salmson wrote:

sligsup wrote:
Heard two gentlemen speaking last night they were saying Kieran Crowley was top of Connacht and IRFU list.

Well he'd be a great choice but you're going to have to be more precise about what you mean by "gentlemen". Were they sporting IRFU blazers, or Paddy Power fleeces, were they oul lads in Wegians jerseys nursing pints in O'Connell's, or is "gentlemen" a pejorative reference to the fourth estate?

The details and these are as graphic as you get. In a sauna yesterday evening in a south dublin gym two middled aged gentlemen speaking with plums in their mouth ( the ross o carroll kelly accent) speaking about it. And was extremely brief but one said to the other I was talking to Mike and he said the IRFU and Connacht are chasing Crowley as he was top of their list reply was suprised Ulster didnt go after him. Kept my head down said nothing,

Anyone know much about John Kingston? Would he be a good fit for Connacht?

sligsup wrote:
Heard two gentlemen speaking last night they were saying Kieran Crowley was top of Connacht and IRFU list.

Well he'd be a great choice but you're going to have to be more precise about what you mean by "gentlemen". Were they sporting IRFU blazers, or Paddy Power fleeces, were they oul lads in Wegians jerseys nursing pints in O'Connell's, or is "gentlemen" a pejorative reference to the fourth estate?

salmson wrote: Bingo! First inclusion of Steady Eddie O'Sullivan in a list of potential KK replacement. In the Bindo, unsurprisingly.

Heard two gentlemen speaking last night they were saying Kieran Crowley was top of Connacht and IRFU list.

Bingo! First inclusion of Steady Eddie O'Sullivan in a list of potential KK replacement. In the Bindo, unsurprisingly.

My optimistic view of KK's first season was that he was trying a number of things out with the current staff in order to decide how things would happen with a full pre-season to prepare. I honestly thought that nobody who hadn't a cast iron guarantee of a second season would have experimented in selections to the degree that he did. Turns out we were both wrong!
I'm puzzled by peoples need for him to be media friendly. All of his interviews were worth listening to as he was more truthful than most in the sport.
From the announcement last year we were on notice to expect an old style, no bull, coach which by all accounts is what we got.
It looks very immature of staff to make noises about losing the dressing room when legitimate questions can be asked about performances in so many games this season past. How many 5m lineout mauls have the pack stuffed up this season? How many stupid penalties were given away? How often were the kickers left exposed by team-mates? Why haven't we reduced the number of sub-standard kicks? How often have we not passed to the players in space and butchered try scoring chances?
We have had to send a coach on as water carrier and still the team go off plan or just fail to execute any of the above list. How much hand holding does a team need?
Why are the powers that be inflicting another messy pre-season when the last 2 have been pointed out as being the root cause of the 2 failed seasons since winning the Pro12?
In the RDS New Years Day I spotted James Lowe nearly barging through Leo Cullen to catch up with KK prior to the match. The memory of this respect for a coach from a world class player kept my faith in KK alive through some pretty bad days since as, things could only improve. Last Saturday seemed to be proof of concept.
Now we're back to experimental stage with a new coach who can't risk things going wrong, hasn't recruited players or staff, and won't have had a full run into the season.
Who's in charge of this mess again?

salmson wrote: Can't wait to see Pinky storm out of his first press conference.

Oh, I've already made detailed plans for my expletive-ridden exit, stinking of absinthe and blaming Vlad Iordachescu, the Alt-Right and the Maltese Eurovision jury while mumbling something about not being the same since the EPCR moved to Lausanne. And that will all be over the coin toss in a pre-season game against the Bristol Bears, or Fancy Bears as I will doubtless dub them with a conspiratorial wink. After that there will be a limo dispatched to Moylough. A plug-in hybrid one emblazoned with triple-crowns but with an empty tank, such will be the brevity of the journey to the stronghold of our white knight.

Think you're paranoid on that one. It was Scotland's announcement that McFarland was leaving that gave Ulster the green light to announce him as next head coach.

fatgav wrote: Quick thought on this. We’ve speculated and wondered as to why the signings have dried up... could it be linked with this? Reports say the KK decision was made long before the weekend just gone. I know it’s late on for a coach to be signed, and for that man to be able to sign his own players who wouldn’t already be tied up, but who knows what planning has been going on in the background?

Although the contra to that is, if there was planning in the background, I’m disappointed it’s not going to be Dan McFarland. He’s have been perfect.

KK's interview after the game was all about post season review and didn't give any indication he was leaving, unless he's a really good actor. Which story broke first I wonder, his exit or McFarland to Ulster? Ulster said the latter would not be announced for some weeks out of respect for current employers and then came out of the blue, could it have been to get ahead of a possible Connacht swoop or am I just that paranoid??

If it's true that KK lost the dressing room and the faith of his coaching staff than I'd agree this is the proper move. Without those things it would be impossible for him to implement his vision to turn Connacht around and another season would just be delaying the inevitable. I'd mostly agree with Mark Mostyn's list. In the end it never felt like KK was working towards any recognisable plan for how he wanted the team to play. Maybe this lack of direction is what lost the team for him.

