Sack Adam O'Brien

[Jono078]

Surely John Morris should be given a look.

I’d be disappointed if he wasn’t considered at least.

 

[Knight Tales]

Still none the wiser. Wait goes on.

 

[macavity]

What do they recruit coaches based on?

Who here has read moneyball?

 

[Mr_Knightside]

John Morris should be considered for sure and I hope his name appears in the mix in the coming days.

 

[SamSepi0l]

If Green just gets handed the role the club deserves everything it gets for finding a step backwards from their current situation.

 

[HarVeeGee]

I think a big fear some people had was that no one would want the job so at least that notion has been put paid to by Holbrook’s people pushing his name so aggressively.

I’d be okay with Holbrook, proven elite attacking assistant who - crucially - still coaches a dynamic, attacking style as a head coach.

I reckon our roster shits all over what he was working with at the Titans. But thinking back to how those teams played, and how the Roosters play now, I think he’d use the roster differently: Mooney at 13 with Friz at prop, Phoenix stays at 9, Sharpe into the back 5, Marzhew never gets a game short of an injury crisis, Sandon Smith and Dylan Brown in the halves. His attacking philosophies at the Titans were the opposite of AOB - I don’t think he’d chase some grand evolution of Kalyn’s game at all like AOB was obsessed with, I think he would load the piss out of that left edge (Brown-Ponga-Best-D Young) and spam the ever loving shit out of shapes down that side.

 

[SamSepi0l]

I'd be stoked with Holbrook. Would be ok with Morris. Would be confused on what to think with Peters. Would be #PhinsUp with Green.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Holbrook is easily the best of all the options imo

The Titans bailed on him to get a 2x Premiership winner and multiple GF coach in Des and we have seen how thats turned out. It was massively unfair on Justin at the time.

He has NRL experience and is a great attacking minded coach

 

[Apey]

I'd go Morris first choice but he doesnt even seem to be consideration. Holbrook a better option than others thrown up.

 

[ryan.a87]

Code sports have a new article saying it’s official now

but I can’t find any official posts about it?

 

[Mr_Knightside]

LOL how can it be official when there’s no club statement about it?

 

[SamSepi0l]

Everyone is just rushing to be first to break the same story. Getting in before getting facts..? Who cares. First baby.

 

[Burwood]

If this really has been a mutual decision and he wants to step down that’s probably the only way this could have come about because he wouldn’t have been entitled to the reported 2million payout it he requested to step down. If he was sacked Moses would have argued for the full payout and I doubt Wests would have been open to that.

I’ve seen you mention a couple of times that $2 million figure. No way he was on $1 million per year as a coach.

 

[perverse]

The way the media are reporting it, it sounds like O'Brien pulled the pin himself. Admirable, but leaves me still thinking our club would have stuck by him if he didn't... which boggles the mind. If true, we literally waited for him to admit defeat himself rather than be proactive.

We are not a club that is hungry for success. Mildly peckish at best.

 

[Alex28]

Sounds like something a narcissist would say tbh

Only if you care what I think, which you clearly do.

Happy to also say I suggested weeks ago he is enough of a bloke to negotiate his way out of the contract rather than run the contracts course, which it appears he did. It was the right thing to do on both sides.

Justin Holbrook seems to be the favourite now which I think is a pretty good thing. Ex-Knight, good coach, used to working with basket cases of clubs.

 

[Burwood]

The way the media are reporting it, it sounds like O'Brien pulled the pin himself. Admirable, but leaves me still thinking our club would have stuck by him if he didn't... which boggles the mind. If true, we literally waited for him to admit defeat himself rather than be proactive.

We are not a club that is hungry for success. Mildly peckish at best.

I think it’s been handled reasonably well by both parties. O’Brien has been popular with players, and gotten the club to the finals 4/6 seasons. The club have shown him respect by allowing him to fall on his sword and see out the season. I don’t think they waited for him to walk, more a case of letting him go out on his own terms. I prefer that to the alternative of sacking him and having a messy divorce playing out in the media.

 

[Frederick]

 

[HarVeeGee]

The way the media are reporting it, it sounds like O'Brien pulled the pin himself. Admirable, but leaves me still thinking our club would have stuck by him if he didn't... which boggles the mind. If true, we literally waited for him to admit defeat himself rather than be proactive.

We are not a club that is hungry for success. Mildly peckish at best.

The thing is though, that there's not a strong correlation between rotating the coaching staff a lot & success.

In the NRL stability and success tend to be closely linked. And the overall strength of the organisation is linked with success. I think it's actually good that they don't just immediately leap to "well it's all the coach's fault" and push them out the door the second things start going a bit bad. That's what the Tigers do. Titans. Eels before and (I am willing to bet) after Brad Arthur.

If they think Blake Green is the right man I think it's good that the plan was an orderly succession of power at some point. Obviously AOB burning himself out has put a spanner in the works but ultimately I'd prefer to follow a club that picks their man and then gives them a real chance rather than expects the coach to fix everything, then blame them for everything when they don't. I honestly think AOB's position only became untenable this year, and this is the year he left. Fine by me.

 

[Woody90]

The thing is though, that there's not a strong correlation between rotating the coaching staff a lot & success.

In the NRL stability and success tend to be closely linked. And the overall strength of the organisation is linked with success. I think it's actually good that they don't just immediately leap to "well it's all the coach's fault" and push them out the door the second things start going a bit bad. That's what the Tigers do. Titans. Eels before and (I am willing to bet) after Brad Arthur.

If they think Blake Green is the right man I think it's good that the plan was an orderly succession of power at some point. Obviously AOB burning himself out has put a spanner in the works but ultimately I'd prefer to follow a club that picks their man and then gives them a real chance rather than expects the coach to fix everything, then blame them for everything when they don't. I honestly think AOB's position only became untenable this year, and this is the year he left. Fine by me.

I definitely agree with your main point re rotating coaches all the time is usually not helpful. It’s just the club thinking Blake Green is automatically the best selection as successor is that part I can’t get my head around. What are they basing this on exactly? That the players like him? There’s a really good chance they’d have a good relationship with one of the more experienced options too but also you know, get experience and an actual good record coaching attacking football too.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

I liked a lot his coaching philosophies and I’d tune in to pressers just to listen to him.

He could find magic in dross at times.

Hopefully he can claw his way back somehow.

A lot of pressure and expectation at Newcastle, very tough gig.