndyP

Ah f**k, for the first time ever, I find myself agreeing with someone called CJHaughey.

Diarmuid

Most knocking EOS here are engaging in ad hominem attacks. Clearly what he said is correct and if you claim match fitness has nothing to do with performance I think you are seriously misled.

Personally I thought Ireland were terrible against Namibia but they came away with all the points. I will save my criticism until after they lose a competitive game. I do agree EOS should not have got a contract renewal until after the RWC.

jawlie

You have to laugh at all the pundits who are full of advice, straight from the comfort of their sofa, for our highly trained and fit rugby team. Ireland used to celebrate when our soccer team lost a match, and the celebrations were huge! Now we grumble and moan when our rugby team wins a match. What a funny nation we are!

CJhaughey

Ok We give EOS the benefit of the doubt, SANZAR nations have stolen a march on us by playing the 3N right before the RWC.
Where does Argentina play their Tournament? Surely they must have a secret tournament to get to where they are now?
Hmmmm

aoa321

CJhaughey wrote:

Where does Argentina play their Tournament

Argentina haven't won the World Cup yet, they've just put one over on France and won a match that everybody expected them to win. I think you are getting really hung up on Eddie O'Sullivan's statements after the Namibia game, he had to say something - it might have sounded stupid to you but what did you expect him to say - I'm crap, I've got it all wrong for the last 4 years, I've wasted the greatest generation of Irish players ever, let's pack up and go home - he had to say something !!

Whatever about the run-in we are here now, the point of the tournament is to try to win it not learn about players. There are very talented players in the team, I just think we should give them a chance, we haven't been knocked out of it just yet.

And again, I agree, it was a ridiculous dcision to renew his contract before the World Cup.