Speculation, Speculation, Speculation
By Dragons' Den
May 26 2011
The departure of Phil Greening leaves London Welsh once again entering the summer break searching for a new coach. A year ago they were in the same situation after Danny Wilson left for the Newport Gwent Dragons but Greening was in post as Assistant Coach and could make the step up to Head Coach. This time the appointment process appears less clear cut.
The sudden announcement that Greening had left with
immediate effect may not have been the biggest shock in world rugby but unlike last summer there is no clear line of succession. Mike Friday’s long-term close working relationship with Phil makes it
unlikely that the current Assistant Coach will stay and fill the top job. With this in mind Dragons’ Den looks at the runners and riders plus the frankly ridiculous:
Paul Turner – Former NG Dragons
Coach currently unemployed and believed to be on the shortlist for Wasps. Can
LW wait for Wycombe Wasps to complete their recruitment process to see if he is
still available?
Lyn Jones – Five times capped former
Welsh international flanker was the Ospreys’ first Director of Rugby. In 2008,
after 5 years in the role, he left and a few months later returned to coaching
as a consultant for NG Dragons. Currently working in UAE as a rugby coach at a
school, Jones is said to be desperate to return to the UK after missing out on
replacing Turner at Dragons. Will Lyn Jones prove a genuine saviour that
arrives from the Middle East?
Neil Back - His
resignation from Leeds may have been seen as an attempt to escape coaching a
Championship club but the lush green grass of ODP may prove a temptation. With
his pedigree he could be a little too forthright to be accepted by the LW
management but if he is also desperate for a job he may prove to be a pushover.
Florent Rossigneux – the former LW
favourite recently reached the end of his time at Rosslyn Park. In a recent
article in the Richmond & Twickenham Times, Flo admitted that he was eager
to take up a role at LW and although he is coaching in Canada at the moment he
confirmed that contact has been made with London Welsh. Possibly best suited
for an assistant coach position so will LW go with the Flo?
Kingsley Jones – Another former Welsh
international flanker that turned his had to coaching. After joining Sale as Forwards
Coach he then became Head Coach. He left this role in January 2011 and has
since coached the Russian National Team. Can Kelvin outbid the oil rich
Russians and persuade Kingsley that ODP is the place he must go?
Dean Richards – Leicester, England,
British Lions. Coach at Leicester and Quins. There is no doubt that Richards is
a cut above the rest. His ban doesn’t run out until the summer of 2012 but can
LW find a way to circumvent the ruling for 12 months? Have Wuss already got him
signed up?
Colin Charvis – Wales’ favourite
Brummie is another ex-NG Dragons’ coach currently without a coaching position.
94 caps, 22 international tries and three years as a London Welsh player. Now
seen providing incisive pitch-side punditry for the BBC with his duffel coat
now as famous as his hair. Is Charvis coming home?
Warren Gatland – With a break clause in his contact after the
World Cup can LW either wait for the New Zealander to become available or buy
out his WRU contract now? If LW do the latter then overnight they could become
the most popular club amongst Welsh rugby supporters!
Alex Codling – Although not know for
longevity in any coaching job even for him a move from London Scottish to
London Welsh would be seen as remarkably quick. Do memories of his last
employment at ODP still run too deep for a return to work under the shadow of
the Pagoda?
Add your own suggestions to the list but remember it is just a bit of fun!
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And you haven't mentioned another ex-regional and national coach who had a brief spell as an advisor at ODP - Gypo Jenkins.
Finally - for now - another Wales & London Welsh back-rower whose coaching career is slowly tracking an upward trajectory - Rowland Phillips.
Not sure whether these fall under 'frankly ridiculous'...?
Two days ago the announcement was expected to be imminent.....where is it???
Quote:MC-TJ
Cast your minds back to who has been at the club for hospitality in the last few weeks of the season on a flying visit and there you may find the answer!
That would be quite an amazing coincidence.
Talking of Leeds made me wonder whether Phil Davies might be interested in our vacancy and whether we would want his unique charm. He does however have Jonathan Davies as a brother-in-law who is full of opinions if ever PD runs dry of words.
The heavy hint from MC-TJ seems to be suggesting Colin Charvis. How would that run?
So Anne Widdecombe, do you think you really are up to this rather than just pitching for forwards coach?
