Gareth Thomas: Former Wales captain says Rob Howley 'should be coach'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/37864054

Please God, no!

I wish these old players would just concentrate on their own seat on the gravy train that is Welsh rugby and stop trying to let on new passengers.

I think that's about as far as I can stretch that metaphor

Nah fam I can't be dealing with that. Howley should quit and take up a new career. I'm thinking he should run a carpet-fitting business in some impoverished valleys town - apparently a monkey can do that so Howley should have no problem.

It's a sh!t argument anyway - that because Howley has been part of Gatland's coaching team, he should be Gatland's successor. Well on that basis, no one but assistant coaches would ever be head coach.

Team Wales (I hate that term) is crying out for some fresh input and new ideas.

Dai Young as head coach with Wilson as forwards coach (or vice versa?) would be a good choice IMO. Brad Davis from Ospreys having also worked with Dai before would be the other logical choice.

Possibly Darren Edwards as backs coach. But it has to be Dai Young for the head coach job, doesn't it?

mikey_dragon wrote:Nah fam I can't be dealing with that. Howley should quit and take up a new career. I'm thinking he should run a carpet-fitting business in some impoverished valleys town - apparently a monkey can do that so Howley should have no problem.

Ha!

mikey_dragon wrote:Nah fam I can't be dealing with that. Howley should quit and take up a new career. I'm thinking he should run a carpet-fitting business in some impoverished valleys town - apparently a monkey can do that so Howley should have no problem.

Any chance we can stay on topic? Please?

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Any chance we can stay on topic? Please?

Bar Andy Robinson I can't think of many worse choices. If Wales now go on a 9-game winning streak would that be enough to right all his former wrong-doings as a coach?

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Possibly Darren Edwards as backs coach. But it has to be Dai Young for the head coach job, doesn't it?

Yes it does. Dai Young for the main job, Danny Wilson forwards and somebody like Darren for attack would do for me.

Mikey and Dow, do I have to lock the pair of you in a room to thrash this out?
Pair of you pack it in.

You've been double team'd!

mikey_dragon wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Any chance we can stay on topic? Please?

Bar Andy Robinson I can't think of many worse choices. If Wales now go on a 9-game winning streak would that be enough to right all his former wrong-doings as a coach?

That's a moot point because it's never going to happen... but speaking of 'former wrong-doings', people seem to have forgotten that the last time Howley was in charge, we lost to Argentina and Tonga.

This is probably Howley's only chance to put his case to be Head Coach, after Gatland leaves in 2019, this series and the 6N in the spring, will only have him in the hot seat.
I think if his record in these 4 matches is less than 2-2, his chances will be very small in getting the top job, if it is 4-0 I think he will get the job, the 3-1 scenario will leave the door open.

But you beat England 30 3 as well leading to the Welsh domination of the Lions.

RDW_Scotland wrote:You've been double team'd!

Its the only chance you Jocks have of beating Wales

No 7&1/2 wrote:But you beat England 30 3 as well leading to the Welsh domination of the Lions.

I know, but my point is that Six Nations win didn't make the autumn defeats disappear. They still happened.

munkian wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:You've been double team'd!

Its the only chance you Jocks have of beating Wales

Harsh, but fair!

So can does anyone know did Thomas say that "Howley should be coach" or did he say "Howley shhould be next coach?" or am I just being picky?

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:But you beat England 30 3 as well leading to the Welsh domination of the Lions.

I know, but my point is that Six Nations win didn't make the autumn defeats disappear. They still happened.

Yes but isn't there something to be said or argued that coaches won't always be immediately successful and deserve some time. I think there a definite argument that Wales improved since his 1st game to his last?

aucklandlaurie wrote:
So can  does anyone know did Thomas say that "Howley should be coach" or did he say "Howley shhould be next coach?" or am I just being picky?

Well the article doesn't quote him as saying those exact words, no.

N.B. The headline isn't mine, it's the BBC's.

No 7&1/2 wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:But you beat England 30 3 as well leading to the Welsh domination of the Lions.

I know, but my point is that Six Nations win didn't make the autumn defeats disappear. They still happened.

Yes but isn't there something to be said or argued that coaches won't always be immediately successful and deserve some time. I think there a definite argument that Wales improved since his 1st game to his last?

You could argue that as he's been part of the coaching team for years, he's already been given time, i.e. he's not a new coach with new ideas.

Yes, clearly beating England 30 - 3 is better than losing to Tonga.

It is inevitably a new role though, even the best people in their fields take a while to settle. Immediate short term results don't always translate over a longer period be those short term results losses or wins. Will be interesting to see performance and results running up to next summer anyway.

Howley should get on the phone and get his best player from his last stint back out of retirement and back on the pitch. I refer of course to.....Steve Walsh.