Unfortunately, it's going to take a special coach to step in now and pick up the 3-4 additional players needed to have a successful 2018-19 season. Though ATM I'd be happy with someone who could come in and get us on the right side of the results against Zebre and Cardiff and at least have the team pushing for the Champions Cup through the league.

I think there’s a few things that make a good head coach:

1) Setting an overarching philosophy for the team as a whole.
2) Developing a cohesive on pitch game plan.
3) Getting your players to believe in what you’re doing in respect to the above through strong man management.
4) Dealing with the media and the community and creating a good impression of the organisation as a whole.
5) Hiring unit coaches who share a philosophy in respect to 1) and 2) and have the ability to implement strong, complementary systems.
6) Getting the right players on the pitch at the right times.

By the time we won the league Pat had done an incredible job succeeding in achieving all of the above. My not so expert analysis of KK:

1) Very little evidence of this.
2) Very little evidence of this.
3) Poor, at least from the outside looking in.
4) Poor.
5) Wasn’t given the opportunity.
6) Questionable, but probably deserved a season to figure it out.

because experience as a number 2 or part of a setup is nearly impossible to extrapolate into how a man will do as the Top Dog. Its night and day.

Facts are he didn't seem to "get" what Connacht rugby is about as set out above by other posters. Sorry, but when you are the face of the franchise of the smallest market team you cant be a gruff asshole in the media and a ghost in the community. Throw in the 7 wins from 21, when a lot of the games he had nearly a full deck (minus just bundee and marmion usually) against teams decimated by callups says it all. The best performances were the 3 home interpro games. The rest were pretty ordinary to bad.

Im sure he is a decent bloke in person, but im fairly surprised people are shocked he is gone. Was a very real possibility on the cards most of the year in my mind.

woger wabbit wrote: From his first interview on TG4 I couldn't warm to the man. Did he not realise when talking to TG4 he was taking to the fans, the people of the province? Also TG4 have been big cheerleaders for us when no one else was. I lost count of the times I bumped into Pat Lam in different places around the province. Always promoting, growing rugby. KK didn't seem to buy into that. It is not that long ago when we used to have 200 people at the Sportsground and Connacht Rugby have done a fabulous job growing the Sport/Brand over the last few years. It is really important that this aspect of the job is understood by the Head Coach. Back when I was in school the Senior Cup had The Bish, Garbally, Sligo Grammar and the Jes (I'm probably missing someone!). Connacht Rugby as a whole has moved on big time due to all the work at grass roots and a grumpy old sod at the top does not help this work. We will never have the resources of others, but we can compete if we are united and that is what is needed from the top down. Performances on the field this year were also a shambles. The result against Leinster actually shines a light on how bad they were.

Apologies.......rant over.......he's probably a nice man in person but he's no good for Connacht Rugby.

PS I'm not a proper Rugby head, just someone that pops in now and then to support the local team be it Galway Utd, Connacht Rugby, GAA etc. That is my perspective!

While it was great that Pat bought into Connacht so much I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary, we have plenty of coaches, players, and staff who can do the community outreach stuff.

When he was signed Willie Ruane said this:

“Kieran’s time at Tasman also highlights the connection that his teams have with the community they represent, and that is something he clearly sees in Connacht as well.

“Kieran was immediately able to identify with our vision of ‘Grassroots to Green Shirts’, further highlighting to us that he was the right man for the job.“

I wonder what happened, was it

A) He made promises to the board he had no intention of keeping.
He made promises he intended on honouring but wasn’t able due to time constraints or whatever.
C) Willie Ruane said it for PR reasons without any indication from KK that this was the case.
D) The organization as a whole is not as focused on community involvement.

RoadRunnerR1 wrote: I'm not so sure, I think Overstander was putting himself in the frame for Director of Rugby and had a secret deal to appoint Pinky as his Head coach in return for his support.

Can't wait to see Pinky storm out of his first press conference.

Quick thought on this. We’ve speculated and wondered as to why the signings have dried up... could it be linked with this? Reports say the KK decision was made long before the weekend just gone. I know it’s late on for a coach to be signed, and for that man to be able to sign his own players who wouldn’t already be tied up, but who knows what planning has been going on in the background?

Although the contra to that is, if there was planning in the background, I’m disappointed it’s not going to be Dan McFarland. He’s have been perfect.

salmson wrote:

RoadRunnerR1 wrote: Since that's your criteria for selection then why limit yourself. Make a list of everyone that lives down the road and send it to CBIRFU. I'm sure there's a real world class coach hiding under our very noses and you could be the one to unearth him.

I'm fairly sure Overstrander and Pinky were being ironical about Bringing Dagger Back. Though if it were somehow to happen, I've got the title for the season documentary. It's actually quite refreshing that the KK firing is nearly 24 hours in the media eye without a single eejit shilling for Eddie. Mind you, Triminjus has yet to have his spake on the matter, so there's still hope...

I'm not so sure, I think Overstander was putting himself in the frame for Director of Rugby and had a secret deal to appoint Pinky as his Head coach in return for his support.