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Toulon coach Tana Umaga - Source: Photosport -
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The plight of the Toulon rugby club in France, and its coach Tana Umaga, is unbelievable and yet at the same time not surprising.
The club's owner and financial backer, Mourad Boudjellal, has
invested massive amounts of money to achieve his ambitious aim of
making the club one of the best in Europe.
He attracted Umaga, who had been an outstanding player and
influential All Black captain, and gave him the freedom to recruit
players of his choice.
Umaga did so unhesitatingly. He hauled in some big names such as Jerry Collins, and was instrumental in luring Sonny Bill Williams away from rugby league. Other experienced players from Australia and South Africa were also signed up.
In the meantime, the owner decided he had just as much appreciation and understanding of what sort of talent was required and contracted a few other players. This was apparently done without any advice or agreement from his coach.
That tactic alone would usually be a surefire recipe for disaster.
Thus was assembled a team which included some very good players, some who were over the hill, some who were unlikely to fit in because the coach had no say in their involvement, plus a few locals. It was a bunch of individuals that Umaga was expected to instantly develop into a top-notch team.
Not the most attractive proposition for any coach let alone one with absolutely no experience.
This is why Toulon's lack of success has been no surprise. Boudjellal was clearly influenced by the Umaga name. He felt that by having such a superb player at the helm, somebody who had become an international rugby superstar, success would be automatic.
For a top businessman, this was very naive and he soon found out how serious his error was.
Toulon couldn't win a thing. The coaching team was ineffective and the top individuals couldn't win the games by themselves.
Boudjellal introduced experienced (again from overseas) coaches to assist. Presumably this was as much to achieve some victories as it was to boost Umaga's flagging reputation and confidence, but it really was an admission that the backer of this club had made a series of dreadful, costly mistakes.
Toulon still are ineffective. They sit at the bottom of the French competition and face relegation.
The negative reaction to imported players is increasing and will soon have an unfortunate, and perhaps permanent, effect on the ability of overseas players to play in France in future.
Umaga is likely to have his contract terminated, as are some of his staff and players.
In all, it has been a most unsatisfactory period for one of the New Zealand rugby public's most admired players.
The package on offer for Tana Umaga, the lifestyle experience and escaping the 'fish bowl' atmosphere of New Zealand, was enormously attractive and it must have been a simple choice to accept what was on offer.
However his lack of any coaching experience was always going to count against him, and his reputation has been severely dented.
It all looks as though it will be a sad and sorry end for Tana
Umaga's coaching aspirations. The road back might be long and
difficult.
What are your thoughts? Feel free to comment on the
messageboard below!
Add a Comment:
Post new commentscott barker said on 2009-01-26 @ 12:14 NZDT: Report abusive post
He is one of many who is not successful at the top flight because he didnt go through the coaching apprenticeship- enough said but i do wish Tana all the best
puha said on 2009-01-24 @ 00:33 NZDT: Report abusive post
i hope he gets sacked and plays for the hurricanes again........
Trevthehev said on 2009-01-23 @ 22:09 NZDT: Report abusive post
Is his hair going????
coconutruff4 said on 2009-01-23 @ 11:36 NZDT: Report abusive post
MUPPETS WERE A GOOD CHILDRENS PROGRAM, BUT TO LABEL TANA OR ANYBODY THAT IS A TRAVESTY, YES HE MAY HAVE BEEN OUT OF HIS DEPTH, BUT THE COACH DIDNT HELP BY BRINGING OTHER PLAYERS THAT HE HADNT TALKED TO THE COACH ABOUT INTO THE SQUAD, DOESNT MAKE UR JOB ANY EASIER, I SURE FACE TO FACE WITH TANA YOU PROBABLY WOULDNT OF CALLED HIM A MUPPET, MIND YOU HES PROBABLY BEEN CALLED A LOT OTHER THINGS THRU OUT HIS LIFE, HES GOT TO HAVE THICK SKIN, ? YOU COULD BE A JOURNALIST LOL
ray@sofsol.co.nz said on 2009-01-23 @ 11:18 NZDT: Report abusive post
This just supports the expresion "Great player does not mean you'll be good coach"