Sean Holley turns down Connacht role

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20927562

Sean Holley has turned down a head coach role at Connacht based on personal circumstances and some 'opportunities on the horizon'. Any ideas what these opportunities may be? Would the Dragons bring him in maybe???

I think Connacht are a team on the up and therefore a desirable job, so Holley must have a good offer on the table closer to home somewhere.

They can have Bradley back. I'll even offer to pay for his flight if that helps? And McGinty.

Griff wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20927562

Sean Holley has turned down a head coach role at Connacht based on personal circumstances and some 'opportunities on the horizon'. Any ideas what these opportunities may be? Would the Dragons bring him in maybe???

I think Connacht are a team on the up and therefore a desirable job, so Holley must have a good offer on the table closer to home somewhere.

The way he was talking on Scrum V I thought it was a done deal, Connacht had a lucky escape. I hope the Dragons get a good coach like the Chief.

Rumour is that Sean Holley's very own online TV channel (and once again, this is completely 100% not a joke - see below) is doing so well that it's being picked up by Sky for 'big bucks'.

http://www.seanholley.co.uk/sh-tv/

He doesn't need some lowly coaching job now! He's hit paydirt. And I, for one, wish him every success. As long as I don't have to listen to one more word of his monotone, clueless, corporatespeak bum gravy.

TRP has Pat Lam as a potential head coach of Connacht.

From what I've read so far Pat Lam is the front runner alright.

4 kiwi's as head coaches of the provinces. At least we'd be consistant!

Sean Holley applies for job and then doesn't accept offer. Then leaks it to media.

What a classy guy.

Pat Lam. Samoan legend, 3 RWCs, one time all black, Auckland Head Coach etc etc

Sean Holley. West Glam U-14s cricket (vice) captain.

Talk about dodging a bullet!

I am not sure i want 4 NZ coaches but it does say that Connacht has gone up in people's opions.

As long as in a few years we play like NZ i couldn't care.

How many assisant coaches are irish. I know that there will most likely be 2 irish coaches in the quarters of the HC

What I'm interested in is that Holley says he turned down the opportunity, rather than that he was unsuccessful at interview. Sounds like they offered him the post over other alternatives like Pat Lam. Can anyone confirm?

It says something that when I saw the headline my 1st thought was 'lucky escape Connacht'.

He is such a wind bag, and there does seem to be much better/knowledgable (or at least better potential) coaches out there.

Irish Times suggests he was one of a 6 man shortlist.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/rugby/2013/0107/1224328542211.html

I was always prepared to give him the benefit of doubt as a person, regardless of the fact that he had no credentials whatsoever as a coach.

Now it would appear that he is also something of a timewasting t*ssbag.

Bernard Jackman is also going great guns with Grenoble, lead them to promotion last season and looks set to keep them there this year, possibly even get a spot in Europe!

Sean Holley is a master of self promotion, anyone who has ever posted anything half rugby related on Linkedin, Facebook or Twitter will know this!!

I recently applied for a position on Linkedin with a well known sports company, posted a private response to the head honcho and then thought I'd post something a little more generic on the wall open for all to see. It was only after I posted that I noticed Holley was the poster before mine, I thought nothing of it until the next time I logged on and realised he had posted me off the wall to make my post unseeable, with links of him on scrum V, being interviewed touchline and of some of his coaching seminars. I thought that was a bit rude and checked previous posts... any poster from the UK was drowned amongst a see of Hollyganda!!!!

This guy is a PR tool, and will always be employed because he is so good at it, he has little substance within the sport though, and from what I've seen of his 'TV channell' he is just regurjatating well known techniques and talking nonsense, anyone picking that up will have a very large shock!!!

WHAT A TOOL!!!!

He does love a bit of LinkedIn, does Sean. He's written himself a longer profile than Richard Branson. And Alan Sugar. Combined.

"Coached at Elite Level for last 15 years - last 9 years at Ospreys Rugby since their inception in 2003, finishing as Head Coach in 2012.

Current BBC Scrum V Rugby Analyst "Man in the Truck" for 'The Breakdown'

Experienced Keynote and After Dinner Speaker, MC and Host

Coach Development/Education expert working freelance for clubs, schools, Governing Bodies
WRU Level 4 and 5 qualified coach and Coach Educator

Host of Rugby Nation Radio Show

Freelance Writer published in Rugby World, The Rugby Paper, Emerald Rugby, Rugby Coaching Weekly, International Rugby Coaching

Associate Director with an ambitious and fledgling Property, Overseas Investment and SIPP/Fund Product Company - Pennaf Premier. Fellow Directors include Shane Williams and Ryan Jones.

Coached Wales on 2009 tour to Canada & USA

Writer of several educational programmes including first of it's kind 'Rugby Studies' for BTEC in 1999.

1st ever Director of Rugby at Hartpury College - developed the initial 5 year plan for the Academy with Principal Malcolm Wharton - now one of the Premier Rugby Institutions in the country

Previously player at Loughborough Students, Rugby Lions RFC, Maesteg RFC and Aberavon RFC."

For those interested in asking him why he deliberately sabotaged bluesman, he can be contacted via

uk.linkedin.com/pub/sean-holley/36/b18/677

Sean Holley is one I didn't want to see, would have prefered EOS.

5 remaining are, Pat Lam, former Wasps and Sale coach Tony Hanks, former England outhalf and current skills coach at Clermont Alex King, and current Connacht assistants Billy Millard and Dan McFarland.

Lam for me seams a good fit,

Connacht have one of the best defensives in the league, (5th best which considering thier position is amazing, nearly 100 points less conceded than each of the teams around them).
Everyone knows to build a good team you start with defensive, make them hard to beat and then work on attack, Defensive is in place.

