Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Bazzo

Clegg wrote: »

^

This doesn't exactly inspire confidence. POC doesn't have a great track record as a coach.

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1347128644016218113?s=09

I'm cautiously optimistic. His remit here will be a lot narrower than it has been in previous roles with a lot more help around him. Presume he's mainly been brought in to try and sort the lineout.

dub_skav

Interesting that Easterby is staying on with a focus on defence.

I wonder is the idea for POC to help fix the lineout, but effectively be overseen by Easterby?

sydthebeat

At least it is a positive move to recognise that the position needs to be filled.

Theres been a vacuum in regards to forward play, line out, and set piece during farrell tenure.

I won't be that quick to judge POC.
the stade experiment failed more down to the attitude of stade than POCs abilities.

The less rigid / intensive aspect of national coaching will suit him and his family better than his previous experience.

Clegg

We've done well under Easterby, but really our forwards were better drilled under Plumtree. Shame he only stayed a season.

Paul Smeenus

Clegg wrote: »

^

This doesn't exactly inspire confidence. POC doesn't have a great track record as a coach.

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1347128644016218113?s=09

No. He did not do a great deal with the U20s either. And at the end of last October, was saying he wasn't fussed on coaching.

https://www.the42.ie/paul-oconnell-coaching-ireland-5246949-Oct2020/

I am not convinced at all.

thomond2006

Are you people questioning POC?

Pipe down, plebs.

Scythica

thomond2006 wrote: »

Are you people questioning POC?

Pipe down, plebs.

Yes, he's no John Hayes

Paul Smeenus

thomond2006 wrote: »

Are you people questioning POC?

Pipe down, plebs.

Questioning implies are degree of uncertainty about how it will turn out...

Looking forward to RWC 2027.

The Inbetween is mine

Probably the best thing Farrell has done ..needed an outside voice and one that can clearly show where the lineout is going wrong, as the incumbents are not able to see the wood for the trees

Interested Observer

Bizarre appointment. He has no coaching pedigree at all, has done a stint with the U20s and Stade, both of which yielded no success and both of which ended after 1 year.

thomond2006

I wouldn't blame POC for his failure at Stade Français. That club was a mess.

awec

This smells a bit like a heart over head appointment.

If we had appointed some non-Irish coach with a similar coaching background nobody would be impressed.

But maybe he'll prove us wrong.

Larbre34

Sounds incompetently expensive to me.

Easterby demoted and humiliated, yet sticking around. I daresay if the finances of the game generally were in ruder health, he'd be off to an English Club.

yerrahbah

I for one welcome our new overlord/scapegoat

UAEguy2020

What’s that I hear..is tha....is that the creation of another scapegoat I hear?

PMC83

awec wrote: »

This smells a bit like a heart over head appointment.

If we had appointed some non-Irish coach with a similar coaching background nobody would be impressed.

But maybe he'll prove us wrong.

Absolutely. Theres a bang of Robbie keane off this appointment.

arsebiscuits1

I'm gonna go ahead and type a brand new sentence never seen before on the boards rugby forum...

I will reserve judgement on this appointment until the person in question has been given a chance

ionadnapokot

PMC83 wrote: »

Absolutely. Theres a bang of Robbie keane off this appointment.

Thats as disparaging as you can get for PO'C!

If it's predominantly lineout & maul it's a good addition. Obv we would all prefer a coach like Plumtree instead.
But Irelands coaching group need all the help they can get.

Wasnt he with the squad briefly in Oct before the Italy game?

PMC83

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Thats as disparaging as you can get for PO'C!

We'll have to disagree on that. As other posters have stated above, hes not been particularly effective in previous rolls and has openly said hes not sure how pushed he is with coaching moving forward.


Like Robbie Keane, POC was an icon and talisman on the pitch but the truth is, theres just a romanticized idea of seeing him back in around the squad, giving teams talks, having a presence, that may not actually translate into results.



