green13 wrote:

FACECUTTR wrote: Do you have a list of who was interviewed?

Did anyone else hear EOS on the Marian Finucan radio show this morning?
She asked him if he'd applied for the Connacht job. His answer was that as he understands, there was no application process as such but that 'they' (presumably Willie Ruane and PGB) are contacting the people they are interested in. And no; they haven't been in contact with him.
Hearing that gave me hope that we'll get the best that's available whoever that may be.

Heard it Green.. also that he'd love to be back coaching again so hope Old Belvedere job keeps him busy

FACECUTTR wrote: Do you have a list of who was interviewed?

Did anyone else hear EOS on the Marian Finucan radio show this morning?
She asked him if he'd applied for the Connacht job. His answer was that as he understands, there was no application process as such but that 'they' (presumably Willie Ruane and PGB) are contacting the people they are interested in. And no; they haven't been in contact with him.
Hearing that gave me hope that we'll get the best that's available whoever that may be.

EOS to coach Belvedere til the end of the season

www.balls.ie/rugby/eddie-osullivan-358350

Do you have a list of who was interviewed?

Having a look at the more successful coaching teams in the NPC/Mitre 10 cups over the last 2-3 seasons. The coaching staff of Canterbury and Tasman are all moving up to Super 12 and NZ Under 20's. There seems to be a very good promotion route from NZ Domestic League rugby to Super 15 in NZ.

So any Connacht candidate from that world will be left field.

So right now those that haven't ruled themselves out are John McKee, Bernard Jackman, Neil Doak, Eddie O'Sullivan, and possibly Ben Ryan. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I am sure he will do a great job with Montpellier.

Any thoughts on Vern Cotter??

I think the above article goes someway to proving 2 points :
1. The Calibre of Candidate that has applied or expressed interest in the job is not the correct fit for Connacht.
2. That they are leaving no stone un-turned and are exploring all avenues to to get the best possible coach that can bring us to the the level.

www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2017/0131/848880-connacht-job/

Another one rules himself out, pardon my ignorance but I hadn't heard of him before, a cursory glance at his stats is quite impressive though (experience of coaching in Pro-12, albeit with Treviso would have stood to him as well).

Good to see the Connacht are setting their sights beyond the Northern Hemisphere as well as closer to home.

I think Eric would be wise to keep his distance. He simply cares too much to take on the job. He needs to think of himself and his family and the scrutiny that would come with the job now is much more intense than it was when he took it originally.

No. Eric is not the answer. Just as Eddie O'Sullivan is not the answer. Fine as Kicking and Backs coaches respectively, but absolutely not as Head Coach (and I know Eric is a Connacht legend).

salmson wrote:
2) There surely can't be any question about his technical coaching ability, but there are serious questions about what he'd bring to the team culture, or indeed whether he'd do damage to it. This is the lad who created the untouchables Ireland setup in the run up to the 2007 RWC and who increasingly centralised responsibility away from his subordinate coaches over his tenure. I don't see how that matches Connacht values, neither have we seen any indication he's changed his ways (see point one).

Best reason I have seen, and fully concur.

Wondering about Eric. With a proper set up of skills coaches around him, plus his exposure to Lam's philosophy and mindset; - would it be be a forward or a backward step?....assuming he'd want to of course.

overstrander wrote: But he does live just down the road...

Bingo!

But he does live just down the road...

Banm wrote: Would someone be able to give me three points (or more or less) to educate me on why EOS is not a good choice for Connacht?

1) If you don't count the US national team, which I don't as they are only now (just about) professional, and if you don't blame him for the Biarritz debacle - and they were a basket case before he arrived and after he left - then he has nothing relevant on his CV for a decade.

2) There surely can't be any question about his technical coaching ability, but there are serious questions about what he'd bring to the team culture, or indeed whether he'd do damage to it. This is the lad who created the untouchables Ireland setup in the run up to the 2007 RWC and who increasingly centralised responsibility away from his subordinate coaches over his tenure. I don't see how that matches Connacht values, neither have we seen any indication he's changed his ways (see point one).

3) Finally, it may have been years ago but he did walk out on Connacht. Now I ( and many of us I'm sure) have parted company with an employer who wanted me to perform a role I wouldn't conscience, and on very amicable terms, but the idea that I'd now go cap-in-hand to them looking for a job is ludicrous. The very notion that some media gobsh1tes think EOS has more of a chance than Joey Essex drives me nuts. They're either fundamentally ignorant of, or are being deliberately disrespectful towards Connacht. EOS wasn't even mentioned in relation to Leinster or Munster, and he never fell out with them. Why is it ok to foist yesterday's half-warmed leftovers on us, and what would it say to players, staff and supporters if we took second helpings of second best (that we didn't much like the taste of first time around )?