Attack lets them down, 2nd worst in the league, and the area that needs worked on.
Lam worked on the November tour as “attack and mentor” coach, so I would say is the idea person to take them forward.
They have some great backs, and getting across the white wash more next season with the players they have, in something lam could excel at.

Connath top 6 next year?

I thought Alex King went to Northampton?

Griff wrote:Holley must have a good offer on the table closer to home somewhere.

Yep, monitoring the CCTV cameras in Swansea town centre. It's all he's qualified for.

Cas

Whoa there, he doesn't need you plugging his linkedin, or are you him? you sly old dog you!!!

It wouldn't surprise me if he had an eye on every forum around

Well seems like like the welsh think its a good escape.

Would love to know what the NZers think of Lam. I wonder if he has been told you have had your shot at NZ coaching try the back door by going to Europe.

Not sure about the others. How was Hanks as coach fro wasps and sale.

The one thing I do love about all this is that at least Connacht are a catch which they weren't when Eric took over. I think having a Connacht man who could stand up for Connacht really helped when they needed it most.

Connacht or their supporetrs should be glad of the lucky escape please don't let Holley anywhere near the Dragons either pleaseeeeeeeeee

I am personally gutted Holley hasn't gone to Connacht, it wouldve helped Welsh rugby tenfold for him to leave the country.

Holleys problem is that he tries to communicate with jargon at every level, imagine standing on the training pitch watching that guy tell you exactly how you should be doing your job...

bedfordwelsh wrote:Connacht or their supporetrs should be glad of the lucky escape please don't let Holley anywhere near the Dragons either pleaseeeeeeeeee

Just thinking about it Holley does seem to get along well with the WRU, and they are talking about enforcing WRU appointed DORs on all the regions. Maybe he hasn't taken the job because he knows the WRU are going to name him as one of them?

thebluesmancometh wrote:I am personally gutted Holley hasn't gone to Connacht, it wouldve helped Welsh rugby tenfold for him to leave the country.
Holleys problem is that he tries to communicate with jargon at every level, imagine standing on the training pitch watching that guy tell you exactly how you should be doing your job...

Definately would have made Scrum V almost watchable again.

was it the players that had Os doing well under him or who was it. I understand he rubs people up the wrong way akin to Eddie o Sullivan but Eddie has always got results where he's gone. Is Sean like that or did Os achive inspite of him

Holley spent his O's career in front of the camera's, so I doubt he had any impact on performance!!!

I read this post yesterday, and couldn't stop laughing especially at the Welsh posters, if you lot don't think he is better than EVERY head coach at any of the other clubs,you are delusional. I'm doing a Welsh course at the moment, also on this course is a Blues ST holder and our Wednesday tutor is a supporter and they both said they would rather have him than PD or either of the 2 before him. The majority on our forum didn't want him to go, it was Scott Johnston we wanted shot of.

Nothing against Sean, but ANYONE who has their own online TV (and Radio!) channels, named after themselves, should be automatically precluded from holding a coaching position.

And from being allowed near other people.

wayne wrote:I read this post yesterday, and couldn't stop laughing especially at the Welsh posters, if you lot don't think he is better than EVERY head coach at any of the other clubs,you are delusional. I'm doing a Welsh course at the moment, also on this course is a Blues ST holder and our Wednesday tutor is a supporter and they both said they would rather have him than PD or either of the 2 before him. The majority on our forum didn't want him to go, it was Scott Johnston we wanted shot of.

Thats fair enough, I think most people would have Jimmy Cranky before Phil Davies.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

wayne wrote:I read this post yesterday, and couldn't stop laughing especially at the Welsh posters, if you lot don't think he is better than EVERY head coach at any of the other clubs,you are delusional. I'm doing a Welsh course at the moment, also on this course is a Blues ST holder and our Wednesday tutor is a supporter and they both said they would rather have him than PD or either of the 2 before him. The majority on our forum didn't want him to go, it was Scott Johnston we wanted shot of.

Thats fair enough, I think most people would have Jimmy Cranky before Phil Davies.

Simon Easterby as well

Wayne - yeah I think most people would rather Easters instead of Phil too.

[quote="ScarletSpiderman"]Wayne - yeah I think most people would rather Easters instead of Phil too. [/quote
Good response SS

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

wayne wrote:I read this post yesterday, and couldn't stop laughing especially at the Welsh posters, if you lot don't think he is better than EVERY head coach at any of the other clubs,you are delusional. I'm doing a Welsh course at the moment, also on this course is a Blues ST holder and our Wednesday tutor is a supporter and they both said they would rather have him than PD or either of the 2 before him. The majority on our forum didn't want him to go, it was Scott Johnston we wanted shot of.

Thats fair enough, I think most people would have Jimmy Cranky before Phil Davies.

Apparently a lot of people have had Jimmy Krankie.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-16244795

Cas - you just made me wet myself and throw up at the same time!

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Cas - you just made me wet myself and throw up at the same time!

Lol. Just the way wee Jimmy used to like it!

Wayne

Claiming you'd rather Holley than Davies is the same as prefering Bowel to testicular cancer, either way your FUKKED!!

Holley is undoubtedly the worst type of person involved at the top level, he spends his current job finding and interviewing for his next job, and despite failing at both finds the positives to rave about on his online assault of the rugby world!!

It looks like Pat Lam is going to be announced as the new Connacht coach. If so its an interesting selection.

Any NZer's able to give a bit of a low down on Pat Lam?

I think hes attack coach for for autum internations, so should be good for Connacht (defense is excellent for Connacht, attack lacks, but they do have some very good backs.)

No great loss to the mighty Connacht there.