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Thread: Western Force loosens John Mitchell's iron grip

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    (formerly known as Coach) Your Humble Servant Darren's Avatar
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    Western Force loosens John Mitchell's iron grip

    JOHN Mitchell's all-powerful grip on the Western Force is weakening amid speculation about his long-term future as head coach of the Super 14 team.

    In his first three seasons at the helm, Mitchell has been the main authority on team issues.

    But Force chief executive Greg Harris has introduced a new power-sharing structure, which will give assistant coaches and senior players more input into how the team prepares and plays.

    It is a model Harris has borrowed from AFL club the Sydney Swans where he was once chairman of selectors.

    Harris will chair the Force's match committee, which includes assistant coaches John Mulvihill and Tom Fearn and captain and vice-captain Nathan Sharpe and Matt Giteau as well as the team's strength and conditioning coach, Hayden Masters.

    While Sharpe and Giteau were absent with the Wallabies, Tai McIsaac and Scott Staniforth sat on the committee during the pre-season.

    It is a significant change to the way the Force has operated in its first three years.

    There was a feeling in Perth that the Force players did not have enough say in how the team was playing and the assistant coaches did not have sufficient authority in their areas of expertise. The new structure is designed to take pressure off Mitchell, who has had to build the expansion team from scratch.

    Not only has Mitchell attracted leading Wallabies such as Giteau to the west, he has also developed emerging talent such as openside flanker David Pocock and utility back James O'Connor.

    All indications are that Mitchell will remain in Perth next year, but it appears less certain whether he will see out the final two years of his contract in 2010 and 2011.

    Mitchell was the right man for the job when the fledgling Force was seeking a foundation coach, his international reputation helping the team recruit big-name players such as Sharpe and Brendan Cannon to Perth.

    Although the Force only won one game (and drew two) in its first Super 14 season in 2006, the new team was competitive from the outset, playing an attractive brand of attacking rugby.

    With the acquisition of Giteau, the Force was the big improver of the 2007 season, finishing in seventh place with a 6-1-6 win-draw-loss record.

    Although the Force produced its most number of wins this season (7-6), it slipped to eighth place on the table.

    The was speculation Mitchell's no-nonsense approach alienated some Force players, but the club has dismissed suggestions of a player revolt. Giteau, who has received a big offer from French club Bayonne, has sought legal advice on being released from his Force contract next year and is almost certain to return to the Brumbies in 2010, while outside back Drew Mitchell is also believed to want to leave Perth.

    In his defence, Mitchell had to get hard on the players after off-field incidents involving former halfback Matt Henjak (who punched team-mate Haig Sare) and number eight Scott Fava (who manhandled a quokka on Rottnest Island) which damaged the team's image. Mitchell has indicated he wants to remain as Force coach, but there was also talk that he has been in discussions with clubs in Europe.

    The Force may also decide after four years that the team's leadership needs freshening.

    Whether Mitchell stays or goes in the long term may depend on the Force's ability to retain and recruit players and how the new match committee structure works out.

    Mitchell, a former All Blacks coach, is the first foreigner to guide an Australian Super 14 team.

    Read more..

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    Legend Contributor blueandblack's Avatar
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    blah blah blah.

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    What a magnificent vehicle to regurgitate all that is "wrong" at the Force, a masterstroke!
    As for the premise for the story, I am not a fan of Coaching by Committee at all but if it keeps some precious ego's in check then maybe it has to be done.
    If he was the right man for the job to start with and the right man for the job when he re-signed, then he is the right man for the job to see out the contractual period, nothing has changed.
    If it came to a decision between Mitch and Gits then I would take Mitch every time, he brings far more to the Force than an individual player does.

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    Last edited by Burgs; 10-12-08 at 07:42.
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    Legend Contributor blueandblack's Avatar
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    I don't have a problem with some extra sets of eyes having some form of input, but John should have the final say. Personally, I think he's been great for the

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    Legend Contributor Thequeerone's Avatar
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    Agreed but it stops the rumble in the background - and maybe the senior players might tip him off about stuff like X is really pumped at the moment might be useful as an impact player or something else.

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    Champion MI5_Dog's Avatar
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    What confused me about this article is why John would get his Australian citizenship just to bugger off to Europe in a year?

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    Player OzFUB's Avatar
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    "....but it appears less certain whether he will see out the final two years of his contract in 2010 and 2011."

    On what is he basing this? What a load of rubbish. Obviously a very slow news day

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    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
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    Slow news day. Brett Harris. Talk about predictable.

    I'll now make another startling prediction. Muddy will agree with him.

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    Veteran mudskipper's Avatar
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    Sometimes people just need to be heard. The act of listening makes them feel relevant. John Mitchell as Head Coach still needs to direct the team but can use this new team egalitarianism to create a more effective team. It’s often referred to as Teamwork. Perhaps this new approach will make for a more settled team of the field in 2009, which will be better for all.

    What’s odd about it is the CEO Harris is going to chair the match committee. That just sounds like a senior mediator. However in the article there is no mention of Mitchell no the committee. Does that mean that then Harris reports back to Mitchell about the teams thoughts?

    Article extract:
    Harris will chair the Force's match committee, which includes assistant coaches John Mulvihill and Tom Fearn and captain and vice-captain Nathan Sharpe and Matt Giteau as well as the team's strength and conditioning coach, Hayden Masters.

    Club CEO’s I believe should be in the stands with the sponsors and guests come game day.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Thequeerone View Post
    Agreed but it stops the rumble in the background - and maybe the senior players might tip him off about stuff like X is really pumped at the moment might be useful as an impact player or something else.
    I should probably work on my fitness a bit tho

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    Immortal jargan83's Avatar
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    Selection committees...............Leadership Groups.........................what a bunch of crap

    Coach selects the team, Selected Team plays, led by the Captain

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    A strange article - I'm not sure how he can, in the course of a few paragraphs, sensibly reconcile:
    "JOHN Mitchell's all-powerful grip on the Western Force is weakening amid speculation about his long-term future as head coach of the Super 14 team."
    with:
    "The new structure is designed to take pressure off Mitchell, who has had to build the expansion team from scratch."

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    Legend Contributor Flamethrower's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndyS View Post
    A strange article - I'm not sure how he can, in the course of a few paragraphs, sensibly reconcile:
    "JOHN Mitchell's all-powerful grip on the Western Force is weakening amid speculation about his long-term future as head coach of the Super 14 team."
    with:
    "The new structure is designed to take pressure off Mitchell, who has had to build the expansion team from scratch."
    Read your post again Andy and you will see the answer

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    but you notice that there is not one quote from a player, ex-player, coaching assistant, liquid hydration expert, strapper, cheerleader, receptionist or anyone else -

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    Veteran Swee_82's Avatar
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    Apart from the usual recycled force-bashing, I love how the headline makes it sound like Mitch is right up there with Kim Jong-Il

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