Hugh McGahan: Random coaching selection process is a waste of time

Maybe we should follow the Australian process for the selection of the next Kiwi coach. Most coaching development programs of national sporting organisations in New Zealand allow coaches to show their talents and prove to those appointing to national teams that they have fulfilled the criteria of coaching certification and displayed man-management skills to extract the best out of players.

So why isn't this the case with the appointment of the next Kiwi coach?

The NZRL should know who is next in line and appoint accordingly or know the top three candidates, assess them individually and make a recommendation to the Board.

Why, in the case of the Kiwis top job, does the selection go to another committee which has not had anything to do with the prospective coaches at lower level?

The way the NZRL do it, the top job is open to all and sundry, including the owner of the local dairy, to apply for a position that most coaches have strived long and hard to attain. The NZRL's current final four candidates could have been known weeks ago. Three weeks have been wasted but, more importantly, why would you allow people from outside the system to apply?

The NZRL knew of Daniel Anderson's plans and intentions as he stated weeks prior that he would not be re-applying for the position and recommended that a New Zealander should be appointed. Because he was the person in charge of elite development in this country, his recommendation was Brian McClennan and James Leuluai. Daniel could have provided the next two candidates after Brian and James - which may well have been the other two named in the final four, Stan Martin and Tawera Nikau. But why did it need to take this long?

By the time the appointment is made there'll have been six to eight weeks wasted and the whole thing has been aired in the media. The appointment of the Australian coach is just that - an appointment. Those involved know who has the credentials to take over.

Nominations come from NSW and Queensland and are few in number. When a coach is ready to step down or get sacked, candidates are sounded out. One of the nominated candidates is asked if they are interested and then the appointment made. The Board rubber stamps the appointment which takes about a week and is behind closed doors. Only a few prospects put their hand up as they know when they are ready and the powers-that-be also know.

There isn't a media- and publicly-aired campaign on who it should be, though there will always be comment made on who gets the job.

The NZRL must try this approach, so they aren't so answerable to the media and public scrutiny surrounding the appointment.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY