Santiago Phelan resigned as Puma's head coach

[Superalexmarket]

After six years as head coach of the Pumas Santiago Phelan anticipated his departure, and he'll not come to the end of the year as coach of Argentina . The "Tati" has resigned, after a bad semester, full of adverse outcomes and internal climate very hostile.
His numbers after 6 years as head coach: 13 wins, 32 losses and one draw.
In june of 2014 the UAR will decide the coach for the next RWC. Today, the possibility of it being a foreign coach, more precisely from the Southern Hemisphere, races ahead.

 

[psychic duck]

Unfortunate that not a single win could be managed in the RC. But it was indicative of his reign as coach. In hindsight a more experienced coach should have been appointed for the post RWC 2007 transition period, but he really shouldn't have been maintained after the 2011 World Cup in my opinion.

He generally seemed to be always hesitant, confused and a few matches too slow with his tactics and selections, he lost to every Tier 1 nation. Including home losses to Italy and Scotland, which to be frank isn't good enough unless Argentina have ambitions to sink back into the mediocrity they were for most of the 1990's.

Daniel Hourcade will take over as caretaker in November, which is probably sensible as a coach who is essentially sacked and just waiting for a contract to run out normally loses authority and teams suffer.

 

[Jaguares]

Possible replacements include:

Michael Cheika (Waratahs - Australia), John Kirwan (Blues - New Zealand), Richard Graham (Queensland Reds - Australia), and Jamie Joseph (Highlanders - New Zealand). Cheika is the first pick.

I can't understand, why Richard Graham or Jamie Joseph??? Dave Rennie is better

 

[profitius]

Unfortunate that not a single win could be managed in the RC. But it was indicative of his reign as coach. In hindsight a more experienced coach should have been appointed for the post RWC 2007 transition period, but he really shouldn't have been maintained after the 2011 World Cup in my opinion.

Were you expecting them to win a match? They could have won one or two which would have been a good achievement.

 

[Big Ewis]

as cliché (and at times uncalled for) as it usually is, blaming it on the coach seems entirely fair this time. Argentina have a huge scrum, capable backs and a guy like Lobbe at loose forward. I'm not even looking at the 13 wins and 32 losses stat, because as bad as it looks, it includes a bunch of matches against the SANZAR Big 3, and for e.g. those two terrible tests at home against England with the Pumas B, or C.
But it's true given their roster on paper, they probably should have won more of some of those tests, and made a few a lot closer.

I'm not ready to forget that very, very promising first TRC last year, and some fine performances by any standards in this year's edition. There was a comfortable win in Cardiff along the way, some excellent tries, and a lot of hope in the mix.
But it does come down to the coach in the end: given the players they have, and looking at the result; and looking at their gameplan and form it comes down to the training of those quality players...
Good riddance, it seems.

 

[psychic duck]

Were you expecting them to win a match? They could have won one or two which would have been a good achievement.

Yes. Forget New Zealand, South Africa and Australia have both been beatable. Argentina had good chances for wins against both in both years and blew them all.

South Africa (especially in 2012) were an inexperienced unsettled outfit with lots of changes. Australia have endured injury hell, a destabilised unsettled team under a new coach. Both were vulnerable as they have ever been, and I expect both will have improved and settled significantly come next year.

And before some Phelan apologist comes and praises "the brave, gutsy efforts against much stronger teams", they might also want to have a look at Phelan's record against the 6 Nations sides as well. Could any other Tier 1 coach survive 3 home losses to Scotland? Even Italy expect a home win over Scotland as a minimum achievement these days.

 

[Colombia]

Right decision from Phelan. Changing the coach is about the only thing Argentina can do for some improvement in the immediacy. It would be good to see what they can achieve with a genuinely top class test coach.

as cliché (and at times uncalled for) as it usually is, blaming it on the coach seems entirely fair this time.

I'm not sure about that, we'll only know for sure if his successor can bring about an improvement. But, it is the right time to try.

