Mitch: The Real Story

[The InnFORCEr]

He is one of the most highly regarded coaches in international rugby, but also one of the most controversial. Now you can read why…

John Mitchell’s rugby-coaching career spans many years, several teams and various countries. He was assistant to Clive Woodward, who spearheaded England’s 2003 World Cup–winning campaign, for four years in the pioneering days of professional rugby coaching, and he took charge of the All Blacks and the Chiefs in New Zealand, the Western Force in Australia and the Lions in South Africa. Indisputably one of the most experienced coaches on the circuit, he has arguably also been one of the most controversial. For although he made a success of all his tenures, he has challenged the structures and powers-that be, resulting in several premature departures. This book reveals why, and also why Mitchell has successfully defended every disciplinary hearing he has been subjected to. For the first time, the rugby public will learn the truth behind the newspaper headlines: from his painful axing as All Black coach to his fall-out with the Western Force and his disciplinary hearing at the Lions, whom he had guided to a Currie Cup trophy, Mitchell sets out the reasons for his successes as well as his failures, and gives his opinion on what the future holds for South African rugby.

Honest, gripping and revealing, this book is a must-read for every rugby fan.



» Author: John Mitchell; Gavin Rich
» Title: Mitch: The Real Story
» ISBN: 9781770226159
» Format: Softcover
» Release Date: October 2014
» Imprint: Zebra Press
» Pages: 304
» Price: R230.00


- See more at: http://www.randomstruik.co.za/books/....4WXbC12Y.dpuf

[Darren]

Sure to be an interesting read!

[wholetruth]

Does anyone honestly think we will get The Real Story about what Really happened at the Force in a book that can only have one side. I don't think so somehow.

[shasta]

There are two people who were at the coal face through the Mitchell years and who, should they write books too, I would trust to tell the full story. Nathan Sharp and Matt Hodgson.

[wholetruth]

Board members, coaches, staff and players were all involved. Will the Wholetruth ever come out. I doubt it because of deals done, threats issued, legal and non-legal papers sent and signed all behind closed doors.
And that's just here at the Force.

[hertryk]

I'm going to buy it and see what says! I know many didn't but I liked him. INMVERYHO I don't think he was given the autonomy he needed at the Force especially with so many prima donnas in the team at the time!

[G_Beard]

I'm going to buy it and see what says! I know many didn't but I liked him. INMVERYHO I don't think he was given the autonomy he needed at the Force especially with so many prima donnas in the team at the time!

I'm on your wave line there Hertryk.

[SNOB]

I'm with the two above!

[blueandblack]

Also eventually to be available (next month) here and here.

[Tonkar]

I am with Hertryk, G Beard and Snob

JM had a great eye for young talent... look at the young talent we had and what has happened to them .. He just needed to challenge his emotions ... I have a friend in NZ who worked with JM at NZRU in his time at the All Blacks and he did say JM would be a great coach but does have some media disciplinery issues and some man management skill issues ( Very Militant hard line coaching ) which lead to Giteau gate

[wholetruth]

[I]JM had a great eye for young talent... look at the young talent we had and what has happened to them
You are joking aren't you?
Apart from Pocock and O'Connor name me a side of young developing talent that he identified that could be put together. He didn't actually identify Poey or Rabbit either. Every team in Aus knew about them.

[valzc]

Gateau seemed to have a problem everywhere he went! Brumbies & Wallabies - the French culture of the rugby teams over there is what seems to have finally brought him to earth.

[.X.]

I agree that John Mitchell had/has a fantastic eye for talent. But, he had 6 years to develop a team culture and I don't believe that had anything to do with Autonomy.

Coach Foley did it in a year, or less.

[wholetruth]

Wasn't there a well respected All Black who wrote about the Mitchell culture in his book. Oh yes, that's right they all hated the coach and it involved a lot of boozing.

[Tonkar]

Whole truth JM picked up James Hilgendorf, Matt Hodgson, Luke Holmes, Digby Ioane, Cameron Shepherd,, Brock James ,, Chris O young ,,
Luke Jones Ben Mc Calman just to name a few..Ok Not many have seen success at the force till we had a coaching change to Foley but if we could have had someone like Foles to start and the board let a coach coach then is may have been different The Problem as I said in my post JM just could not get his Man Management skills right.. He has had that problem most of his career... I have many auto bios of All black player and yes there is a part in one of the books which I thinks was.. JM had an 83 % sucess with the ABs