Recruiting the priority for new Force coach

Recruiting the priority for new Force coach

NICK TAYLOR, The West Australian September 3, 2010, 6:38 am

http://l.yimg.com/fv/xp/wan/20100903...Pf5FMo_Gs2hA--Getty Images / David Rogers © Enlarge photo




Western Force needs urgent recruiting to replace experience lost at the end of last season, according to new head coach Richard Graham.
Graham takes over from John Mitchell, who yesterday was granted a release from the final year of his contract to join Super 15 rivals, the Johannesburg-based Lions.
The Force still need to replace players like centre Ryan Cross and prop Nic Henderson.
"There are a number of areas where we need to recruit and work hard to get the best people to offset our losses," Graham said.
"We need to continue working on our squad to strengthen it. I'll be looking to bring a focus to the team that reflects my philosophy and way of playing the game.
"One thing is certain the Western Force will play an attacking style of rugby."
Graham, in South Africa as assistant coach with the Wallabies, was not surprised Mitchell had resigned.
"There's certainly been enough talk to think that it might happen," he said.
Mitchell, coaching the Lions in the Currie Cup, spoke with Graham after Mitchell's manager, John Fordham, spoke with the Force on Wednesday.
"There was not a lot to chat about. He made his decision and that conversation stays between John and myself," Graham said.
Neither Mitchell nor the Lions, who have been openly saying they wanted the former All Black coach, have spoken to the Force.
"I suppose you'd have to say when we saw the strength of the comments by the Lions chairman and then their CEO about a month ago you'd have to think that where there's some smoke there's fire," Force chief executive Vern Reid said.
"I don't think there's any doubt that John was the right coach for us when we started.
"The right man at the right time for us. He was a major reason why we gained the services of players like Brendan Cannon and Nathan Sharpe.
"John has secured a release. I think you can draw from that what you will. It is a release not a payout."
RugbyWA chairman Geoff Stooke thanked Mitchell for his five years in charge. He said he was disappointed by the lack of success but believed the club was going in the right direction.
Mitchell said there had been highs and lows during his tenure.
"I believe we can all look back and count a number of significant achievements, among them producing a healthy list of Wallabies, defeating all other Super Rugby franchises in the club's short history and, importantly, beating the other three Australian Super Rugby teams during the 2009 season," he said.
"Looking ahead, I believe Richard Graham is extremely well qualified to take the reins of a Super 15 team."
Lions president Kevin de Klerk said it had been no secret they wanted Mitchell for the long term.
"We realised this was always going to be subject to the Western Force agreeing to provide him with a release," he said.
"We are thankful and appreciative that the Western Force gave us the green light."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...w-force-coach/

hey, finally someone says it!

Wow, I totally read that as we're trying to recruit a new coach. It's way to early in the morning.

Graham ready for Wallabies, Force jobs David Beniuk
September 4, 2010 - 10:29AM

AAP

He's assisted the last three Wallabies coaches, and Western Force boss in-waiting Richard Graham has declared: "I'm ready."

Head-hunted by Robbie Deans to join the current Wallabies staff as skills coach, Graham also worked under John Connolly at English club Bath and Eddie Jones at Saracens.

Throw in former England mentor Brian Ashton and ex-All Blacks boss John Mitchell, the departing Force coach who Graham has been assisting there, and the 38-year-old has worked under five national coaches.

He is set to replace Mitchell at the helm of the Perth-based Super rugby side after the Kiwi cut his time there short to join South Africa's Lions.

Contracted to the Australian Rugby Union until the end of 2011, negotiations are continuing over what roles Graham might have with both the Wallabies and Force.

"At some stage you've got to step off the ledge and stand on your own two feet," Graham told AAP as the Wallabies prepared for their Tri-Nations Test against South Africa in Bloemfontein.

"Given the apprenticeship that I've done, I've learnt a lot from those people and certainly my understanding of the game is far greater for that.

"Those men have learnt obviously at the very highest level and their advice coming back to me has helped me significantly, and also helps in you moulding your own philosophy.

"So I'm ready."

After an injury-marred start to his playing career with Queensland, fullback Graham found himself stuck behind champion No.15 Chris Latham and got his first assistant coaching gig with Bath in 2002 aged 29.

He joined the Wallabies in May 2009 after Deans got wind of his growing reputation and has seen the good - and bad - points of the last three Wallabies bosses.

"John (Conolly) had a very good ability when things weren't going well to make sure the group stayed focused on what they were doing," he says.

"His saying was 'circle the wagons', he used to say 'don't worry what people say outside the group'.

"That certainly gave the group a lot of belief."

For the oft-maligned Jones, Graham has a massive regard.

"In terms of the systems and structures in place, the best I've seen," Graham said.

"In the seven months I worked underneath him, it would be fair to say I learnt more in that short period that at any other time in my career." And Deans? Five Super rugby titles make him "something special", Graham says.

"Robbie's got an unwavering belief in what he's doing, he's got a very clear direction in his mind and he hasn't deviated from that," he says.

Graham's own philosophy on coaching can be boiled down to this - get to know your players.

"People will generally want to play for you and play well for you if they know you care," he says.

He says Mitchell has given the Force a strong foundation - there are eight players from the franchise on the current Wallabies tour - but good recruitment is also needed.

And the Grahams, a family of five, have already made Perth their home.

"My little girl is six and she's been in six homes in six years so for us it's a great opportunity to settle as best we can," he says.

© 2010 AAP

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news...904-14uv1.html

If he can bring the best of those five then we will be doing pretty well next season.