Richard Graham to take over

[jargan83]

Just saw an Emirates Western Force update on Facebook saying that Richard Graham will take over as head coach of the Force after the 2011 season
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[slomo]

no surprise there......
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[jargan83]

Official Announcement to come later today apparently
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[blueandblack]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/fo...0702-zrua.html

"Graham to take over from Mitchell CHALPAT SONTI
July 2, 2010 - 10:52AM
.Richard Graham is to become the next coach of the Western Force.

The Super 15 club will today announce Graham, the assistant to head coach John Mitchell, will take over when the latter steps down at the end of next season.

Graham, 37, a former Queensland fullback, joined the Force for the 2010 season.

He is also the Wallabies skills coach and previously held the top job at English club Saracens, who he took to the Heineken Cup semi-finals.

Mitchell, 46, has been the only head coach in the Force's history.

The former All Blacks mentor has yet to guide his side to a playoff berth in the five years they have been in the Super rugby competition, with a best finishing position of seventh in 2007.

Under his reign, the Force have had 24 wins, four draws and 37 losses, with just one winning season - in 2008 when they finished eighth.

He was briefly stood down after complaints from players and staff about his autocratic style in 2008, with an inquiry recommending other staff and players having more of a say in the way the team was run.

Source: watoday.com.au
"

[The Big I]

I don't know much about this guy other than what I have read on his bios is he any good??

[todd4]

Select-a-coach process - what a sham.

I am not writing this to critisize Richard Graham because the truth is I have never met the guy and have no real knowledge of his coaching abilities. He may turn out to be a great Head Coach or a dud Head Coach.

My gripe is about the whole ridiculous scenario which culminated in the ending up making their choice for HC (head coach) TWELVE MONTHS earlier than they should, resulting in them effectively only having a choice of ONE candidate.

This debacle started earlier this year when made his public announcement that he was leaving at the end of next season.

There are people who will say that his public announcement just shows what a fine fellow he is by telling everyone in advance what his intentions are.
Can anyone tell me what benefit it was to the by this public statement? This was something that he should have discussed behind closed doors with the Board of RugbyWA. The only person to benefit by this public statement was JM, whereas he was able to advertise himself in a very public way to the rugby world in general that he was going to become available as a coach with the underlying inference that he might be available as early as next year if the price was right.

It is my opinion that JM did the club a dis-service and was in fact self-serving in going public.

What was the result of his public announcement? It caused uncertainty in the minds of the public, the media, the Board of RugbyWA and even the players(?).

Over the following weeks reports came in that he had been having meetings with officials from the Chiefs, Sharks et al and the thoughts were that he would be looking for a release from the last year of his contract to take up an offer elsewhere.
Media reports at the time indicate that Vern Reid and the Board thought this was a real possibility and so in an effort to appear pro-active they announced that they were calling for applications for a new HC, presumedly in readiness to take over the reins in 2011.

As time dragged on it started to become apparent that JM was in fact hanging around until the end of next year.

At this stage Vern Reid needed to have the balls to make a decision that the selection of a new HC would be postponed for another twelve months.

By not postponing the selection what were the options?

1. Select an elite level coach who becomes available next year and ask him to sit on his own thumb and rotate for a year until JM hands over the hat.

2. Select an elite level coach and have him work alongside JM for the next year in readiness to take over. Assuming these two alfa-male personalities would get along like best mates what would be the financial cost? I don't know what the HC gets paid in a year but lets conservatively call it a motza. Paying 2 x motzas plus the salaries of the assistant coaches would certainly damage the bottom line.

3. Select an elite level coach and have him start next year. Pay out JM's contract and say thanks very much - now its time to move on. Financially this would have the same result as option 2.

4. Select an elite level coach that is not free until 2012 would be ideal. Problem is that when the appointment is announced that coach will probably cop the ire of his current club and their fans and have a big job convincing them that he really does have their best interests at heart (for the next 12 months anyway.) No self-respecting coach would want to find themselves in that position. To take on a new job and start the next year would always be preferrable.

BUT WAIT we have a fifth option, lets do what tells us and promote the assistant coach. It ticks nearly all the boxes;

This is the cheapest option, he is here already and therefore we were going to be paying him next year anyway so it wont cost us any extra.
Their wont be any personality clashes with JM because he knows who is the boss and will happily wait 12 months for JM to go.

