KEY POINTS:
Coaches have applied, some were asked to apply, and now applications have closed.
All candidates for coaching the Kiwis will be discussed; some for quite a while and a couple receiving only scant attention.
A few weeks ago, the hotline suggested Paul Bergman would take over the mantle.
But the landscape has changed thanks to the variety of applicants. There is a range of coaches from all levels and with varying degrees of success on the domestic scene. Some have been very successful.
They all seem to have coached players who are now in the professional ranks in Australia and Europe. Unfortunately, some of the applicants are hanging their hat on that fact, thinking it is a valid prerequisite for the job. Please forget about what has happened before, what's more important is what you can provide for the future of the national team.
In my opinion, the coach does not need to be most technically qualified with all the certificates to prove the same. He is not going to have the team long enough to teach individuals new skills or improve any deficiencies.
His primary job is to lift a team to perform with their current skill set to win games. His abilities are to manage a range of people including players, assistant coaches, managers, medical staff, media and, importantly, his employers.
We have all seen the fickleness of the organisation and how it operates. Despite their current job descriptions, there are former Kiwi coaches in the mix and a former professional coach on the payroll. It will be a difficult job convincing the fans and the public there will be no interference from them - as claimed by Brian McClennan before his departure.
I tend to agree that it will be difficult to stop interference disguised as advice or help from those who have had a hand in the selection.
I have seen a number of the applicants in some form of media profiling. I ask myself, is the NZRL promoting the applicants on a public relations exercise to highlight interest in the position given the negative response from the McClennan saga?
Is this a way to show positively that there is quality to replace Brian as coach? Or is this the applicants themselves on a PR campaign to promote themselves?
Being a little cynical, I think it is the former as the NZRL need as much positive spin as they can muster. I will also state that now the names are listed, there is already one candidate who is pencilled in to take over the role despite all the meetings, discussions and debating.
We are just going through a formality to establish a process is in place, but for what?
If the so-called pathways are in place, why is there not just a straight appointment rather than having a circus to appoint the person who has the best PR campaign?
Or will the appointment be the one who is easiest to control?