 

[Aspry]

 

[admartian]

Jamie Joseph would be a steal for them.

 

[nickdnz]

Jamie Joseph would be a steal for them.

Yeah, what Argentina need is a coach who can't build a squad to save his life - and gets his players to pass the ball from side to side for two seasons with no creativity on attack. A coach with a 3/16 game record this season, despite having a team full of All Blacks. He sure would be an inspired choice.

 

[Colombia]

Yeah, what Argentina need is a coach who can't build a squad to save his life - and gets his players to pass the ball from side to side for two seasons with no creativity on attack. A coach with a 3/16 game record this season, despite having a team full of All Blacks. He sure would be an inspired choice.

Yeah, I hope they don't hire some mediocre Super rugby or NH club coach just because he's foreign and maybe comes cheaper than a high quality test coach.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

"pssst Graham... how would you like us to work together?"

 

[Feicarsinn]

 

[admartian]

Yeah, what Argentina need is a coach who can't build a squad to save his life - and gets his players to pass the ball from side to side for two seasons with no creativity on attack. A coach with a 3/16 game record this season, despite having a team full of All Blacks. He sure would be an inspired choice.

Ouch!

 

[Jaguares]

Yeah, what Argentina need is a coach who can't build a squad to save his life - and gets his players to pass the ball from side to side for two seasons with no creativity on attack. A coach with a 3/16 game record this season, despite having a team full of All Blacks. He sure would be an inspired choice.

Well, people hire what they can afford, which isn't always the best

Yeah, I hope they don't hire some mediocre Super rugby or NH club coach just because he's foreign and maybe comes cheaper than a high quality test coach.

Then why not put your money to hire a great head coach? If it's so simple, soccer guy

 

[nickdnz]

Well, people hire what they can afford, which isn't always the best

Then why not put your money to hire a great head coach? If it's so simple, soccer guy

Dude, sometimes you come off as really thick.

 

[Jaguares]

Dude, sometimes you come off as really thick.

Well, sorry buddy. Just want to say that the UAR don't have enough money to hire the best head coach around the world.

Cheers

 

[nickdnz]

Well, sorry buddy. Just want to say that the UAR don't have enough money to hire the best head coach around the world.

Cheers

They could afford Graham Henry as a technical supervisor and they're a team in the top 10 of the world rankings. Stop making it sound like they they're so pathetic they can't attract a decent headcoach. Scotland just got one of the best coaches in Europe, Japan has a former Australian coach, Italy has Brunel who won the Top 14 with Perpignan after losing the former coach of South Africa. If Argentina can't afford to get a half decent coach then they have no right to be playing in the Rugby Championship. As it is - I'm sure there are plenty of better coaches than Jamie Joseph out there to take the job.

 

[Jaguares]

They could afford Graham Henry as a technical supervisor and they're a team in the top 10 of the world rankings. Stop making it sound like they they're so pathetic they can't attract a decent headcoach. Scotland just got one of the best coaches in Europe, Japan has a former Australian coach, Italy has Brunel who won the Top 14 with Perpignan after losing the former coach of South Africa. If Argentina can't afford to get a half decent coach then they have no right to be playing in the Rugby Championship. As it is - I'm sure there are plenty of better coaches than Jamie Joseph out there to take the job.

Yeah but for example, IRB had to put money for the UAR participate Rugby Championship, also have enough money to choose any. I think Graham Henry should make less money as a consultant as a head coach.

Cheers

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Yeah, what Argentina need is a coach who can't build a squad to save his life - and gets his players to pass the ball from side to side for two seasons with no creativity on attack. A coach with a 3/16 game record this season, despite having a team full of All Blacks. He sure would be an inspired choice.

I think you're being a bit harsh on JJ. The Highlanders may have had a poor season with a top squad last season, but in prior seasons with JJ the team has over performed. You could do a lot worse than JJ.