Will Anthony Foley be the next Munster coach?

Sometimes, you need to step back to appreciate the magnitude of a masterpiece. Even of a painting whose reputation towers in comparison to its size. Because sometimes, we miss things that are right under our noses. We need to see the whole picture. But there are those in the IRFU who have their noses pressed up against the canvas and can't see a damned thing. Ulster coach, Brian McLaughlin was right under their noses and they missed him. Now, it's too late. But even if the IRFU were to lift its head once in a while, and cast it's Cyclopean gaze across the Irish Sea, toward Britain, it may still go unnoticed that two young and innovative Irish coaches, in Bradley and O'Shea, reside there, imparting their expertise abroad, and as such, are underutilised natural resources. 


(Paradoxically, being net exporters of rugby coaches harms our domestic rugby economy. Lets bring this metaphor to a close, shall we?)


Our coaches are leaving, or being stood aside. But there is one young Irish coach who may overcome such ignorance, Munster forwards' coach, Anthony Foley. Since Tony McGahan announced his forthcoming departure in the summer, the hat has split its seams for all the names thrown into it. On Thursday night's Off the Ball road show in Cork, Ronan O'Gara said this, when asked of the imminent coaching vacancy in the province, "There's going to be, obviously, a few important change-overs and new staff [my italics] and new players", he then went on to say that, "I don't think sweeping changes are required," suggesting that he is putting his weight behind Foley, who has the advantage of not merely being a disciple, but a prophet of the Munster way , and is already integrated into the coaching set-up. An obvious inference. He then went onto clarify a quote put to him by the show's presenter Eoin McDevitt:

"I saw you were quoted this morning as saying, you [O'Gara] "hope they trawl the world  for the best possible coach," so it doesn't necessarily have to be somebody that we know at the moment?"

The out-half went on to clarify, albeit, not accusatorially, "I was only thinking afterwards, it's easy twisting my words there, or that some people might read into that, that he [O'Gara himself] doesn't rate Foley, or something like that. But that couldn't be further from the truth, I think he's exceptional." Even though O'Gara goes on to say that Foley will have a huge role to play in Munster's success, as either the head, or the assistant coach, I read this merely as a sign of his loyalty to Munster, as an idea and a brand, that is greater than he. Incidentally, O'Gara's perceived honesty in interviews (it is not my intention to suggest any disingenuousness on O'Gara's part, merely, to point out that this is how he is perceived, in general), leads many people to underestimate him as a media performer.


So will Foley be the coach? Who knows? If there is any truth to my inferences, and if O'Gara's view is representative of the senior players, than quite possibly. 


As Mark Anscombe readies to replace McLaughlin at Ulster, all we know with certainty is that come the start of next season, there will be only one Irish coach in charge among the four provinces. It is not my intention to sound like a xenophobic rugby nationalist. Importing coaches and ideas helped unearth and nurture the "golden generation." At Leinster, Joe Schmidt has developed a talented squad, brimming with youth, and their overall technical level is the envy of Europe. The point I'm trying to make, though obtusely, is brought into focus by Alan Quinlan, writing for the Irish Times*:

"When I heard McLaughlin was being moved aside from the head coach’s job, I was disappointed for him but I thought that if it meant that they were going to bring in a proven world-class coach then maybe it was fair enough.

"But Anscombe’s experience is with the All Blacks under-20s and some ITM teams in New Zealand.

"I’m sure he’s a fine coach.

"I’m not questioning his ability at all.

"What I am questioning is why we seem to think achievements at underage level and in provincial rugby in New Zealand are on a par with getting through the pool stages of the Heineken Cup. Whatever about what it says to McLaughlin, is that not a bit of an insult to Irish rugby in general? I think it sends a message to Irish coaches telling them that they better be very good because they won’t be judged by the same standards as a coach from the Southern Hemisphere."

I'm not saying lets slap a Q-Mark on "Axel's" backside and exclaim, "Try Irish!," but he is the best candidate. Ideally he would have more coaching experience, but his Munster pedigree is such that, his claim to the throne must not go unrecognised, or risk undermining his usurper. Regarding his lack of experience, one must remember that Schmidt's first season as Leinster head-coach was his first season as a head-coach. In the medium to long-term, Munster are bridging the gaps at academy level. At senior level, at least in the short-term, Foley can best negate the shortcomings of the panel.  

*I have selected the quotes from here.

"According to The Irish Times poll of last weekend, [m]ore than 60 per cent did not want Kenny as taoiseach [sic] and 65 per cent said they didn’t want Cowen as Taoiseach." - Vincent Browne.

I'd like to see a follow-up question, such as, "is there any politician you'd like to see as Taoiseach?" If 50 per cent said "no, they're all a shower of b@$!#rds," I would not be surprised. In a poll such as this, the questions asked (or not asked) are equally as important as the answers given. For example, why don't you want Cowen to be Taoiseach? Because of his mishandling of the economy and the banking sector. Reasonable enough. However if asked, why don't you want Kenny to be Taoiseach, and the answer comes back, em...there's just something about him. He seems like a nice fella but...you know... Sarah Carey in the Irish Times is more succinct in her analysis when she says the Fine Gael problem is one of "conveying an air of authority without actual authority."


Voters in Ireland don't vote for a Taoiseach. Polls in opposition are personality contests and Enda Kenny's inability or unwillingness to woo the post-Bertie electorate, is his (perceived) Achilles heel. The electorate is a like scorned lover. That smooth-talking, snake charmer, Ahern, broke our hearts but we still want a bad boy.


Another factor to consider is if 65 per cent of those polled did not want Cowen as Taoiseach and when asked about Kenny, that same question results in a differential of only 5 per cent, one is left to wonder; are these the sort of opinions we should be taking seriously. After all as Vincent Browne went on to write in his Irish Times column of Brian Cowen:

More than any other person, possibly with the exception of Bertie Ahern, Brian Cowen bears responsibility for both the economic collapse and the banking collapse. The recent revelation he interfered with the financial regulator in the latter’s attempt to get bank directors to sign statements of compliance with proper bank practice is, itself, devastating to his credibility, that is if he had any credibility left to be devastated.

If Bruton becomes leader the irony of such an outcome is that, as the past few days have shown, he is not nearly as savvy a political operator as Kenny has proven to be. Bruton and his camp have behaved like a teenage boy, who moments after a first kiss with a beautiful girl (way out of your league) clumsily and in a panic (thinking, this may never happen again), gropes her breast, much to her dismay. She gets up and leaves (probably with Kenny).


The Irish Times have a formidable reputation and illustrious history but a poll, such as this, is self-serving. It makes the news and as such undermines their journalistic independence. One could argue that the challenge to Kenny's leadership has arisen because he doesn't sell enough newspapers. He's not box-office enough. Vincent Browne ends his column by writing that no matter what the outcome of the FG power struggle "the charade of what we call democracy would persist." Is it democracy that a poll in a newspaper and the subsequent inflated and reactionary views of some of its journalists, sets the terms by which our (potential) leaders are measured?