Harlequins to name CONOR O'SHEA as new director of rugby (rumour)

thomond2006

This is totally out of the blue!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8394164.stm

Conor O'Shea is set to be named as Harlequins' new director of rugby, BBC Sport understands.

O'Shea, formerly a director of rugby with London Irish who has also worked for the Rugby Football Union, is something of a surprise choice.

He has been out of the sport for the past 18 months working for the English Institute of Sport.

Dean Richards resigned from the post in August as details emerged of his role in the fake blood scandal.

Quins also considered former Wasps and British & Irish Lions coach Ian McGeechan, former Scotland coach Frank Hadden, South Africa assistant coach Gary Gold and Quins assistant coach Tony Diprose.

But they have opted for the former Ireland full-back, who is a highly respected figure in the game, despite his recent absence.

O'Shea retired as a player in 2000 before joining the coaching staff at London Irish. He led London Irish to the Powergen Cup in 2002 before taking up a role with the RFU as director of regional academies, and became national director of the EIS last March.

Will be disappointed if RTÉ lose O'Shea.

I really like him as an analyst, puts Hooky and Popey to shame.

duckysauce

best of luck to him

poncho000

are harlequins mad? judging by his analysis on RTE he doesnt really have a clue. I lost all respect for him when he praised O'garas performance against Australia

madds

poncho000 wrote: »

are harlequins mad? judging by his analysis on RTE he doesnt really have a clue. I lost all respect for him when he praised O'garas performance against Australia

O'Shea is one of the best analysts around at the moment. Take a look back through his resume....his previous employers obviously don't share your opinion.

thebossanova

poncho000 wrote: »

are harlequins mad? judging by his analysis on RTE he doesnt really have a clue. I lost all respect for him when he praised O'garas performance against Australia

He was right, O'Gara actually had a good game against the Wallabies. They could definitely do worse than O'Shea. Martin Johnson anyone?

thomond2006

poncho000 wrote: »

are harlequins mad? judging by his analysis on RTE he doesnt really have a clue. I lost all respect for him when he praised O'garas performance against Australia

Haven't got over your ROG issues yet I see...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055501174

He was a winner as a player and as a director of rugby.

He is probably the most respected analyst in this forum.

anonymous_joe

Would be good to see him getting a rugby role. His continued lack of employment by the IRFU irritates me greatly.

poncho000

thomond2006 wrote: »

Haven't got over your ROG issues yet I see...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055501174

He was a winner as a player and as a director of rugby.

He is probably the most respected analyst in this forum.

the thread you are referring to was way back in march, and since then I have been proven correct.

Podge_irl

Good luck to him if its true. He's doing quite well for himself these days.

Stev_o

He's alot of pieces to pick up, i didn't think that the pre season madness involving Quins and Bath would effect both teams so dramatically.

Dempsey

I'd avoid that job tbh, alot of problems there. Baffles me why the IRFU doesnt offer him a job aswell.

thomond2006

Dempsey wrote: »

I'd avoid that job tbh, alot of problems there. Baffles me why the IRFU doesnt offer him a job aswell.

Give him the Connacht job imo.

anonymous_joe

thomond2006 wrote: »

Give him the Connacht job imo.

Thing is, he's a Londoner at this stage. He's been living and working there for donkeys years. I can't see him taking any Irish job other than maybe Leinster or Munster, but in reality the big one. And I would assume he's a long way from that.

I know it's a bit silly to be talking of him as a potential future Ireland coach, but afaik, the only Irish pro coaches I'm aware of are 'the lads at Ulster' Eddie O'Sullivan, Michael Bradley, and Uncle Deccie. So there's not much out there to step up to any of the jobs...

toomevara

O'Shea is massively highly rated over here, The RFU adore the guy. He was superb as Director of Rugby at LI and took the clubs profile, both on and off the pitch to new levels. He's a very canny/smart operator and should Quins snare him, as looks likely, expect their current superb form on field to be mirrored an increased profile off it. O'Shea is exceptionally good in the marketing/PR dept and getting bums on seats. Good move by the Quins, especially in the wake of the battering their image has taken after bloodgate.

TitoPuente

poncho000 wrote: »

are harlequins mad? judging by his analysis on RTE he doesnt really have a clue. I lost all respect for him when he praised O'garas performance against Australia

Doesn't really have a clue. Indeed.

MarVeL

Is this not a backward step for him though? LI director of rugby, England regional academy director, national director English institute of sport then back to director of rugby for Harlequins?

Even before the events this Summer that would seem odd but now...

OldJay

poncho000 wrote: »

are harlequins mad? judging by his analysis on RTE he doesnt really have a clue. I lost all respect for him when he praised O'garas performance against Australia

Yes, given his track record in sports be that participating or administering, he's clueless . . . :rolleyes:

Riskymove

MarVeL wrote: »

Is this not a backward step for him though? LI director of rugby, England regional academy director, national director English institute of sport then back to director of rugby for Harlequins?

the papers say he'd be replacing Dean Richards as Director of Rugby

Titles aside, my understanding was that Richards was the coach, boss, gaffer , whatever:pac:

so therefore if O'shea was to be in that role I'd see it as progress

Dempsey

MarVeL wrote: »

Is this not a backward step for him though? LI director of rugby, England regional academy director, national director English institute of sport then back to director of rugby for Harlequins?

Even before the events this Summer that would seem odd but now...

Its more like LI director of rugby, England regional academy director, national director English institute of sport, unemployed for 18 months, director of rugby at Quins

Maybe its more the work he wants to do, he hasnt really talked about what he wants to do next, has he??

little173

He is a top man. The Director of Rugby role is an Interesting change for him though as his last couple of roles have been much more of the Sports Business ones, working for the RFU and EIS. The reason he stated for leaving London Irish was that he wanted to develop his business skills.

Dean Richards was very hands on and picked the team, headed the coaching, pounded the touchline etc., and of O'Shea will do this role will be a challenge for him. If Quins dont win rugby matches regardless of his Marketing, PR expertise, he will be under pressure, will be interesting to see how he does.

Dempsey

I suppose Quins are struggling to work out how the fines impact their budgets and O' Shea needs to flex his business skills a little :pac:

sneem-man

I wish him all the best,top fella...

laugh

Could he replace Dawson eventually at Leinster?

damselnat

http://www.scrum.com/premiership/rugby/story/107288.html
Confirmed

TitoPuente

Well... there goes all that was good about the RTE panel.

thomond2006

TitoPuente wrote: »

Well... there goes all that was good about the RTE panel.

+1