Theres surely more qualified people out there?

sprucemoose

PMC83 wrote: »

We'll have to disagree on that. As other posters have stated above, hes not been particularly effective in previous rolls and has openly said hes not sure how pushed he is with coaching moving forward.


Like Robbie Keane, POC was an icon and talisman on the pitch but the truth is, theres just a romanticized idea of seeing him back in around the squad, giving teams, having a presence, that may not actually translate into results.



Theres surely more qualified people out there?

not the exact same situation but its reminding me of MJ as england coach - legendary figure/captain but very little actual coaching experience even at club level. at least in this case POC has some bit of club/underage experience and its a 'specialist' role rather than head coach

thomond2006

It's not as if the current coaching team produced a good lineout.

We're not starting off a good base here.

The Parish King

What group of u20s was POC involved in coaching?

I have a vague recollection that the performances were mixed, but it could help with the transition of some of these players in to the senior set-up with a level of familiarity between the coach and players?

Pitch n Putt

Clegg wrote: »

^

This doesn't exactly inspire confidence. POC doesn't have a great track record as a coach.

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1347128644016218113?s=09

Wonder will he wear his red poppy to training like he did for his uk tv outing last year.

Interested Observer

thomond2006 wrote: »

It's not as if the current coaching team produced a good lineout.

We're not starting off a good base here.

I don't really know what this has to do with POC. If our lineout isn't working (and I agree it isn't) surely the answer is bringing in a coach who we know can actually coach a lineout. We don't know that about POC.

Paul Smeenus

Pitch n Putt wrote: »

Wonder will he wear his red poppy to training like he did for his uk tv outing last year.

At last, someone highlights the real, burning question that we are all desperate to have answered.

irishbucsfan

Interested Observer wrote: »

I don't really know what this has to do with POC. If our lineout isn't working (and I agree it isn't) surely the answer is bringing in a coach who we know can actually coach a lineout. We don't know that about POC.

We don’t, hopefully they do

molloyjh

I reckon IRFU finances are playing a large part in this. Can they afford to buy out Easterbys contract AND hire a new coach in his place with the right credentials? Probably not.

POC has some experience and is likely cheap as chips so worth a punt as opposed to doing nothing. His record isn't great and while Stade was a mess, the U20s wasn't a hugely successful time either. And its not like he has 1 or 2 good stints to balance those out.

That said, Easterby is getting a lot of flak but he was forwards coach for much of our successes over the last 5 years. So whats changed?

Paul Smeenus

molloyjh wrote: »

I reckon IRFU finances are playing a large part in this. Can they afford to buy out Easterbys contract AND hire a new coach in his place with the right credentials? Probably not.

POC has some experience and is likely cheap as chips so worth a punt as opposed to doing nothing. His record isn't great and while Stade was a mess, the U20s wasn't a hugely successful time either. And its not like he has 1 or 2 good stints to balance those out.

That said, Easterby is getting a lot of flak but he was forwards coach for much of our successes over the last 5 years. So whats changed?

I think you're right. I think more and more, over the next year or so, it will come down to "what's affordable?"

yerrahbah

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

I think you're right. I think more and more, over the next year or so, it will come down to "what's affordable?"

And who is available at short notice

Lucas44

molloyjh wrote: »

I reckon IRFU finances are playing a large part in this. Can they afford to buy out Easterbys contract AND hire a new coach in his place with the right credentials? Probably not.

POC has some experience and is likely cheap as chips so worth a punt as opposed to doing nothing. His record isn't great and while Stade was a mess, the U20s wasn't a hugely successful time either. And its not like he has 1 or 2 good stints to balance those out.

That said, Easterby is getting a lot of flak but he was forwards coach for much of our successes over the last 5 years. So whats changed?

While stade was a mess poc didnt hang is head in glory, didn’t he come out saying there was far more work involved than he thought & that he doesn’t have an appetite for coaching ??