Matt Williams

Whats the story with Matt Williams?

According to him he left Ulster because he had a young family in Sydney and needed to spend time with them.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/my_club/ulster/8060560.stm

"I have enjoyed every day here in Ulster and am deeply sorry to leave in these circumstances. I will be watching out for them next season, but from Australia."

Yet he appears on Newstalk most weeks so clearly still lives in Ireland and I think he was on Setanta tonight but I didnt watch it.

danthefan

Wondered this very same thing watching Ulster last night.

thomond2006

Yeah, it's a strange one..

Aidric

Ya he must be contracted to Setanta because he's on every week, doin some super 14 commentary last night and in studio for the Munster game tonight. He was even presenting the Hub there one night last week along with a column for the Irish Times and radio work for Newstalk.
I think he's a great analyst and enjoy listening to him.

chupacabra

Was just wondering this , you read my mind Goose. Its suspicious alright. I mean Ulster had a poor season last season but he was bringing through a lot of young lads so nobody was holding it against him. If there was pressure coming onto him it certainly wasn't from the fans... must have been the IRFU. *cue Justind reply saying "It wasn't the IRFU" :pac:

Stev_o

Ulster branch is a bit of a stab in the back sort of organisation. They probably disliked him after a while and decided that a local lad was needed instead and set about getting rid of him.

Digifriendly

Stev_o wrote: »

Ulster branch is a bit of a stab in the back sort of organisation. They probably disliked him after a while and decided that a local lad was needed instead and set about getting rid of him.

This is pure speculation in my opinion. While it does seem strange that his reasons were about spending more time with his family in Oz and he still seems to be in Ireland a lot of the time, I'm still not convinced he was pushed to make way for Brian McLaughlin. You may be right but it's the first time I've heard this as an Ulster supporter and must say I doubt it.

subfreq

I thought he said in an interview on Sky that Ulster wanted him to live there 12 months of the year and he couldn't commit to that. IE. He wanted to go back to the Republic or OZ in the off season and that is why they parted company.

He mentioned his kids were settled in Ireland and consider themselves to be Irish.

Seems true as he must be based still in Leinster, hence doing all the current work he is.

I really like his pundit work and analysis is top notch. He has a passion for the game that really comes across when he speaks.

Trojan

If that's true, then what fools Ulster are.

danthefan

Trojan wrote: »

If that's true, then what fools Ulster are.

Matt Williams has the unique ability of pissing off the team he's coaching. He's brutally honest with his players/teams and it just doesn't work sometimes, it's the reason he and Scotland parted company too. If you're bad at something he'll let you know. He didn't even do a whole lot with Ulster, all in all they were poor last season, 8th in the league. Ian Humphries had no chance of a career with Williams at Ulster either.

Had Leinster playing the best rugby they've ever played though imo, up until the SF against Perpignan Leinster had the ability to just rip teams apart. All fell apart in the end though.

Aidric

Slightly OT but Daire O Briain on Setanta has a habit of using ridiculous metaphors. I wish he'd stop.

Trojan

danthefan wrote: »

Had Leinster playing the best rugby they've ever played though imo, up until the SF against Perpignan Leinster had the ability to just rip teams apart. All fell apart in the end though.

If he's staying in the NH then we could be seeing him back in charge there - I bet Leinster have him on the shortlist.

Chucky the tree

danthefan wrote: »

Matt Williams has the unique ability of pissing off the team he's coaching. He's brutally honest with his players/teams and it just doesn't work sometimes, it's the reason he and Scotland parted company too. If you're bad at something he'll let you know. He didn't even do a whole lot with Ulster, all in all they were poor last season, 8th in the league. Ian Humphries had no chance of a career with Williams at Ulster either.

Had Leinster playing the best rugby they've ever played though imo, up until the SF against Perpignan Leinster had the ability to just rip teams apart. All fell apart in the end though.

His style doesn't work with players who are happy to drift along with their careers and aren't bothered about getting better which seems to be a huge problem caused by the structure of the ML. This is a big problem up in Ulster as well in my opinion. Players just don't seem to bothered and that's why they stay stuck up there for so long.

danthefan

Trojan wrote: »

If he's staying in the NH then we could be seeing him back in charge there - I bet Leinster have him on the shortlist.

Seems a deal with Josef Schmidt is basically done for him to take over next season (current Clermont assistant coach).

outwest

maybe he can be the next connacht coach.

;);););)

razorblunt

outwest wrote: »

maybe he can be the next connacht coach.

;);););)

They could do alot worse!

danthefan

I really do not think Matt Williams and Connacht would be a good fit.

Interestingly he said on the program tonight he tried to sign Kearney Jnr. when he was in charge of Ulster.

bamboozle

danthefan wrote: »

I really do not think Matt Williams and Connacht would be a good fit.

Interestingly he said on the program tonight he tried to sign Kearney Jnr. when he was in charge of Ulster.

i think he'd do well at Connacht, they've always had a decent pack but maybe lack a bit of guile and flair in the backs. If he had them playing nice rugby you'd imagine their crowds would increase a bit also.

he's definately a good coach....who just happens to p1ss off a lot of people he works with.

Actually come to think of it, could he work as a backs coach with Joe Schmidt?

danthefan

bamboozle wrote: »

i think he'd do well at Connacht, they've always had a decent pack but maybe lack a bit of guile and flair in the backs. If he had them playing nice rugby you'd imagine their crowds would increase a bit also.

he's definately a good coach....who just happens to p1ss off a lot of people he works with.

Actually come to think of it, could he work as a backs coach with Joe Schmidt?

Schmidt is a backs coach himself so if he comes to Leinster you'd wonder would he want anyone else.