Déjà vu all over again coach…
Originally posted in new zealand matters. Seems relevant to us in Wanganui too.
The only thing that’s common about common sense is just how uncommon it is. Time for more introspection and less tantrums.
Stick a wedge in the guillotine
When the All Blacks were sent packing in the Rugby World Cup semifinals there was, as usual and as expected, much wailing and gnashing of teeth in New Zealand. The Third World War would have been heralded with less despondency and harping criticism.
Again, it was predictable that heads would be called upon to fall into the tumbrels. The madding crowd howled for the blood of the coach, the captain, the administration, Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all.
No surprise if you’re a Kiwi.
Well hang on a minute mate! There’s a story, maybe apocryphal, maybe not, which goes something like this (stop me if you’ve heard it):
The hotshot Wall Street trader stuck his neck out too far and lost his company megabucks.
Sometime later when, much to his surprise and wonderment, he still had his job, his boss was asked, “Why didn’t you fire the idiot?”.
“Gimme a break,” says the boss, “the lesson he learned that day cost us 200 million bucks, why on earth would I fire him?”
Exactly.
We did it with John Hart, who said something along the lines of “You can’t get on the field and play the blessed game for them.” We did it with John Mitchell, whose main crime was being given the job too soon.
Enough’s enough. Don’t fire anybody. Graham Henry is a great coach. He’s built up a great team. Things didn’t pan out as the supporters would have liked. Swallow hard and get a grip.
Beg him to keep the job. He’s probably the best rugby coach in the world and he’ll only improve.
I do hope he strikes those words rotation and resting from his lexicon.
Just kidding Graham – you’re the boss. 