The only box it does not tick is giving the team and the fans a genuine choice of the best candidate for the job.
If the selction process was deferred for twelve months then the would be able to consider all those coaches whose contracts will exipre at the end of 2011 after the Rugby World Cup.

Vern Reid and the Board painted themselves into a corner and took the easy option out.

Its times like this that we need people in charge who have a backbone and are prepared to make decisions that are in the best interests of the Western Force.

I have lost a lot of respect for Vern Reid and the Board of RugbyWA. I think this whole sheemozzle has put a big question mark over their competency.

[zimeric]

and you have based your decision on? media reports? we all know how reliable they are.. cmon man picking a head coach is never easy and by your own admission, you are by no means aware of any of the coaches credentials so without having any inside knowledge of their succession planning or interview process so your gripes and moans are more like your personal FEELINGS towards how Mitch announced his departure and not what is in the best interests of the club and/or his successor. maybe you just need a soap box to announce your displeasure... not sure but it sure sounds like sour grapes to me!

[TOCC]

Why is it that whenever anyone says anything slightly negative towards the Force it's because of sour grapes or a chip on the shoulder

He actually raises some quite valid points
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[BeeJay]

I too think Todd4 raises some valid points. The problem began when JM announced he was leaving at the end of his contract, a year out. I wonder if there would have been a different outcome if another team had wanted to snap him up and 'compensate' the Force financially. As it stands, he could make a virtue out of seeing out his contract.

Having said that though, many of the arguments put by Todd4 support the appointment. I actually rate Graham as a coach, and he wouldn't be the Wallabies skills coach without the adequate credentials. Sure there are other quality coaches around the place but in Graham we have a young, committed Aussie, familiar with the set up locally, interstate and overseas.

Some of the other names bandied about in the past - like Eddie Jones God forbid! - could have meant an exodus of players given the likely huge differences in style and philosophy. Not that I am suggesting that Graham will be a clone of JM. He will need a very good forwards coach t assist though.

[The Big I]

Maybe we could get Ben Darwin back to coach our forwards?

[Burgs]

All valid points but in my humble little opinion all wide of the mark and based on many assumptions. One for starters being that it was even Mitchells choice or desire to announce he wouldn't be extending his contract.
If they had waited another year they would be up against about fifteen nations looking for new Head and Assistant Coaches post World Cup.
Points for a decent rant though

[brokendown gunfighter]

Once Mitchell announced he would not try to extend his contract,a new coach had to be sourced pretty quickly,if only to give players coming off contract & players being courted to join the Force the knowledge of who would be coaching them.
Mitchell's decision to make the announcement when he did was to suit Mitchell,rather than the club,in my humble opinion

[jombi]

I hope it's only for 1 year so Sharpe can be head coach in 2012.

[GIGS20]

based on many assumptions. One for starters being that it was even Mitchells choice or desire to announce he wouldn't be extending his contract

Mitchell's decision to make the announcement when he did was to suit Mitchell,rather than the club,in my humble opinion

I don't think anybody will find actual evidence of whether Mitchell jumped or was pushed, so it's all speculation isn't it.

The Day Richard Graham signed with the Force I said he was the succession plan, that was 6 months before JM announced he wouldn't be seeking another contract, so IMHO it was all a bit transparent, and I can't honestly believe that RugbyWA wasn't at least aware of what was going on. Hell they put him on as assistant, it could just as easily been planned exactly this way by the board.

As for there being no candidates, I distinctly remember ther being mention of at least five top level coaches who applied including Michael Cheika and Todd Louden, both of whom have been touted as great options. (I don't know much about either so will leave any judgements to you)

I guess the short story is, if Mitch announced his intentions without consulting the board, then the anti Mitchell lobby are probably on the right track. If the Board were involved then the Pro Mitchell lobby are probably closer......we'll never know.......but it'll be a fun way to spark an argument if your'e looking to troll!

IMHO, I reckon the board was right in the midst of it all, and it was a plan to move Mitchell on with minimum fuss and a smooth transition (which surprisingly will have worked assuming Richard Graham is the first choice replacement)

[James]

I was a bit disappointed the Force didn't sign Diego Maradonna as the next head coach.