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Gatland = The Great Welsh Savior (Take 176)

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Big news is in NZ is that Gatland is the new Welsh coach - 350,000 pounds a year for 4 years (seems like a lot?)

Probably the right move for both parties - the AB job was always going to be a 2 man cockfight between Henry and Deans and Gatland won all those ***les with the Wasps and won the NPC with Waikato, and he did a good job at Ireland in the 90's from what i've heard.
 
WRU Chief, Dai Pickering was spotted wooing Gatland at the boxing, showing him all the great the things about the millennium stadium....evidently trying to keep his mind away from the disastrous state that rugby's in right now.
 
If Gatland goes to Wales i suspect the great sviour of Welsh rugby will be Shaun Edwards.
 
If Gatland goes to Wales i suspect the great sviour of Welsh rugby will be Shaun Edwards. [/b]

Please elaborate, i am ignorant to Gatland (and his staff?).
 
shaun edwards, aint he working with wasps atm still???

please elaborate i too am ignorant
 
Gatland was (I believe) the man who brought Edwards into the Wasps setup. Edwards has since proven himself to be one of the best defence coaches in the world. Just look at the way Wasps contained a seemingly rampant Leicester in last season's Heineken Cup final for evidence.

I'd hate to think what the Welsh could do if someone came in and taught them rock solid defensive patterns.
 
Yeah, me too.
He beter not destroy Welsh rugby, like, innit butt?
We don't likes structure. We don't likes "defensive lines"

We loves chucking the ball, innit?

But in all honesty, if we could have a coach that's willing to stop our immature players from being a bunch of kids, teaching them defensive ideas, and how throwing the ball about on every occasion isn't the way to play it, then we could actually get back into the top 10 of the world rankings.
 
I's hate to imagine the clash of egos between Alfie and Shaun Edwards mind. That said, my opinion of the man is he's still little more then a bully and a c***.
 
I's hate to imagine the clash of egos between Alfie and Shaun Edwards mind. That said, my opinion of the man is he's still little more then a bully and a c***. [/b]

Who's that, Alfie or Shaun Edwards?
 
Well, I already know the answer but Shaun Edwards is in the same boat?
Oh good... :unsure:
 
Gatland himself managed to create a great defence at Waikato also. Although it took the best part of a season.

I'm not completely convinced on his player recruitment abilities, alot of talented Waikato players have been missed during his tenure there. But granted that some gems have been unearthed! The player and coaching talent identification skills of Andrew Hore might do more to resolve those kinds of issues if the WRU can get him into the Elite Directors role though.

Gatland does appear to get on really well with his players, which seems to be the trait most needed by Welsh coaches. If he is signed will he last the 4 years of his contract?!
 
Yeah, me too.
He beter not destroy Welsh rugby, like, innit butt?
We don't likes structure. We don't likes "defensive lines"

We loves chucking the ball, innit?

But in all honesty, if we could have a coach that's willing to stop our immature players from being a bunch of kids, teaching them defensive ideas, and how throwing the ball about on every occasion isn't the way to play it, then we could actually get back into the top 10 of the world rankings.
[/b]

But how does this sit with the Welsh obsession with self destruction such as everyone going nuts for having Scott Johnson back as Head Coach. Gatland may well be the new Coach in all but name but there must be some minority of demented power brokers in the Welsh game are even now plotting various evil schemes to try and oust Gatland and ship in Johnson somehow...

I think Gatland will do nothing but good for Wales. Talent wise, they should be in the top five and not sitting pretty on number eight or something...
 
Im no expert on Gatland, but I have never seen a better Waikato side than the team he put together, and coached thru the last NPC.

Looks like a bit of a no nonsence kind of bloke and could be just what Wales need. He also seems to operate under the radar a lot. Not an egotistical kind of guy, just someone who gets the job done.

Well have him back in 4-6 years please to have a crack with the ABs !!
 
But how does this sit with the Welsh obsession with self destruction such as everyone going nuts for having Scott Johnson back as Head Coach.
[/b]

What?!
Where the hell have you gotten this idea that the Welsh - be they public or big 'ed in rugby - have an obsession with getting Scott Johnson as head coach?
Even when he was picked as caretaker coach we were all cringing at the thought of an already bad 6 nations continuing down hill.
Trust me: we don't want the guy as head coach. And why? Becuase that's not his job.
We'd have him back in the set up anyday. Players loved him and he did a world of good, but he wasn't the be all of the coaching.
Andrew Hore coming back is a few of our prayers being answered and i'm certain he is being paid a large wad of cash to work his magic.

But, more than anything, i'm agreeing with I Bleed Black here: If Gatland is, as IBB says, a no-nonsense guy without an ego then he will be the best thing for the players right now.
Now we can't confirm or deny what the hell happened with the players and Mike Ruddock, whether there was "player-power" involved or not - something fishy was going on.
The boys are not as rebelious as everyone likes to make them out to be, we're not the team who wants to run themselves and isntantly oust any management that disagrees with the experienced players. There are a few mouths in the team, a couple of egos and to be quite frank they've got to be stamped on.
I'm hoping Warren's the man to do this.
 
Well there were a section of Welsh fans who were wanting him back as head coach, the problem is that while you don't want him as a head coach, the guy seems intent on asserting himself and his version of how rugby should be played as if he were a head coach. By defininition of being different to the vastly more pragmatic Mike Ruddock of course you were going to have a clash of view. Christ knows what would happen if you had Shaun Edwards thrown into the mix with Scott Johnson.

Warren Gatland is an excellent coach, Wasps had some of the best years of their history under him and the changes that he made have enabled such a small club to survive and thrive. If he brought the coaching talent that seems to follow him around when he moves, you'll be pinching yourself this time next year because you won't recognise the new, confident and assured Welsh side that'll trot out to vanquish whatever SH opposition put before it. Seriously, I may sound like I'm selling a pyramid scheme....
 
Well there were a section of Welsh fans who were wanting him back as head coach, the problem is that while you don't want him as a head coach, the guy seems intent on asserting himself and his version of how rugby should be played as if he were a head coach. By defininition of being different to the vastly more pragmatic Mike Ruddock of course you were going to have a clash of view. Christ knows what would happen if you had Shaun Edwards thrown into the mix with Scott Johnson.

Warren Gatland is an excellent coach, Wasps had some of the best years of their history under him and the changes that he made have enabled such a small club to survive and thrive. If he brought the coaching talent that seems to follow him around when he moves, you'll be pinching yourself this time next year because you won't recognise the new, confident and assured Welsh side that'll trot out to vanquish whatever SH opposition put before it. Seriously, I may sound like I'm selling a pyramid scheme.... [/b]



Scott johnson and Shaun Edwards would either be a match made in heaven or a match made in hell. Either implode completely, or combine Johnson's take on Wales' natural flair attacking game and the power and organisation of Edwards' defensive setup. As an Engliahman i'm hoping Edwards doesn't join Gatland at Wales (i'd want him in the England setup ASAP) although as a Tigers fan i'd hope he leaves Wasps ASAP.
 

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