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SOB lays into Gats

The Alpha Bro said:
http://www.planetrugby.com/news/gatland-reconsiders-lions-coaching-future/

"My thing to Sean is, if he can look himself in the mirror and say 'I was the most professional person on tour, on and off the field, in New Zealand', in terms of the way he prepared himself then I think his points would be more valid," said Gatland.

"I was disappointed with his comments. I thought him coming out and saying we should have won 3-0 was pretty disrespectful to New Zealand. That's where he lost his credibility."

Comes out and basically says that a guy he picked for all three tests and one of his top three performers wasn't very professional and again states he wasn't a good enough coach who doesn't think he could have won the series! Top class guy!
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Perhaps other will disagree with me but he doesn't say Sean O'Brien was unprofessional he clearly says that he wan't the most professional out of the party. Also there is a difference between saying 'I think/believe we will win 3-0' and 'We should win 3-0' New Zealand are too good for any team to say they should be winning 3-0. Again perhaps I have red tinted spectacles on but I think what Gatland said was pretty fair.
 
The Alpha Bro said:
Comes out and basically says that a guy he picked for all three tests and one of his top three performers wasn't very professional and again states he wasn't a good enough coach who doesn't think he could have won the series! Top class guy!
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Also says that he named SOB as player of the tour.

If we're talking top class, publicly criticising the coach, saying you should have whitewashed the best team in the world and then taking several weeks to front up to said coach doesn't really cut it either.

As I've said all along, the whole thing was avoidable and should've been kept in house. And I haven't heard too many "I agree with Seans". From blokes on the tour at any rate.
 
MikeTheNative said:
Perhaps other will disagree with me but he doesn't say Sean O'Brien was unprofessional he clearly says that he wan't the most professional out of the party. Also there is a difference between saying 'I think/believe we will win 3-0' and 'We should win 3-0' New Zealand are too good for any team to say they should be winning 3-0. Again perhaps I have red tinted spectacles on but I think what Gatland said was pretty fair.
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"in terms of the way he prepared himself then I think his points would be more valid," That reads to me that he's saying SOB wasn't professional on tour, he's definitely taking a shot at one of his player's here and really taking it up a notch by questioning the player's work ethic which is farcical when considering he was one of the best players on tour.

On the second point I don't believe there is, I've only ever come off a pitch as a loser thinking we'd have won if we were better prepared or didn't make this mistake, or that we were beaten by a much better team and there was nothing we could have done to stop them. Gatland is harping on about respecting NZ, firstly because he wants the NZ job, and secondly because it makes him look better should he take the narrative that that tour was an impossible task and he more than exceeded expectations, this way he looks like him and his squad didn't fail when they did!

Old Hooker said:
Also says that he named SOB as player of the tour.

If we're talking top class, publicly criticising the coach, saying you should have whitewashed the best team in the world and then taking several weeks to front up to said coach doesn't really cut it either.

As I've said all along, the whole thing was avoidable and should've been kept in house. And I haven't heard too many "I agree with Seans". From blokes on the tour at any rate.
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SOB claims to have said the same thing to Gatland on tour and obviously felt he needn't discuss it further and didn't owe it to Gatland. You can also see very clearly who the more professional of the two are based on interviews they've given this weekend. Compare and contrast Gatland's interview here to SOB stating he's back to "business as usual" when asked about his availability for the SA match having won MOTM against Ulster and I'd suggest the guy living in the past and trying to ensure he has credibility in the future when he should be fully focused on International test matches like the other party in the matter.

Gatland's attitude and the way his revisionist view to this tour and many other aspects of his career stink to me, at the very least he brought the Lions into disrepute with the geo 6 and he's brought Wales' national side to complete stagnation since other European sides have got their acts together, I'd want him no where near any set up I have an interest in. SOB shuts up when he wins, says it like it is when he loses and is not used to a coaching staff that doesn't have him and his team 100% prepared, he said what he felt, with minimal criticism aimed at Gats, and what followed was a media shitstorm and two interviews from Gatland himself, he didn't behave perfectly but will probably come out of all this looking the better if Wales, Leinster and Ireland continue their current trajectories!
 
Gats in the Guardian now promoting his new book.

Got to say my mind if changing a bit on this, there is no question the behavior of the NZ Herald was a disgrace and was part of an orchestrated campaign which no coach deserves to take. I think it casts a massive shadow on all the other positive things of the tour and the likes of Gregor Paul and Chris Rattue need to take a long hard look at themselves and their behavior.

Regards SOB's comments I still think they were necessary and most probably correct but I dont thing the like of Alpha bro would have been so partisan if it had been an English or Welsh player making to comments.
 
Tallshort said:
Regards SOB's comments I still think they were necessary and most probably correct but I dont thing the like of Alpha bro would have been so partisan if it had been an English or Welsh player making to comments.
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I don't know about that... I have an very poor opinion of Warren G!
 
Yeah the thing that makes me partisan in this is my existing dislike for Warren Gatland. I'd probably be in standing ovation mode if a Welsh player in particular said it, and an English player did come out with something similar.
 
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Groundhog said:
Yeah the thing that makes me partisan in this is my existing dislike for Warren Gatland. I'd probably be in standing ovation mode if a Welsh player in particular said it, and an English player did come out with something similar.
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Well a player who plays for England who wasn't even there.
 
My one lasting memory of this tour, outside the mystery that was the finale in the 3rd test, was Gatlands selections of warburton and AWJ. Both did ok in tests, but I recall feeling other players had simply shown better on tour. The deadlocked series was a decent outcome for the lions, in the end. Reid was offside on the kick off as well. :)
 
Nubiwan said:
My one lasting memory of this tour, outside the mystery that was the finale in the 3rd test, was Gatlands selections of warburton and AWJ. Both did ok in tests, but I recall feeling other players had simply shown better on tour. The deadlocked series was a decent outcome for the lions, in the end. Reid was offside on the kick off as well. :)
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Warburton certainly made a big difference in the final two tests he started as shown in the tribute video posted in the Warburton retires thread. Slowing down the ABs ball and being in Poites' good books to help him turn that last "penalty" decision around. Even if Read was offside on the kickoff.

AWJ's selection was more to do with having credit in the bank with Gatland both for Lions and Wales, and being Wales's captain. That much was clear rather than on form on tour.
 
TRF_Olyy said:
Aren't we friends with the Irish atm?

I lose track
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No - you don't like us since last weekend started. Brief friendly respite next weekend then we're back to hating each other again for the 2nd Feb.

After which, the cold shoulder for several weeks till the middle of March.

In normal years, the bromance would pick up then - but with that clown in Downing Street - who knows what'll happen at the end of March. If we do decide to invade - I call first dibs on blowing up Allianz Park.
 
The_Blindside said:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46903466

He's still interested in taking the Job in 2021.
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FFS - is he copying Theresa May on the U-turn front. He ruled himself out previously.

The Lions committee need their heads examining - a golden chance to beat the AB's on their home patch squandered. Howler had no respect from the backs who ended up ignoring him and implementing their own game plan. I really hope the Lions committee have the sense to consult with a few senior players like Farrell and Sexton who toured in 2017. Time for a fresh approach and a coaching team who select on merit.
 
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