Don't cut Flowers, pleas Connolly

[Burgs]

Don't cut Flowers, pleas Connolly

By Jon Geddes, Daily Telegraph/Fox Sports
January 23, 2007

AUSTRALIA coach John Connolly has spoken out strongly in support of besieged ARU boss Gary Flowers after revelations of backroom moves to oust him from his job.

And he accused some of those responsible for destabilising rugby in Australia.

"It is an incredible year of rugby and no other CEO has been able to deliver it," Connolly said at the launch of the Australian rugby season yesterday. The theme of the campaign was "Get Onside".

"The work Gary has done is phenomenal and it annoys me that you get people throwing stuff at him.

"It is such a tough job that you are not going to please everyone all the time."

Connolly made his comments after it was reported Flowers was being targeted in a push for change at the top level of the ARU from unhappy stakeholders in the game.

"I have no great agenda one way or the other," Connolly said.

But the national coach fired back at the CEO's critics by stating: "In terms of player development we are in the best space we have ever been in, and we have to be because the rest of the world is catching up.

"We have to get everything right and we have the competitions to do it."

Connolly said during his time coaching Queensland he was crying out for something to be done to address the lack of depth in the game.

"We struggled to get a Super Six in place, we struggled to get a Super 10," Connolly said.

"When I was with Queensland I would sit there and think, 'these guys are not ready to play'."

He said now all of a sudden Australia had club competitions, the Super 14 and an Australia A program. Then at the end of the year there is a national competition to bridge the gap between the club competition and the Super 14.

"We saw an overwhelming player support for that national competition, 95 per cent of the players wanted it. They know what we need," he said.

"He (Flowers) has put in place something that is phenomenal.

"He doesn't force himself upon people and I think that is part of his strength. For me to work with him for 12 months has been fantastic."

[Thequeerone]

didn't O'Neil experience some back room pressure as well

[travelling_gerry]

gardening advice from Johnno....who would have though?????????

[O'Regan]

He has done a good job ( Gary Flowers), He took over from John Oneil Which was always going to be a hard job to do, and he has done well, He has done the Get Onside. I do have one thing against him, Super 14Free to Air Television, He needs to push for that.

He has done a slack Job with the ARC, he hasn't sorted out sponsors or anything which I am disapointed in.

But Every CEO will make a mistake. And he has made mistakes with the ARC, and Some other things.