Brian Smith quits as USA coach

[JaxAxeSupporter]

From the Sydney Morning Herald.

Brian Smith has quit as the United States' World Cup coach, continuing a troubled build-up for the Tomahawks which has included a backlash from local players over the squad selection.
Smith tells Discord an unexpected family commitment will prevent him travelling to Europe this month. He's the second coach, after the Warriors' Matthew Elliott, to withdraw from the Tomahawks campaign.
“There's just been something come up that I really couldn't miss, unfortunately,” Smith said.
While the AMNRL casts around for another clipboard carrier, it has a mini-rebellion on its hands over the selection of so many foreign-based players.
Advertisement
Like fellow Cup debutants Italy, the Americans have called in as many professionals as they can muster but unlike the Azzurri, few of them are NRL or Super League first-teamers.
Penrith's Joseph Paulo is captain, Parramatta's Junior Paulo is in the squad, as are Panther Clint Newton and former Gold Coast Titan Matt Petersen.
Only three members of the squad played in the recently completed series against Canada.
Daryl 'Spinner' Howland – who founded the Jacksonville Axemen, the club that spearheaded the breakaway USARL – blasted on Facebook: “ The USA National Team Selectors have dealt a huge blow to the growth of Rugby League in the USA by selecting a World Cup team where very few have ever played a single game in the states, and even fewer even have a USA passport, and only qualify via the heritage rule. If you want to play for the USA, play in the USA.
“It is a total disgrace to those domestic players.
“You really do have a better chance at making the USA 7's union
“How about finding some courage to do the right thing!!”
Another prominent US rugby league identity, Ryan McGough, posted: “These pros will get killed too so it makes no sense not to use grass roots guys. Complete sham.”
Like we said, there was similar consternation in Italy, where there is also a rebel competition – but the calibre of players included has ensured the complaints have not been as deafening as across the Atlantic.

 

[Evil Homer]

Good to see the ridiculous squad selection getting coverage in international media.

 

[PacificCoastRL]

I wonder if Smith would have quit had he been coaching Australia, New Zealand or England? I'd really like to know what that family commitment is, but really I can't think of anything that would stop nearly everyone else from fulfilling their duties. Unless a death has been scheduled.

 

[league13]

I wonder if Smith would have quit had he been coaching Australia, New Zealand or England? I'd really like to know what that family commitment is, but really I can't think of anything that would stop nearly everyone else from fulfilling their duties. Unless a death has been scheduled.

Obviously Smith is a man of principal, he had already stated last year, that he expected the Tomahawks to be selected from either the AMNRL or the USARL leagues.This selection could have set back league in the US for some years,however, hopefully,the teams that stayed loyal to the AMNRL might now realise how corrupt the AMNRL is and switch to the more democratic USARL.
No one ever expected the Tomahawks to excel at the cup, those guys who have been representing them deserved to be selected,would have been a great occasion for them and encouraged others to have a crack at the game.

 

[Western_Eel]

Unless he has signed as parramattas head coach

 

[Bronco Rob]

Obviously Smith is a man of principal, he had already stated last year, that he expected the Tomahawks to be selected from either the AMNRL or the USARL leagues.This selection could have set back league in the US for some years,however, hopefully,the teams that stayed loyal to the AMNRL might now realise how corrupt the AMNRL is and switch to the more democratic USARL.
No one ever expected the Tomahawks to excel at the cup, those guys who have been representing them deserved to be selected,would have been a great occasion for them and encouraged others to have a crack at the game.

If he was a man of principal he should have come out and stated that as the reason he quit rather than hide by the old 'family committment' chestnut.

But I am also cynical about if he had of been coach of either the big 3, would he still have a family committment to fulfill. Surely this committment would have been known well and truely before a month out but it's poor form either way.

 

[Bronco Rob]

Like fellow Cup debutants Italy, the Americans have called in as many professionals as they can muster but unlike the Azzurri, few of them are NRL or Super League first-teamers.

I wonder if the same sentiment is being held by the domestic Italian players as well with the non-inclusion but it's a case of no-one willing to come out and announce the resentment they feel about the FIRL's strategy.

 

[Evil Homer]

I wonder if the same sentiment is being held by the domestic Italian players as well with the non-inclusion but it's a case of no-one willing to come out and announce the resentment they feel about the FIRL's strategy.

I don't really think that players from the FIRL competition (which from all accounts runs for approximately three weeks) really have a right to feel aggrieved about missing out to accommodate top NRL and Super League players in the same way that the Americans who have missed out to accommodate regional park footy players do. And even Italy have selected two domestic players.

 

[CQ Italia]

I wonder if the same sentiment is being held by the domestic Italian players as well with the non-inclusion but it's a case of no-one willing to come out and announce the resentment they feel about the FIRL's strategy.

cant speak for firl domestics but similar as usa with firfl players.. there has been one press release from rebels and another this week in italian (english version will come)

 

[Evil Homer]

cant speak for firl domestics but similar as usa with firfl players.. there has been one press release from rebels and another this week in italian (english version will come)

I feel like the fact that FIRFL players aren't considered at all for the national team is the bigger issue in Italy than World Cup selection.

To be fair to the FIRL, they have been quite clear all along that the World Cup squad would mostly consist of Minichiello's heritage players along with a number from the European Cup etc, that's the team that was fielded in qualifying and that's pretty much what the final squad is too. I think they've been relatively open and fair in their selection, the only ones I feel sorry for are guys like Ray Nasso who have played in all competitions including the WCQ only to end up on the standby list, but I guess that's just something that happens in sport. I really don't think it's comparable though to the situation with the USA squad. Whether or not you agree with the FIRL's strategy is another issue, but I don't think you can really accuse them of being unfair in terms of their squad selection for the WC.

 

[gyallop]

How many players are there in Italy , any idea?

 

[deluded pom?]

however, hopefully,the teams that stayed loyal to the AMNRL might now realise how corrupt the AMNRL is and switch to the more democratic USARL.

If anything good comes out of this "USA" selection I hope it's the realisation that the AMNRL are just not interested or up to the task of developing RL in the USA and that their own loyal players and the RLIF see the light and act accordingly. Do we actually know who was responsible for picking the WC squad?

 

[deluded pom?]

Terry Matterson has grasped the poisoned chalice.

 

[deal.with.it]

Steve Johnson and Ben Kelly

 

[deal.with.it]

And D Niu still has a lot of influence

 

[Evil Homer]

Terry Matterson has grasped the poisoned chalice.

Is he aware of the situation and the reaction to the squad in the USA?

 

[deluded pom?]

If he isn't the he must be an ostrich.