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#Post#: 57173--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gustard gone
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: January 20, 2021, 10:28 am
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Well, well. Comes as a surprise but despite having spent a lot
of time defending him, my instictinctive reaction was not one of
disappointment. The Marcus Smith story, if true, is absolutely
ludicrous behaviour though. I'm not sure why everyone assumes
Gustard wasn't a driving force behind it; we'll just have to
wait and see I suppose.
Normally I'd be heavily critical of us binning off someone
mid-season and mid-table, but this season is not normal.
Wouldn't have a problem with Diamond or Lancaster, but I can't
see Diamond rejoining a Premiership team this soon. Ben Ryan
would represent yet another Quins Gamble and they rarely pay
off, so no thanks.
I cannot express just how annoyed I am that the rumour-mongers
were right! >:( ;D
#Post#: 57174--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gustard gone
DIR By: DOK
Date: January 20, 2021, 10:32 am
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Well, first of all I'd like to thank Paul Gustard for his time
and effort with the club and wish him all the best for the
future. He undoubtedly gave it his all, and while I can
speculate why that wasn't enough I'm happy he did his best.
Harlequins is a tough nut to crack, there are good players who
don't work out here and good coaches.
If no relegation is coming, then the club needn't bother about
being competitive for 2 years, we can sell off players in demand
like Marcus, let old hands with big salaries go, promote through
the academy again, run a bunch of journeymen for a while, go
through the motions. That is surely appealing to Duncan Saville
and Mr Jillings surely? The club is losing money hand over fist,
so minimise your costs. The fans won't be super happy, but
they've proved willing to swallow the " new young team" "in a
rebuilding phase" "not yet the DOR's team" excuses through the
last few managers. If we're going that route it is pretty
depressing.
OK - suppose we're not doing that. Suppose the club is saying
"no relegation is coming, ideal time for root and branch
rebuild"? Then it would make sense to drop the DOR if that's
what you feel you should do ASAP. The timing is a bit odd, isn't
it? I assume PG is getting paid for the full 3 years even though
we're separating now, so you don't save money getting rid now.
Sure, if they've someone else lined up, then now is the best
time to seperate from PG, but otherwise it would make sense to
keep him for the full contract period - unless you view him as
the problem and think it better for Billy Millard to run the
team in the interim.
So - in the immortal words of Tom Lehrer "who's next?".
Not COS - his bargain basement recruitment was a complete
shambles, a few good folk but mostly journeymen or worse.
Deano? The only DOR I've seen in recent times seemed to get the
club on an upward trajectory, but oh the baggage!
Diamond? Kind of in the same mould as Deano. Might get players'
attention. Might shake them up. Suspect a marmite DOR.
Ben Ryan? Let's take a punt on another unknown, I mean how many
times can we do this and it still not work out?
Richard Cockerill? Failed at Leicester to turn them into a
winning rugby team. If you can't do that at Leicester what hope
do you have at Harlequins?
Stuart Lancaster? Another with no history as a DOR. (Running
England is different and I admit he was well shafted there).
John Kingston? Love the man to death. Was a great forwards
coach. Unlucky in some ways to be made DOR when he was. But no,
not as DOR.
Martin Haag - coached Nottingham, played for Bath, England U20s
World Cup winning coach. Worth a punt?
Nick Walshe - coached Bedford, coached England to IRB Junior
World Champions for 2013/4.
Someone Overseas
Cheika - No premiership experience, not sure Leinster is enough
Scott Robertson - We've never had a DOR can breakdance, maybe
that's the problem.
John Mitchell - It's not far to move from HQ. A bit of a marmite
coach by all accounts, but certainly would get players'
attention.
Chris Masoe - No premiership experience, but European from
Racing. A 20 cap all black may get players' attention...then
again there was Zinzan!
#Post#: 57175--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gustard gone
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: January 20, 2021, 10:34 am
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Lancaster was DOR at Leeds, wasn't he?
#Post#: 57176--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gustard gone
DIR By: KiltedQuin
Date: January 20, 2021, 10:38 am
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--- Quote from: CherryTree link ---
>
> Would not surprise me to see Jim Mallinder in the frame for
this.
>
> Currently hidden away in the England Pathway set up.
>
--- End Quote ---
Jim Mallinder is currently the SRU's Director of Elite
Performance.
#Post#: 57177--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gustard gone
DIR By: BedfordshireBoy
Date: January 20, 2021, 10:39 am
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--- Quote from: Neil Quinnock link ---
>
> It looks to me that Quins are in serious financial trouble
and maybe saw the opportunity to offload a big salary if there's
interest in him from Wales as reported. If Marcus has also been
offered out to other clubs for a transfer fee (as reported) and
the rumours are true about Marler and Marchant wanting to leave,
we could be about to experience a significant downsizing in size
and quality of our squad.
>
--- End Quote ---
And most likely the fan base.
#Post#: 57178--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gustard gone
DIR By: honkytonk
Date: January 20, 2021, 10:42 am
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If we were really taking a punt...Brad Thorn
Finished playing and straight into coaching. Worked with the
Queensland U20s as forwards coach and then also with Queensland
County in the Domestic NRC. Helped them win their first title
and then given the big job with the Reds. Is fighting a losing
battle with the Reds, they continue to produce some excellent
young players (they make up most if the U20 aussie squad and
regularly win the U20 title) but cannot keep hold of them
(losing overseas due to ££). They play some great rugby. He
was close to leaving recently but signed on for another season.
If we are keeping Millard till the end of this season the timing
would be right. I sense he is getting frustrated with the Reds
and the way things are going
#Post#: 57179--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gustard gone
DIR By: DOK
Date: January 20, 2021, 10:43 am
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--- Quote from: JammyGit link ---
>
> Lancaster was DOR at Leeds, wasn't he?
>
--- End Quote ---
He was indeed - mea culpa! However not a great record (so why
did England pick him up?)
[quote=wikipedia]
Coaching career
After retiring in 2000, Lancaster ran the Leeds RFU Academy for
five years from 2001. However, in 2006 after Leeds Tykes were
relegated after the 2005–06 Guinness Premiership season,
Lancaster replaced Phil Davies as head coach before the 2006–07
National Division One.[5] In Lancaster's debut season, he led
Leeds to promotion with 122 points.[6] The victory was without
high-profile players like Justin Marshall and Iain Balshaw. Now
back in the top flight English rugby competition, Leeds Carnegie
– the renamed title of the club – remained bottom of the table
for the whole season, only getting 2 victories from 22, and were
relegated at the end of the 2007–08 Guinness Premiership season.
Lancaster later departed the club after being appointed RFU's
Elite Rugby Director.[7]
[/quote]
#Post#: 57180--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gustard gone
DIR By: Quin Kong
Date: January 20, 2021, 10:44 am
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Would Nick Easter be too much, he has been away from the club a
while now, knows the coaching team and has been understudying
Deano?
#Post#: 57181--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gustard gone
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: January 20, 2021, 10:45 am
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England picked him up because he was a very good U20s coach and
had a good relationship with the players who were breaking
through into the England side, did well when given the
opportunity as an interim coach, and went from there.
--- Quote from: BedfordshireBoy link ---
>
> And most likely the fan base.
>
--- End Quote ---
No kidding. If we do bin off Smith and others in favour of
cheaper players my enthusiasm for supporting the team would take
a big hit. And it's not like supporting Quins hasn't been
incredibly aggravating at times since CoS!
#Post#: 57182--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gustard gone
DIR By: Visiquin
Date: January 20, 2021, 10:48 am
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The only thing I think works well behind the scenes is
recruitment - I wouldn't worry about that
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