More turmoil at Western Force

[DarthMoose]

From the Sportal Rugby Union website:

More turmoil at Western Force
21/4/2012 11:49 AM by Adam Lucius

They have already survived one player-led revolt - now Western Force officials are bracing for another showdown if they fail to appoint popular caretaker coach Phil Blake to a fulltime contract.

As first revealed on Sportal on Friday, the Force bowed to player pressure and sacked Richard Graham after he announced midweek he was off to the Queensland Reds in 2013.

Now the players want a further say in the future direction of the club, demanding Blake be given first shot at the top job.

The former rugby league star will take the reins for the rest of the season in conjunction with assistants Nick Styles and Andrew Scotney, but the club is said to be chasing Michael Cheika for 2013 and beyond.

Australian-born Cheika, coach of Stade Francais in the French Top 14 competition, is routinely linked with any job which crops up in his homeland.

Cheika was described as 'abrasive and divisive' by one top-ranking official on Saturday and the 'wrong' option for Force to take, but he still remains the front runner.

Those closely involved in rugby union in the west believe the beleaguered club desperately needs a coach who can not only deliver on the field, but is well respected off it and can rebuild the Force's fragile culture.

According to the players, led by influential skipper David Pocock, that man is Blake.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is another huge Blake supporter, having worked with the ex-league whiz over the past two seasons.

Deans is desperate for Blake to remain in Australia, with rumours suggesting the 48-year-old will shift overseas if knocked back by the Force for the heading coach role.

Sportal understand several off-contract Western Force players are anxiously awaiting developments and will depart if Blake is not given the top job.

But if he is, the majority of players are likely stay and could be joined by at least one senior and highly regarded Wallaby from a rival Australian franchise.

"It's a very tense situation with phone calls going back and forward around the clock," one source told Sportal.

"If they get this wrong then it could have major repercussions on the playing roster.

"The players want Phil Blake and if they don't get their way there could be a huge fallout."

[theforceguy]

O well he has half a season to put his money where his mouth is

Show us you deserve the job Phil !!!!!!!!!!

[blueandblack]

...
But if he is, the majority of players are likely stay and could be joined by at least one senior and highly regarded Wallaby from a rival Australian franchise.
....

Rocky Elsom?

[GIGS20]

O well he has half a season to put his money where his mouth is

Show us you deserve the job Phil !!!!!!!!!!

My thoughts exactly!

I don't care whether he has a background, if he can stitch a silk purse out of this season and attract some top name players he's the man for the job.

Rocky Elsom?

That wouldn't be held in his favour, surely?

[benny]

If he's on the park Elsom could be Half decent, but i would prefer Cottrell as our 3rd string flanker...

Can we please get out of the gutter with Cheika.. he has proven NOTHING, and we dont need a NOTHING coach.

Think about it, who would be a coach of our EWF. 1st a player revolt against Mitchell - 2nd revolt with RG & now a 3rd... when are the people actually going to stand up for the club and get paid to do what they actually do.

[GIGS20]

I don't agree with the players having a say in the appointment of the next coach.....possibly the captain could be consulted on the players' behalf, because that relationship has to work, but it doesn't have to be chummy.

I agree that the players who are threatening to leave should be told that Blake has his chance to prove he's the bloke for the job, the results will be on the field. His first interview will be conducted by the Stormers and is likely to be his toughest before the appointment is made....if you want him, then win!

[The InnFORCEr]

According to the players, led by influential skipper David Pocock, that man is Blake.

From that line I take it that

1) This whole story has come from comments made by Bam.
2) Quade is the other Wallaby.

[hertryk]

Rocky Elsom?

Please god NO! NO! NO!

[shasta]

I can't wait to hear Rex's take on the players' choice.

I'll probably agree wit it though.
Posted via Mobile Device

[James]

From that line I take it that

1) This whole story has come from comments made by Bam.
2) Quade is the other Wallaby.

I'd take that. If someone said you will have Pocock and Cooper signed with the Force by the end of the season I would take that without exception. Rag Cooper all you like but he will be a magnet for recruiting other backs. He makes them look good- and not just defensively.

[Tazzmania]

I'd take that. If someone said you will have Pocock and Cooper signed with the Force by the end of the season I would take that without exception. Rag Cooper all you like but he will be a magnet for recruiting other backs. He makes them look good- and not just defensively.

Absolutely, I would pay for next years membership now with those two signed.

[hertryk]

I'll renew anyway...can't help myself..my life wothout the Force would be very empty...
I advised a colleague on Friday on my way home from work that there was something "missing"..."not quite right"...then I realised no Force game at home or away....my w/e just wasn't the same..!!! .....

[AndyS]

As someone observed Genia is also off contract, we are a bit light for scrumhalves so if Cooper moved....

Frankly though, probably dreaming.

[sittingbison]

... on my way home from work that there was something "missing"..."not quite right"...then I realised no Force game at home or away....my w/e just wasn't the same..!!! .....

At least I wasn't depressed all weekend after getting home late Fri after the game. Yay we managed to win the bye without throwing it away with 10mins to go

Hmm...frankly I don't want to cobble together a team of other franchise best players, been there done that I'd rather develop our own.

[Blackswan]

Any initative the players are now taking in voicing their opinions regarding the future coaching setup are the result of only one thing. It's not a players revolt or some players thinking their bigger than the Force. It's the inept performance of the Rugby WA board.

If last week's reports are correct then it was the board that decided that the players would determine whether RG stayed or was shown the door. The board showed itself to be weak, indecisive and totally lacking in any leadership qualities. This is not for the first time over the last several years but this time is perhaps the most obvious.

There is a fundamental problem with the board. Any who might have previously been involved in rugby were involved only at a local club level or when there was only club rugby in WA. They have no experience in guiding rugby at a higher level. This contrasts significantly with rugby in Q'land and NSW where there has been significant senior rugby for many years and the guys involved in the game have a track record at an appropriate level. On the occasion when a CEO was recruited from over East he didn't stay very long. You can't just take someone who ran a petrol station and expect him to know what to do for a Super Rugby franchise.

That's my rant for the day.