We all know that Gatland in now in charge of the ions for next year's tour. And that Howley as been given tempory role of being head coach of Wales.

So sure the best thing for Gareth Thomas too have done was to waite and see just how well Wales goes with Howley in charge and Gatland not being there.


I do love Gareth Thomas. i thought he was a great player. But surely he does not believe that Howley is the best person to lead Wales to a better furture? does he?

Apparently so.

Howley might be fit to coach Difficult Conversations or as stunt stand-in for himself in the Alfie biopic, he's certainly fit for little else

After to days game Howley surely cannot carry on as Head coach, for the next year. can he? honestly?

No he can't but he will because he's the plan…..tragic isn't it.

Howley can't function without Gatland. Fact is we have had the same set up for 8 fricking years and its time for change, oh wait we have changed, we've allowed Gats to swan off on a Lions gig, largely because Howler fluked a 6 Nations in 2013 which was not ours to win (phew i get the chance to blame England)

Yes, basically the state of Welsh coaching is England's fault. . Perhaps if they'd won in 2013 the WRU might have seen that letting our HC go off on a Busman's holiday was perhaps not good for our development.

I sympathise with Stan.
The Aussie squad have been together for ages. Clearly the 13 day rule is inadequate.

munkian wrote:I wish these old players would just concentrate on their own seat on the gravy train that is Welsh rugby and stop trying to let on new passengers.

I think that's about as far as I can stretch that metaphor

Reckon Welsh rugby could do with a Brian Clough equivalent type figure. Somebody to really shake the tree. Won't happen though as it didn't with English football many moons ago.

munkian wrote:I wish these old players would just concentrate on their own seat on the gravy train that is Welsh rugby and stop trying to let on new passengers.

I think that's about as far as I can stretch that metaphor

Always room on all the gravy trains for more mun, mun.
And Chum V just got one biggar, next to Harries, by the look of it.
Nana Mouskouri and Pam Ayres on next week no doubt.

'Wales interim head coach Rob Howley: "There is the tinge of disappointment in terms of performance against Japan and we want to put that right."'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38082818

A tinge? A f*cking tinge?!

I watched Scrum V last Sunday and I imagine a few others on here did. There was a fair amount of honesty coming from Harries and his guests on that evening's show. Alfie in particular singled out a few individuals but for some reason couldn't bring himself to criticize any of the coaches. I found that quite odd and if he still believes Howley should be head coach then I'll be even more mystified. Every other word Howley says he's setting himself up to be criticized so it's not like Alfie would be without ammo.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

A tinge? A f*cking tinge?!

Could you not? Rhys Webb thinks we're going to hurt players' feelings.

All will be forgiven if he wins a 6Ns or GrandSlam.

It shouldn't be Howley. I don't think he's a bad coach, but unless Wales can turn things around in the 6 Nations I think a fresh approach would be beneficial.

Dai Young is the obvious choice. He should have carte blanche to pick his own coaching team. Howley could in fact swap places with him, as an ex-Wasp.

uncle_nigel wrote:I watched Scrum V last Sunday and I imagine a few others on here did. There was a fair amount of honesty coming from Harries and his guests on that evening's show. Alfie in particular singled out a few individuals but for some reason couldn't bring himself to criticize any of the coaches. I found that quite odd

It's because they're friends. It makes him unsuitable to be a pundit. He even said at one point, 'I'm not a finger pointer.' In that case, the next time they ask you to go on Scrum V, say no.

I wonder if Gareth Thomas still feels this way.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I wonder if Gareth Thomas still feels this way.

What it is butt its about the bois, and if the bois puttin a shift then they can reeeeeally take it to 'em

Some of the content of that article is laughable now:


'Thomas believes Howley can strengthen the side in time for the 2019 Rugby World Cup draw in May 2017 after gaining extensive experience as Gatland's assistant.

"Gatland's created something very successful so it's important that Rob has learned from a guy who is undoubtedly an extremely good coach," Thomas continued.

"Warren has to give him a certain amount of authority. Rob will grow from this experience and from this length of time he has.

"Probably towards the latter end of the November internationals we will definitely see a certain change within the team."

-------------------

'Wales can narrow the gap behind world number one in the rankings New Zealand, according to Howley, despite the All Blacks carrying a run of 18 consecutive wins.

'New Zealand are the number-one ranked team in the world and are 14 ranking points ahead of fifth-placed Wales.

"We have changed and we've worked a lot of skills in training, particularly the front five skills," Howley told BBC Wales Sport.

"It's a point of difference particularly in New Zealand and it's a point we'll continue to work on," he said.'

I'd laugh but with all the Prozac I'm dead inside.

munkian wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I wonder if Gareth Thomas still feels this way.

What it is butt its about the bois, and if the bois puttin a shift then they can reeeeeally take it to 'em

Gareth Thomas' over use of 'butt' is well documented.