I think Phil Davies is one of the more plausible names mentioned so far alongside Neil Back. Plausible does not necessarily equate to desirable.
Quote:Crug Mawr
I think Phil Davies is one of the more plausible names mentioned so far alongside Neil Back. Plausible does not necessarily equate to desirable.
I concur with that last.
Lyn Jones seems the most available assuming he can break free from his coaching job in Dubai (who was he coaching there FFS?)
I note by the way that Darren Edwards, who was with us not so many years ago, has landed a niche at Newport Gwent Dragons nicely.
So can anyone think of a better candidate than Ian Horgan...?
"Victim's mother first to meet murderer on way from crime ...
19 Jun 2002 ... ROSE Kiely has a clear memory of meeting Ian Horgan by the .."
A different one, I trust, from the name suggested.
Step forward Lord Neil Kinnock.
Mark W-J, if it can wait another 30 months for when I retire i'll have a crack at it!
[en.wikipedia.org]
Surely one of the oddest club names in rugby - RGC1404 sounds like the registration plate of a vintage bus.
[www.bedfordtoday.co.uk]
Quote:oddly enough Paul Turner has also been doing a bit of coaching at Ampthill.....DanFW3
Seems Clive Griffiths is tied up with Ampthill RFC (who?!) as an assistant coach which seems to under-use his talents:
[www.bedfordtoday.co.uk]
Quote:Earlsfield Welsh
Neil Hollinshead?
Even though I know its a joke.....
Is the annointed one going to come from our home tribe or from eastern deserts ?
Will the news be greeted with fanfares and flocks of fish eating hawks or with catcalls and scrawny London pigeons?
I wish I knew !!!
Recent summary of his career:
Jones eyes Dragons job (Feb 19, 2011)
Jones to leave Dragons (Feb 3, 2009)
Dragons secure consultant Jones (Jan 15, 2009)
Jones joins Dragons staff (Nov 25, 2008)
I think this is how I decode the hints offered. But how, I ask, does MC-YJ know? Insider dealing?
2. Just as a point of interest, is Clive Griffiths coaching both RGC1404 (aka North Wales Canadians-in-exile) and Ampthill RUFC simultaneously (by the well known technique of sitting high in the stand, if either has one, and using mobile phones)?
Quote:Mark W-J
Rugby Times says it's definitely Lyn Jones. It's up to you to decide how big a pinch of salt you want with that.
My cholesterol's a bit high to be adding any more salt to my diet.
Wasn't Lyn Jones teaching at a public school in the Middle East?
And has anyone else, ever so slightly, passed the point of caring?
Very little time to bond with the players, and other staff. sounds like a hard task!
What other people come with him? Is this really the high profile everyone's been talking about!
Quote:londonbound
If it is Lyn Jones? who is he! Magner's League Yep, what else?
Well compared to most of our coaches in the last decade or so that makes him almost over-qualified! Neither Phil, Adrian nor Danny had any experience as a Head Coach before they were appointed, while Martin's track record (impressive as it was) was with academies rather than 1st XV.
Happy to do the 'glass half empty' thing, but that seems overly-negative even by our high standards!
Also this may not be the only senior appointment the club is making.
Tell us more ??????
Year/Position/Played/Won/Drew/Lost/Points
2007–08 7th 18 6 1 11 11 37
2006–07 1st 20 14 0 6 8 64
2005–06 7th 22* 11 0 9 3 55
2004–05 1st 20 16 1 3 10 76
2003–04 5th 22 11 1 10 9 55
Top in 2 years out of 5, and a respectable points tally in 2 of the other 3.
Maybe we should all say "Told you so" now so that in x years time we can say we said it first, since the careers of coaches like politicians ultimately always end in failure. Nobody will remember if you get it wrong.
Apart from winning the Magners twice O's also won a very competitive EDF Cup final and IMHO only started to go backwards after Lyn left.
Let's give him a chance, he hasn't even started yet and has a better track record than most of our past coaches on appointment.
the club for securing his services. PADDYTAF.
Quote:eddie57
Thread starting to read a little like "Life of Brian" "Romans whatever have they done for us!"
Apart from winning the Magners twice O's also won a very competitive EDF Cup final and IMHO only started to go backwards after Lyn left.
Let's give him a chance, he hasn't even started yet and has a better track record than most of our past coaches on appointment.